Contrast The Ancient And Contemporary Models Of The Catechumenate

Throughout the earliest centuries of the church, the catechumenate served as the training and first leg of the marathon which is the spiritual pilgrimage of a Christian’s life. In subsequent centuries cultural, ecclesial, and theological complications caused churches to cease the rich tradition of the catechumenate. Modern Christianity Yearns for a return to the model of the ancient catechumenate, not because of its rich tradition, but because its pattern employs the holistic scope and sequence necessary to prepare new converts for their spiritual journey. In order to express the modern necessity of ancient traditions of Christian education I will compare and contrast the ancient and contemporary models of the catechumenate while problematizing
Coincidentally, these classes prove to be anemic in scope and sequence when compared to the early church. Far too many churches pragmatically hold seasonal classes, which teach theological jargon and denominational polity to its catechumens. James Dunning critiques these cognitive focused discipleship methods: “The model is not a theology class, but the communal spiritual journey of the catechumenate that sees conversion as an ongoing journey to and from the table of Eucharist.” Dunning continues by explain the holistic understanding of biblical faith, “Too often we limit faith to faith as cognitive content rather than faith as relationship. Biblical faith is personal relationship with God expressed in attitudes, feelings, worship, and responsibilities.” This approach to a catechumens developing faith requires a church to commit to a prolonged and multifaceted discipleship
Keifer invites the church to ponder the eternal, mysterious significance of the baptism. “The community into which we are baptized is not fundamentally an institution but an event, and the event is founded on the person action of the triune God. We are baptized not simply into a human community, but into the risen Christ and the indwelling of the Spirit.” The infinite paradox of God’s grace through the sacraments as well as the catechumenate reminds the baptized members that baptism marks just the beginning of one’s Christian