My Vision of an Authentic Orthodox Catechesis

Theosis

Submitted by Carole A. Buleza

Design Joe OrthodoxHere is your chance to visualize your ideal

Orthodox parishioner—perhaps your spiritual son.

Draw Joe’s outline.The space around Joe is for phrases that

describe why Joe is an really good Orthodox Christian. What is he doing right?

Is Orthodox catechesis doing what it intends to do?

When I was appointed to this position, Metropolitan Philip gave me a directive.

“The children do not know their faith-- I want them to know their faith!”

We have socialized our children into the faith by participation in the Divine Liturgy . . . and,

We have informed them about the faith (the Protestant Sunday School model) with the hope that they would live the Orthodox Way.

Is this working?

No. A survey done five years ago through the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute of U.C. Berkeley showed that the top concern of respondents was young people leaving the faith. At the recent GOA Clergy-Laity Convention, the keynote speaker made the same point.

I believe we are having only moderate success.

Why?

No.

Consider the words of Fr. Alexander Schmemann

“At no other time in history has Orthodoxy existed in countries that were not also Orthodox.”

We have assumed that they are learning “the Orthodox Way,” from their families and communities—like in the villages in the old country.

We have followed the Protestant model with its focus on giving information about doctrine, bible, etc.

Information does not make an Orthodox Christian. We need to teach “the Orthodox Way.”

We need to establish a goal. We have never had a stated goal.

We need to make a plan to meet the goal.

“that we may become partakers of the divine nature by “grace. (Epistle of St. Peter)

“God became human so that humans could become god.” (St. Athanasios)

“This, then, is our task: to educate ourselves and our children in godliness.” (St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians)

“Our goal is to acquire the Holy Spirit” (St. Seraphim of Sarov)

The goal for an Orthodox Christian is theosis, living united with God.

Theosis is our goal. How do we chart a course?Curriculum planners use a Scope and Sequence Chart.Grade levels on the left, content areas on topAt the intersection of the child’s age, and the content

category, determine what the child can/should know

Topics Bible Church History

Doctrine Liturgical, Prayer

Ethics, Spirituality

Grade5Our Life in the Church

4Jesus the Promise of God

Scope and Sequence Chart Example“What should a 3rd, 4th, 5th grade student should know about . . .” [OCEC chart]

Topics Bible Church History

Doctrine Liturgical, Prayer

Ethics, Spirituality

Grade5Our Life in the Church

Passages are selected as they relate to origin of sacraments

History of sacraments, rituals, lives of saints

Sacraments as per salvation and Church membership; Trinity, Creation and Fall, Incarnation, Redemption

Eucharistic Prayer, Prayer before Gospel, Antiophons, Troparia, As Many as Have Been Baptized, Trisagion

Children are helped to find their own place in the Church through the study of sacraments, vocations

4Jesus the Promise of God

Life of Jesus, select parables, OT prophecies, use of Bible

Church History and Tradition in the context of gospel stories studied. Holy Week, icons, Symbols of Pascha

Jesus is the promise of God; also angels, free will, the Fallen Angel, the Evangelists, feasts of our Lord

Beginning prayers, litanies, patience with God, Creed, selected tropar, Simeon’s prayer

Vocation; God called a “people,” we are called, choices, concern, love, sin vs. sinner, beatitudes

3New Life in the Church

Stories to illustrate lesson concepts: Call of Disciples, Epiphany, Zaccheus

Worship in catacombs, Orthodoxy Sunday, Nativity Fast, Great Lent, Holy Week, Icons

New Life is shared in community. Sacraments, Nativity Pascha, Pentecost, Lord’s abiding presence, Creed

Lord’s prayer, Creed, Ephraim’s prayer; Bless the Lord, Christ is risen, “What shall we offer” Prayer is communication with God

Church is community called to pray, worship, serve, forgive, share Good news, make moral decisions

How should we proceed if our goal is not “information” but spiritual maturity—theosis?

1. Establish it as our goal.2. Define its components3. Make a plan for children to deepen and

broaden their understanding of its components each year.

Theosis: the goal of Orthodox

Catechesis

Conversion

Repentance

Liturgy

Struggle

Wisdom

Everything that Joe Orthodox did right,

is contained in these categories.

