A Catechism Curriculum for Adult Study

Table of Contents
Unit 1: Human Nature X Unit 2: God the Father X Unit 3: The Old
Covenant X Unit 4: The Ten Commandments X Unit 5: Sin and Re-
demption X Unit 6: God the Son X Unit 7: The New Covenant X Unit 8:
The Creeds X Unit 9: The Holy Spirit X Unit 10: The Holy Scriptures X
Unit 11: The Church X Unit 12: The Ministry X Unit 13: Prayer and
Worship X Unit 14: The Sacraments X Unit 15: Holy Baptism X Unit
16: Holy Eucharist X Unit 17: Other Sacramental Rites X Unit 18: The
Christian Hope X
Unit 1: Human Nature
From the Catechism, page 895 of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP):

Q. What are we by nature?


A. We are part of God's creation, made in the image of God.

Q. What does it mean to be created in the image of God?


A. It means that we are free to make choices: to love, to create, to rea-
son, and to live in harmony with creation and with God.
Q. Why then do we live apart from God and out of harmony with his
creation?

A. From the beginning, human beings have misused

their freedom and made wrong choices.

Q. Why do we not use our freedom as we should?


A. Because we rebel against God, and we put ourselves in the place of
God.
Q. What help is there for us? A. Our help is in God.

Q. How did God first help us?


A. God first helped us by revealing himself and his will, through nature
and history, through many seers and saints and especially through the
prophets of Israel.
Activity
Read through the Catechism section on human nature. What questions
are raised for you by the Catechism? Are there words or phrases that
catch your attention? What are the main points of this section for you?
Going Deeper
We are part of God's creation, made in the image of God. That means
that we have our identity as creatures but also with the creator. Do you
feel more like a creature or creator? When do you feel these most strong-
ly and why?
From time to time, we hear the phrases, "Well, we are only human," or
"We’re only doing what comes naturally." What do these phrases mean
to you? Do they mean that it is natural for us to sin or to fall short of
what we want to be? Does that mean that God created us to come up
short?
Read Genesis 3. Did not God know that humankind would make a
choice to become "like God"? Why allow it, then? When have our deci-
sions and choices paralleled those of Adam and Eve?
Read Psalm 103. Despite the tendency for humankind to make wrong
choices and put ourselves in the place of God, there is confidence that
God will remain faithful and compassionate.

C Why would God show such compassion for us?


C How does God's actions towards us, even when we do separate our-
selves from

him, make us feel and act in return?

Try to remember some of the times God revealed himself in the Scrip-
tures. How did he reveal himself? Was there a crisis that called for him
to do it then? What about in your own life? Has God revealed himself at
any time in your life? How? Was it specifically at a time of crisis?
Unit 2: God the Father
From the Catechism, page 846 of the BCP:

Q. What do we learn about God as creator from the revelation to Israel?


A. We learn that there is one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heav-
en and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

Q. What does this mean?


A. This means that the universe is good, that it is the work of a single,
loving God who creates, sustains and directs it.

Q. What does this mean about our place in the universe?


A. It means that the world belongs to its creator; and that we are called
to enjoy it and to care for it in accordance with God's purposes.

Q. What does this mean about human life?


A. It means that all people are worthy of respect and honor, because all
are created in the image of God, and all can respond to the love of God.

