Letting The Catechesis Outta The Bag

-“…despite a relatively high bar for entry, the young church grew rapidly…” (pg 30 of Making Disciples by Alex Fogleman)Some churches offer what is sometimes called “spontaneous baptism” (an opportunity for someone to show up on a Sunday morning who had not planned to get baptized to get straight into the water that very morning), while some churches have a 2-3 year waiting period between when a person expresses a desire to be baptized and when they can actually go through the waters. How can we have such a wide range between these criteria? What makes a person “ready” for baptism? Traditionally, the church has called this gap (however wide or narrow) “catechesis”. If you grew up or around the kind of church tradition I did, though, it’s possible this is a term you have never heard.Good news, though; Alex Fogleman has written a wonderfully accessible and helpful book on the topic! He’s not a stick in the mud, and he doesn’t bog down on terminology, but he’s a helpful conversation partner in the process of coming to grips with how we become (and make) disciples of Jesus Christ in the here & now.If you find this conversation helpful, please consider checking out Alex’s book, Making Disciples, wherever books are sold… and consider sharing this pod with a friend that came to mind whilst listening!Alex Fogleman → https://tas.edu/people/dr-alex-foglemanMaking Disciples → https://www.amazon.ca/Making-Disciples-Catechesis-Theology-Practice/dp/0802883850/Chapters:00:00 Introduction03:55 Background of Alex Fogleman05:10 The Journey to Anglicanism and Catechesis08:04 The Importance of Discipleship in the Church11:22 Understanding the Catechumenate14:18 The Role of Catechesis in Early Christianity17:16 The Evolution of Catechesis Through the Centuries20:10 Augustine’s Approach to Teaching and Catechesis23:18 The Process of Becoming a Catechumen26:12 The Church’s Role in Education and Inclusivity29:05 Historical Overview of Catechesis from Early Church to Present32:31 The Historical Context of Catechesis38:45 Evangelicalism and the Challenge of Catechesis43:29 Authentic Christianity: Belief, Behavior, and Experience51:39 Moral Formation in Contemporary Christianity59:00 The Role of Catechesis in Modern Faith PracticesKeywords:catechesis, early church, Christian formation, discipleship, theology, church history, Wesleyan, Anglican, spiritual growth, religious education Get full access to Marc Jolicoeur (aka Jolly Thoughts) at marcjolicoeur.substack.com/subscribe