My Vision of an Authentic Orthodox Catechesis

1. My Vision of an Authentic Orthodox Catechesis Theosis Submitted by Carole A. Buleza

2. Design Joe Orthodox • Here 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?

3. 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!”

4. 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?

5. No. • 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?

6. Consider the words of Fr. Alexander Schmemann “At no other time in history has Orthodoxy existed in countries that were not also Orthodox.”

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

8. 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.

9. “God became human so that humans could become god.” (St. Athanasios) The goal for an Orthodox Christian is theosis, living united with God. • “that we may become partakers of the divine nature by “grace. (Epistle of St. Peter) • “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)

10. 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 top • At the intersection of the child’s age, and the content category, determine what the child can/should know

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

12. How should we proceed if our goal is not “information” but spiritual maturity—theosis? • Establish it as our goal. • Define its components • Make a plan for children to deepen and broaden their understanding of its components each year.

13. Liturgy • Everything that Joe Orthodox did right, is contained in these categories. • Repentance • Conversion Theosis: the goal of Orthodox Catechesis • Struggle • Wisdom • We need to help our children grow in understanding of these.

14. 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

15. Spiritual Maturity from Increasing UnderstandingExample: Repentance 5 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. • Introduce sins of “omission,” such as not reaching out to new kids. Consider humility as not placing yourself above others. 4 • Introduce reflection time at bedtime. Discuss ways of “making things right.” Review procedure of • confession 3

16. Aspects of Spiritual Maturity • Liturgy • Wisdom • Conversion • Repentance • Struggle Knowledge Categories Church History • Saints Service • Doctrine • Ethics Scripture • Patristics • Sacraments The points of information now contained in these categories will be related to an aspect of spiritual maturity instead.

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

18. Catechesis that is About God, and Them is Life-giving Instead 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.”