Q. How was this revelation handed down to us?


A. This revelation was handed down to us through a community created
by a covenant with God.
Activity
Read through this entire section on God the Father from the Catechism.
What is it saying? What are the main points for you? What does it say
about the nature of God? What does it say about creation and human be-
ings? Are there any special questions or concerns you have?
Going Deeper
Read the creation stories in Genesis 1 and 2. These are stories told by the
early Israelites to describe how the world was created, who created it,
and why it was created. Put yourself in their place; that is, try to answer
the questions yourself based on the world today. How was the world cre-
ated? Who created it and why was it created?
The Catechism implies that there is a purpose for us and for all created
things of the world. If you were to create a personal purpose statement, a
vision for your life, what would it be?
In the Genesis account of creation read earlier, humankind is given do-
minion over creation. What does this mean to you? How does the idea of
dominion relate to what the Catechism says about enjoying and caring
for the world in accordance with God's purposes?
The Catechism states all people are worthy of respect and honor. How
does that enter into a discussion on capital punishment? Suicide? Assist-
ed suicide? Universal health care? How would you back up your state-
ments with evidence from Scriptures or church teachings?
Based upon the first two sections of the Catechism, how would you an-
swer the following question: Who are you? (You might wish to look at
the Baptismal Covenant when studying this unit— it is found in the Ap-
pendix of this material.)
Unit 3: The Old Covenant
From the Catechism, page 896-7 of the BCP:

Q. What is meant by a covenant with God?


A. A covenant is a relationship initiated by God, to which a body of peo-
ple responds in faith.

Q. What is the Old Covenant?


A. The Old Covenant is the one given by God to the Hebrew people.
Q. What did God promise them?

A. God promised them that they would be his people to bring all the na-
tions of the world to him.

Q. What response did God require from the chosen people?


A. God required the chosen people to be faithful; to love justice, to do
mercy, and to walk humbly with their God.

Q. Where is this Old Covenant to be found?


A. The covenant with the Hebrew people is to be found in the books
which we call the Old Testament.
Q. Where in the Old Testament is God's will for us shown most clearly?
A. God's will for us is shown most clearly in the Ten Commandments.
Activity
How would you illustrate the definition of “covenant” from the Cate-
chism? What are the key points of it? What would you like to learn
about covenants, and in particular, the Old Covenant?
Going Deeper
In Webster's dictionary, covenant is defined as 1) “a usual, formal,
solemn, and binding agreement, compact” and 2) “a written agreement
or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for
the performance of some action.”
In the same dictionary, contract is defined as “a binding agreement be-
tween two or more persons or persons: covenant.” How would you dif-
ferentiate between a contract and a covenant? Is differentiating between
the two important?
Read the following passages, and for each passage decide (a) who initi-
ated the action, (b) what does God promise, and (c) what must the peo-
ple do? When you have read all the passages, ask yourself how these
stories might actually be one story of a developing covenant between
God and the people.
Genesis 9:1-17
(a) (b)
(c)
Genesis 15:1-6
(a)
(b)
(c)
Exodus 19
(a) (b) (c)
Try to make a timeline of the developing relationship between God and
the people. Imagine being a part of the "chosen people." There is great
joy in being so identified, but also hazards. Which of these might be
temptations for you?

C Isolationism

C Feeling superior

C Expect God to take care of everything C Forget obligations to others
Read Isaiah 9:2-5:7. Is the covenant between God and the people ever
broken? By whom? Would God break the covenant? Does God break the
covenant when he allows the northern and southern kingdoms to be de-
stroyed? How are we to understand these actions in relationship to the
covenant?
How would you summarize the Old Covenant in your own words? How
would you characterize your covenant with God?
Unit 4: The Ten Commandments
From the Catechism, pages 847-8 in the BCP:

Q. What are the Ten Commandments?


A. The Ten Commandments are the laws given to Moses and the people
of Israel.

Q. What do we learn from these commandments?


A. We learn two things: our duty to God, and our duty to our neighbors.

Q. What is our duty to God?


A. Our duty to God is to believe and trust in God;
I. To love and obey God and bring others to know him; II. To put noth-
ing in the place of God;
III. To show God respect in thought, word, and deed; IV. And to set aside
regular times for worship,
prayer and the study of God's ways.

Q. What is our duty to our neighbors?


A. Our duty to our neighbors is to love them as ourselves, and to do to
other people as we wish them to do to us:
I. To love, honor, and help our parents and family; to honor those in au-
thority, to meet their just demands;

II. To show respect for the life God has given us;

to work and pray for peace; to bear no malice, prejudice, or hatred in our
hearts; and to be kind to all the creatures of God.

