Joseph Hollcraft MA
Foundations of Catechetics: CCP 211
Week 1: September 4, 2007

I. Biblical Foundations to Catechetics: The biblical word for informed is Katecheo (Gk.), meaning to “instruct” or “teach orally” and is the basis of the English word Catechism. Informed, in its original Christian context, is the process by which we are educated in the Christian faith. Informed, defined as catechesis, is the systematic teaching of Christian faith in an organic form to make sense of our call to become missionaries for Christ. The focus and aim of all catechesis is to have a personal encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. Catechesis is achieved by placing the Body of Christ into a deeper sacramental communion with our Lord leading to on-going conversion. We must remember that Christ is the principal mediator into the love of the Father (cf. CCC 4-5; 426).

A. The verb inform(ed) is used eight times in the New Testament. It is often linked with the early transmission of the gospel, when the apostles and their associates instruct believers by word of mouth. Luke writes his gospel to Theophilus, who has already been catechized in the aforementioned systematic catechesis, in order to confirm and deepen his understanding of Jesus’ life and teaching (cf.Lk.1.4).

1. The early apostles write their Gospels as a mark of the evangelization of the early Church. Pope Benedict XVI in his Gospel, Catechesis and catechism writes, “They also inaugurate the development of evangelization into a Catechesis” (Benedict XVI, 56). It is the initiation into the understanding of the mission of Jesus Christ and how we are called to relate to the world while living in him.

B. Paul employs the aforementioned term years earlier when he encourages young Christians to assists their local catechists with financial support (Gal.6.6), and when he stresses intelligible instruction in the faith is much more profitable than charismatic tongues(1 Cor.14.19). Christ established a teaching church that is the Deposit of Faith!

1. 1 Tim.6.20… “O’Timothy guard the deposit.” The deposit is the precious reality in which we are to teach and hand on in the “obedience of faith” (Rom.1.4). This is not human ingenuity, but a treasure in which we are to teach and defend…I note here that apologetics only receives its fullness in light of its insertion into a clear catechesis!

a. 1 Tim.6.21… “…some have missed the mark.” Here Paul is talking about the deposit as one in the same as the law of Christ.

2. 2 Tim.1.13-14; 2 Tim.2.2…In Paul’s inspired Greek text; he uses the word paratheke, meaning “the Truth”, which is handed on in a definitive pattern of teaching. It is also the same Greek word used for “deposit”.

a. Paul, throughout his pastoral epistles remarks the need when teaching to be obedient to the teachings of the Church, the deposit of faith (Tit.1.9; 2.1; 2.7; 1 Tim.4.6.4.16; 2 Trim.4.1-3).

1. The process of being informed, or catechized, is a vocation of both obedience and understanding rooted in prayer: obedience, because it calls out our need “to listen” and give our ascent to The Deposit and Tradition of Faith, which hands on the person and faith of Christ in his church (2 Thess.2.15; Mt.16.13-30), and understanding, because it leads to a fuller sense of how to live the Christian pilgrimage here on earth in heroic charity.

b. Rom.6.17: “standard of teaching”…the basic pattern or structure which gives its basic method teachable.

1. Christ by his very nature is a teacher of this pattern as he is the fulfillment of the intelligible pattern seen throughout salvation history.

3. 2 Thess.2.15; 2 Tim.2.2; 1 Cor.11.23... “Stay steadfast to the oral tradition.” The Latin for tradition is tradere, meaning, “to hand something on to another”.Ttradere became a technical term for the classic educational system: the handing on of truth, the deposit of faith.

a. It is the obedience to the deposit of faith that brings about a unity towards Jesus and his followers through history.

b. 1 Cor.15.2-3... “evangellion”…or the good news is given to us from Paul. Paul orally transmit’s what he received.

1. Lord never commissions the twelve to write but only to preach and witness. Essentially, he is asking him to write an oral tradition.

c. Gal.1.9; Titus 3.10...Paul exhorts the faithful to avoid heresy. This implicitly speaks to the primacy of Tradition in that there is more than just Scripture. Through apostolic fathers, we are getting to know our faith.

Homework Assignment # 1

Reflecting upon one Church Father from each early Christian era: Apostolic, Anti-Nicene, Nicene and Post-Nicene, illustrate in at least two paragraphs how each Father was similar in their treatment of the early Christian faith.

Along with the website below, turn to the Catholic Encyclopedia on line for specific fathers as needed. God bless your Week!

CLICK for website.