We need to help our children grow in understanding of

these.

• Offering self and world to God on behalf of all and for all• Understanding that Eucharist constitutes Church, living in church

• Seeking to learn from Orthodoxy’s treasure (saints, icons)• Reflecting experiences; the world, grappling with theodicy et al

Spiritual Maturity from Increasing UnderstandingExample: Repentance

Introduce reflection time at bedtime. Discuss ways of “making

things right.” Review procedure

of confession

Introduce sins of “omission,” such as not reaching out to new kids.

Consider humility as not placing yourself above others.

What does it mean to “deny” someone? Could we ever deny Christ? Peter’s repentance after denying Christ.

Christ’s forgiveness. Sin as bondage. God’s forgiveness experienced as release.

3

4

5

Aspects of Spiritual Maturity

Conversion

Struggle

WisdomRepentance

Liturgy

Sacraments

EthicsScripture

Service

Church History

Saints Doctrine

Patristics

Knowledge Categories The points of information now contained in these categories will be related to an aspect of spiritual maturity instead.

Example of New Scope and Sequence Chart“How can we increase the 4th Grader’s spiritual understanding?”

Conversion

Repentance Liturgy Struggle Wisdom

Grade5“Who do you say I am?”

OT types and fulfillment gospels. Jesus’ question to Peter, “Who do you say I am?”Consequences of answer: Church

Could we ever deny Christ? Peter’s repentance after denying Christ.Christ’s forgiveness.

Discussion of Passover Supper (OT covenant), and Mystical Supper fulfillment. Mystical Supper as New Covenant

Introduce concept of Church as ark of salvation; church as kingdom in the midst of a fallen world; church as target of the devil.

What happened to Peter and the others who correctly answered, “Who do you say I am?” Intro to formation of church.

4“I have not come to condemn, but to save.”

What does it mean to love God? Sermon on Mount, GC, Jesus stories of Samaritans, loving enemies

Introduce sins of “omission,” such as not reaching out to the new kids. Consider humility as not seeing oneself better than others.

We offer ourselves to God, and receive as well. Build on Little Entrance: what is Gospel? Epistle? Receive inspiration

Discuss activities of students are involved with, facebook, texting, etc., and discuss how those can cause us to sin.

Saints who were particularly humble, ministered to others, such as John of Kronstadt. How we can pray to that saint, and imitate?

3“I am the light of the world.”

Review Baptism, NT: Life of Jesus, OT: Nativity prophecies, Memorize Greatest Command, service, forgiveness

Review “on purpose,” and “by accident.” Introduce reflection time at bedtime. Discuss ways of “making things right.” Review procedure of confession.

Little Entrance as Jesus’ Coming into the World, Liturgical year re-presenting events in Jesus’ life

Discuss temptation in various scenarios. Discuss efforts at prayer, fasting, and giving—living “with God.” Practice praying with an icon.

Evangelists wrote down life of Jesus, contained in Bible; Introduce concept of proverb—their admonitions. People have sought to do the right thing thru history.

Catechesis that is About God, and Them is Life-givingInstead of the categories of: We give them

Doctrine,

Ethical/Spiritual,

Instead of Church History

Conversion—living for God and others because of what they know to be true.

Struggle and Repentance—recognizing evil, struggling against it, and repenting of sin.

Wisdom—seeing God’s plan as their inheritance, seeing their role in it, following in the footsteps of those who journeyed before them.

Knowledge is not for its own sake, but rather for the sake of their relationship with God.

How do we educate our childrenin theosis?

Teach children key Orthodox ife-giving theology (“image and likeness;” theosis)beginning at Kindergarten.

Let them know they are made in God’s image for the goal of theosis—we have never taught this.

Repeat this every year.

Teach so the “heart knows,” unpacking our treasure chest of eastern ways of knowing through the senses, imagery, narrative, poetic elements such as juxtaposition, art, hymnography, beauty, chant, and silence, bodily expression, symbol and ritual—we have never trained them to know aesthetically, bodily, with their feelings.

Is this a vision of authentic Orthodox catechesis?

Education for the goal of theosis.Knowledge for the goal of spiritual maturity.

Opening their eyes to aesthetical knowing so Orthodoxy’s treasure will help them gain “heart

knowledge.”