III. To use all our bodily desires as God intended;


IV. To be honest and fair in our dealings; to seek justice, freedom, and
the
necessities of life for all people; and to use our talents and possessions as

ones who must answer for them to God.


V. To speak the truth, and not to mislead others by our silence. VI. To re-
sist temptations to envy, greed, and jealousy;
to rejoice in other people's gifts and graces; and to do our duty for the
love of God, who has called us into fellowship with him.

Q. What is the purpose of the Ten Commandments?


A. The Ten Commandments were given to define our relationship with
God and our neighbors.

Q. Since we do not fully obey them, are they useful at all?


A. Since we do not fully obey them, we see more clearly our sin and our
need for redemption.
Reflection upon the Catechism
Most of us learned the Ten Commandments in a King James English,
filled with “Thou shalt do no....’s.” How would you compare the Ten
Commandments as given in the Catechism with those? Does it make any
difference for you how they are presented? You might wish to refer to
the Appendix for the comparison of the Ten Commandments in tradi-
tional form and that found in the Catechism.
What does it mean to you when the Cathecism states that the “Ten
Commandments were given to define our relationship with God and our
neighbors”? What would this relationship look like?
Going Deeper
We are told not to put anything in the place of God. What are some
things in the modern- day world that do indeed replace God in our lives?
Can you describe how they come to have such a place in our lives? What
would be required to restore God? What would the cost be? Could you
do it?
Traditionally, Sunday is the day of rest; but in today’s world, that is not
often the case. How do you reconcile the call of the fourth command-
ment with setting aside regular times for worship, prayer and the study
of God's ways? If you state that each person must set aside a day or part
of a day for his or her own “day of rest,” what does that mean for the
community as a whole, and the strength we receive from the communi-
ty?
What would it mean to you if you used all your bodily desires as God in-
tended?
Have you ever considered evangelism, stewardship, and education to be
part of the duty described in the Ten Commandments? How might this
understanding change your perception of your relationship with the
world?
What would this congregation (or diocese) be doing differently if we
were to keep the Ten Commandments to the fullest as described in the
Catechism? How might we encourage this?
Unit 5: Sin and Redemption
From the Catechism, pages 848-9 of the BCP:

Q. What is sin?

A. Sin is the seeking of our own will instead of the will of God, thus dis-
torting our relationship with God, with other people and with all cre-
ation.

Q. How does sin have power over us?


A. Sin has power over us because we lose our liberty when our relation-
ship with God is distorted.

Q. What is redemption?

A. Redemption is the act of God which sets us free from the power of
evil, sin, and death.
Q. How did God prepare us for redemption?

A. God sent the prophets to call us back to himself, to show us our need
for redemption, and to announce the coming of the Messiah.

Q. What is meant by the Messiah?


A. The Messiah is the one sent by God to free us from the power of sin,
so that with the help of God we may live in harmony with God, within
ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation.

Q. Who do we believe is the Messiah?


A. The Messiah, or Christ, is Jesus of Nazareth, the only Son of God.
Reflection on the Catechism
The Catechism speaks of sin in terms of distorting our relationships.
Does that mean that some actions are always sinful? Or could some ac-
tions be sinful in some circumstances, and good in others? Can you give
an example from your own life, or from current events?
How do you understand the phrase “Sin has power over us because we
lose our liberty?” Again, can you give an example from your own life? If
we have the power to sin, do we not also have the power not to sin, and
therefore redeem ourselves? Why or why not?
Going Deeper
In the story of Adam and Eve, found in Genesis 3, we read of how sin
entered the world. Read the account and then answer the following ques-
tions:

C How was Eve tempted to eat of the fruit?


C What were Adam and Eve's reaction to God's presence?

C How did Eve, and then Adam, explain the eating of the fruit?
Select an event or action in your life which you know now to have been
wrong. Based on the story you just read and the answers to the questions
above, how would you answer the following:

C How were you tempted?

C What was your reaction to someone else "finding out" what you had
done? C How did you explain your actions to the other person?

Read the first chapter of Mark. What is John the Baptist’s primary mes-
sage to the people of Israel? When we speak of God redeeming his peo-
ple from sin, there is a reality about the presence of sin in our lives. We
are asked to "own up" to its presence and its power over us. Critics
might charge us with dwelling upon the sins of the people in order to
control them. How would you respond to this charge?
Responsibility is a difficult thing to require in people; in fact it might be
something expected and yet taken on personally rather than assigned.
Society at times seems to encourage us to avoid taking on responsibility
for actions. For example, do alcoholics have some kind of predisposition
that would make them more inclined to alcoholism? How does that af-
fect their responsibility? We hear of children of abuse growing up to
abuse their own children and the presence of a vicious circle? Does this
mean they are not responsible? In such a world, is there such a thing as
sin?
Read Ezekiel 33:10-20. How does this lesson speak to individual sin and
corporate sin? How does the sin of the community or past communities
affect us in the present? How do our sins threaten to affect the sins of
those who come after us? How do we separate ourselves from the sins of
the past?
Redeem means “to buy back; to get or win back; to free from what dis-
tresses or harms; to change for the better; to repair or restore; to free
from a lien by payment; to atone for or retrieve” (Webster's Collegiate
Dictionary). Who or what is God redeeming through the Messiah? Have
you considered how much God must value you to send his only Son to
"buy us back" from sin? Are you worth it? Why or why not?
Unit 6: God the Son
From the Catechism, pages 849-850 of the BCP:

Q. What do we mean when we say that Jesus is the only Son of God?

A. We mean that Jesus is the only perfect image of the Father and shows
us the nature of God.
Q. What is the nature of God revealed in Jesus? A. God is love.
Q. What do we mean when we say that Jesus was conceived by the pow-
er of the Holy Spirit and became incarnate from the Virgin Mary?

A. We mean that by God's own act, his divine Son received our human
nature from the Virgin Mary, his mother.

Q. Why did he take our human nature?


A. The divine Son became human, so that in him human beings might be
adopted as children of God, and be made heirs of God's kingdom.

Q. What is the great importance of Jesus' suffering and death?


A. By his obedience, even to suffering and death, Jesus made the offer-
ing which we could not make; in him we are freed from the power of sin
and reconciled to God.

Q. What is the significance of Jesus' resurrection?


A. By his resurrection, Jesus overcame death and opened for us the way
of eternal life.

Q. What do we mean when we say that he descended to the dead?


A. We mean that he went to the departed and offered them also the bene-
fits of redemption.
Q. What do we mean when we say that he ascended into heaven and is
seated at the right hand of the Father?

A. We mean that Jesus took our human nature into heaven where he now
reigns with the Father and intercedes for us.

Q. How can we share in his victory over sin, suffering, and death?

A. We share in his victory when we are baptized into the New Covenant
and become living members of Christ.
Reflecting on the Catechism
How would you describe “the only perfect image of the Father” in your
own words? How would you define the person of Jesus to someone who
asked you?
The first three questions in this section of the Catechism attempt to de-
scribe the nature of Jesus as both God and man. How do you understand
Jesus? Was he, is he both God and man? How would you explain this
balance when you look at the following scripture passages:

C Luke 2:41-52 C Luke 8:22-25 C Mark 14:32-36

How does Jesus’ taking our nature upon himself make us children of
God?

Did Jesus have to die a violent death? Could he have died of old age af-
ter having led a “good life.” Explain why or why not. Can we share in
Jesus’ victory over sin, suffering, and death if we are not baptized?
Going Deeper
The Hymnal is a wonderful resource for the teaching of the Church, and
hymns 434 - 499 in the Hymnal 1982 are devoted to “Jesus Christ our
Lord.” You might well want to spend time exploring some of these
hymns either as individuals or in groups. Remember that these hymns
are poetry as well as music and include rich imagery. You might want to
ask the following questions as you study the hymns:
 1. What images of Jesus are used in the hymn? Are these familiar im-
ages to you? How is Jesus described? 


2. Are you comfortable with these images? Why or why not? 


3. What images of Jesus are you most comfortable with? 


Art is another medium for the expression of who Jesus is in our lives.
Think of the different kinds of crosses in art. Some have the suffering
Jesus, some have a triumphant Jesus, some have no figure whatsoever.
What is the significance of each? What does each do for you personally?
How does each challenge you?
Unit 7: The New Covenant
From the Catechism, pages 850-851 of the BCP:

Q. What is the New Covenant?


A. The New Covenant is the new relationship with God given by Jesus
Christ, the Messiah, to the apostles; and, through them, to all who be-
lieve in him.

Q. What did the Messiah promise in the New Covenant?


A. Christ promised to bring us into the kingdom of God and give us life
in all its fullness.

Q. What response did Christ require?


A. Christ commanded us to believe in him and to keep his command-
ments.

Q. What are the commandments taught by Christ?


A. Christ taught us the summary of the Law and gave us the New Com-
mandment.
Q. What is the Summary of the Law?

A. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the great command-
ment. And the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Q. What is the New Commandment?


A. The New Commandment is that we love one another as Christ loved
us.

Q. Where may we find what Christians believe about Christ?


A. What Christians believe about Christ is found in the Scriptures and
summed up in the Creeds.
Reflecting on the Catechism
The Catechism describes the New Covenant as the new relationship with
God. How would you describe your relationship with God at this time in
your life? If Christ promised to bring us into the kingdom of God and
give us life in all its fullness, can we expect that life now, or must we
wait for the kingdom to come? What basis do you have for your answer?
Going Deeper
Try to imagine what your life would be like if you had not been bap-
tized, been part of the Church, been introduced to a relationship with
Christ. How would your life be different now? How would it be the
same?
If we say that a covenant is a relationship, then the commitment level of
our relationship can be reflected in the time we spend on that relation-
ship. Looking at the relationships below, attempt to estimate how much
time each week should be spent in order for the relationship to grow:

1. Spouse 

 2. Good friend 


3. Co-worker (time spent outside of work) 


4. Grown child 


5. Parent 


How much time do you, on the average, spend in your relationship with
God each week? Based on the above answers, what kind of relationship
does that represent? If we refer to the Baptismal Covenant in the Ap-
pendix, we have basic relationships with all baptized Christians. By ex-
amining this, and asking ourselves how we are doing in these things, we
can reflect upon how we are keeping our relationship with God. You
might well want to ask yourself the following questions:
A. Have I committed myself to lifelong learning and study of the
Bible? Do I join in the celebration of the Eucharist as often as I
can? Do I keep my times of prayer? How might I improve in these
things? 


B. Do I admit responsibility for sin, both to myself and to God and his
people? Do I attempt to right those wrongs I have done when I am
able? Do I wait until I am “caught,” or do I come forward on my
own? 


C. Have I been willing to tell others about Christ? Am I comfortable

enough with my relationship with Christ to tell others? Why or
 why not? 


D. Do I treat others with respect, even when I do not understand them,

or may not like them? What can I do to help me see Christ in such
people? Do I see Christ in myself? Why or why not? If I do not see
Christ in myself, can I see Christ in anyone else? 


E. Do I engage in working for justice in family, in community, in the

world? What groups might I join that would help me do this? What
prevents me from doing this? 


Read John 13:1-35. What is the context for Jesus giving us the New
Commandment? What should we expect this Commandment to mean for
us? How might we expect to be tested? As a vehicle for examining this,
look in the newspaper and pick out stories where the New Command-
ment is either being kept or there are opportunities for it to be lived out.
Unit 8: The Creeds
From the Catechism, pages 851-852 of the BCP:

Q. What are the creeds?


A. The creeds are the statements of our basic beliefs about God.

Q. How many creeds does this Church use in its worship?


A. This Church uses two creeds: The Apostles Creed and the Nicene
Creed.

Q. What is the Apostle's Creed?


A. The Apostle's Creed is the ancient creed of Baptism; it is used in the
Church's daily worship to recall our Baptismal Covenant.
Q. What is the Nicene Creed?

A. The Nicene Creed is the creed of the universal Church and is used at
the Eucharist.

Q. What, then, is the Athanasian Creed?


A. The Athanasian Creed is an ancient document proclaiming the nature
of the Incarnation and of God as Trinity.

Q. What is the Trinity?


A. The Trinity is one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Reflecting on the Catechism
The creeds are the product of the early (first 500 years) Church. Can
they still speak to the beliefs of the Church today? Why or why not?
The Nicene Creed is the statement we use on most Sunday mornings. By
its repeated use, do you find yourself merely repeating it without really
thinking about what you are saying? What does the Nicene Creed repre-
sent to you—does it speak to your beliefs? In what ways? Where do you
have questions?
How would you explain the Trinity?
Going Deeper
A common criticism of the Episcopal Church is that we not a "Bible"
church. The creeds represent a major component of our faith. Are they
biblical? As an exercise, look at the creed as it is printed below and fol-
lowing each line, try to determine where you might find this thought in
the Scriptures.
Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and
earth. Scripture reference:
Creed: I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord. Scripture refer-
ence:
Creed: He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of
the Virgin Mary. Scripture reference:
Creed: He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was
buried. Scripture reference:
Creed: He descended to the dead. Scripture reference:
Creed: On the third day he rose again. Scripture reference:
Creed: He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the
Father. Scripture reference:
Creed: He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Scripture
reference:
Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, Scripture reference:
Creed: The holy catholic Church, Scripture reference:
Creed: The communion of saints, Scripture reference:
Creed: The forgiveness of sins, Scripture reference:
Creed: The resurrection of the body, Scripture reference:
Creed: And the life everlasting. Scripture reference:
Unit 9: The Holy Spirit
From the Catechism, pages 852-853 of the BCP:

Q. What is the Holy Spirit?


A. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, God at work in the
world and in the Church even now.

Q. How is the Holy Spirit revealed in the Old Covenant?


A. The Holy Spirit is revealed in the Old Covenant as the Giver of life,
the One who spoke through the prophets.
Q. How is the Holy Spirit revealed in the New Covenant?

A. The Holy Spirit is revealed as the Lord who leads us into all truth and
enables us to grow in the likeness of Christ.

Q. How do we recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives?


A. We recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit when we confess Jesus
Christ as Lord and are brought into love and harmony with God, with
ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation.

Q. How do we recognize the truths taught by the Holy Spirit?


A. We recognize truths to be taught by the Holy Spirit when they are in
accord with the Scriptures.
Reflecting on the Catechism
How would you describe the recognition of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
What questions are not answered in the Catechism for you regarding the
Holy Spirit? If you were to reflect upon your life as a Christian, how
much recognition of the Holy Spirit has there been for you personally?
Why do you think that is?
Going Deeper
Read Ezekiel, chapter 2. This is the account of how the prophet was
called forth by God. What was God calling him to do and be? Why?
Why Ezekiel? How would we know if we are called by God? Are there
any ways we can “test” these calls to make sure they are from God?
Read Ezekiel, chapter 37. What is the role of the Spirit in this lesson?
How is this different from the previous reading? Are there any examples
you can give from your life, or times that the Spirit has infused new life
into you, or the community, or the church family? When, and how did
you come to understand this as the work of the Holy Spirit?
Read John 14:15-31. How does Jesus describe the gift of the Holy Spirit
in relationship to our lives? Do we have to have faith before we receive
the Holy Spirit, or can the Holy Spirit be given to us before we believe?
What does the gift of the Holy Spirit bring to us?
Read I Corinthians, chapter 12. Paul describes the gifts of the Spirit and
how they are found in the community. How would you describe the
communities you belong to? What
are the gifts in the community? How are those gifts used for building the
community or for individuals? What other gifts might be needed in those
communities?
Unit 10: The Holy Scriptures
From the Catechism, pages 853-8 of the BCP:

Q. What are the Holy Scriptures?


A. The Holy Scriptures, commonly called the Bible, are the books of the
Old and New Testaments; other books, called the Apocrypha, are often
included in the Bible.

Q. What is the Old Testament?


A. The Old Testament consists of books written by the people of the Old
Covenant, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to show God at work
in nature and history.

Q. What is the New Testament?


A. The New Testament consists of books written by the people of the
New Covenant, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to set forth the
life and teachings of Jesus and to proclaim the Good News of the King-
dom for all people.

Q. What is the Apocrypha?


A. The Apocrypha is a collection of additional books written by people
of the Old Covenant and used in the Christian Church.
Q. Why do we call the Holy Scriptures the Word of God?

A. We call them the Word of God because God inspired their human au-
thors and because God still speaks to us through the Bible.

Q. How do we understand the meaning of the Bible?


A. We understand the meaning of the Bible by the help of the Holy Spir-
it, who guides the Church in the true interpretation of the Scriptures.
Reflecting on the Catechism
At various times, the Holy Scriptures have been understood in different
ways. Some have claimed each word to be the absolute word of God;
others would see the Scriptures as being a guide but not to be followed
literally. In the Catechism, “inspiration of the Holy Spirit” is used to de-
scribe the Scriptures’ relationship to God. How do you understand the
word inspired? How would you describe your relationship with Scrip-
tures?
What questions would you like answered about the Holy Scriptures?
Going Deeper
The Catechism states that the Old Testament was written by people of
the Old Covenant under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. That does not
necessarily answer the question of what the Old Testament says, except
to note that it shows God at work in nature and history. Although it is
impossible to present the story of the Old Testament in this time frame,
consider the following questions:

1. Who is telling the story and what is their relationship to God? 


2. Is the story told all at once, or is it told over a period of time? 


 3. How can telling a story over a long period of time change? Can it
reflect changing 


relationships?
4. How might a people who have just come into a new land they call
their own tell a story differently from a people who have been defeated
by another nation and removed from their land?
Now read some of the following passages and answer the subsequent
questions:

C Joshua 1

C Joshua 11:16-23

C I Kings 18

C Isaiah 2:1-5

C Hosea 11:1-11

C Jonah, chapters 3 and 4
1. What changes do you note in the attitude of the people towards
non-Jews in the readings? What might have been some reasons for
these changes? 


2. Does God change in the course of the Old Testament? Do the peo-
ple of Israel? How could the experiences of a nation change their
perspective or understanding of God? 


3. How has your understanding of God changed over the course of

your life? The gospels are sometimes read as history, which they
are not. They set forth the “life and teachings of Jesus” for a pur-
pose. John sums it up best in his gospel (20:30 - 31). How can such
 a presentation give you faith? Does it still have this power in our
time? How? 


The epistles are letters to individuals and churches. They offer advice in
faithful living, as well as practical advice to the community and its
members. There are elements of exhortation, encouragement and chas-
tisement. If you were to write a letter to your congregation today, and
you wanted it to represent what you believe God would have you say,
what might it say?
Unit 11: The Church
From the Catechism, pages 854-855 of the BCP:

Q. What is the Church?


A. The Church is the community of the New Covenant.

Q. How is the Church described in the Bible?


A. The Church is described as the Body of which Jesus Christ is the
Head and of which all baptized persons are members. It is called the
People of God, the New Israel, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and the
pillar and ground of truth.

Q. How is the Church described in the creeds?


A. The Church is described as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

Q. Why is the Church described as one?


A. The Church is one, because it is one Body, under one Head, our Lord
Jesus Christ.

Q. Why is the Church described as holy?


A. The Church is holy, because the Holy Spirit dwells in it, consecrates
its members, and guides them to do God's work.
Q. Why is the Church described as catholic?

A. The Church is catholic, because it proclaims the whole Faith to all
people to the end of time.

Q. Why is the Church described as apostolic?


A. The Church is apostolic, because it continues in the teaching and fel-
lowship of the apostles and is sent to carry out Christ's mission to all
people.

Q. What is the mission of the Church?


A. The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God
and each other in Christ.

Q. How does the Church pursue its mission?


A. The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims
the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace and love.

Q. Through whom does the Church carry out its mission?


A. The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its
members.
Reflecting on the Catechism
“The Church is the community of the New Covenant.” How would you
define community? If we are a community of the New Covenant, what
should we look like, locally and elsewhere?
Take a concordance and a Bible and look up the various descriptions of
the Church used in the second question of the Catechism. Would you
have any questions on these descriptions? Why?
When does the Church most look one? holy? apostolic? catholic?
To restore implies there was once a time when all people were united
with God and each other in Christ. If there was such a time, how will we
know when we have arrived at its restoration?
Going Deeper
Try to draw a picture of what the Church looks like.
Study the words from Hymns 518, 522 and 526. What images of the
Church are included in these hymns? How do they differ from each oth-
er? How are they alike?
When and where do we, as individuals and a community, pray and wor-
ship? Proclaim the Gospel? Promote justice, peace, and love?
Are we all responsible for this, or are some of these duties normally del-
egated to certain people within the Church? If so, who?
We see so many different churches today—so many different tradi-
tions—and we wonder why. Is this part of God's will for us, or are all
these churches and all these traditions a manifestation of our sinfulness
and separation? What are we called to in regard to establishing a rela-
tionship with other traditions?
Unit 12: The Ministry
From the Catechism, pages 855-6 in the BCP:

Q. Who are the ministers of the Church?


A. The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests and dea-
cons.

Q. What is the ministry of the laity?


A. The ministry of the laity is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear
witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given
them, to carry on Christ's work of reconciliation in the world; and to take
their place in the life, worship and governance of the Church.

Q. What is the ministry of Bishops?


A. The ministry of bishops is to represent Christ and his Church; particu-
larly as apostle, chief priest and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith,
unity and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God;
to act in Christ's name for the reconciliation of the world and the build-
ing up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ's ministry.

Q. What is the ministry of a priest or presbyter?


A. The ministry of a priest is to represent Christ and his Church, particu-
larly as pastor to the people; to share with the bishop in overseeing of
the Church; to proclaim the Gospel; to administer the sacraments; and to
bless and declare pardon in the name of the God.

Q. What is the ministry of a deacon?


A. The ministry of a deacon is to represent Christ and his Church, par-
ticularly as a servant of those in need; and to assist bishops and priest in
the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments.

Q. What is the duty of all Christians?


A. The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ; to come together week
by week for corporate worship; and to work, pray and give for the
spread of the kingdom of God.
Reflecting on the Catechism
What is common to the ministry of all orders of ministry in the Church?
What is unique to each?
What aspects of the Catechism teaching on ministry interest you? Are
any troublesome? Do any leave you wondering what they are talking
about?
Going Deeper
Read Chapter three of the First Letter to Timothy. Read also John 20:19-
23. How do these two readings compare to what is taught in the Cate-
chism? List your expectations of each of the orders of ministry (teacher,
pastor, friend, servant, etc.). How does it compare to that in the Cate-
chism, and what you have read from the Bible? Where do many of your
expectations come from? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being very impor-
tant, rank your expectations. Make sure to include the laity.
The diocese of Northern Michigan, in attempting to design a ministry to
the people of that area, have identified three models for ministry:
1. Clericalism—The priest is “the minister.” All others are passive
consumers of ministry. 


2. Team ministry—The priest is the primary minister but s/he re-

ceives assistance from a select few, hand-picked lay persons who
serve as a ministering team. All others are passive consumers of
ministry. 


3. Mutual ministry—All ministry is Christ's; every baptized person is

an active participant therein, each according to gift. The main are-
na for ministry is in the midst of daily life. 


What questions arise for you regarding ministry based on these three
models? What criticisms do you have?
Based on your knowledge of the Baptismal Covenant and this discussion
on ministry, what is your current ministry, and what do you think a per-
sonal statement of your future ministry would look like?
Unit 13: Prayer and Worship
From the Catechism, pages 856-857, of the BCP:

Q. What is prayer?

A. Prayer is responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or with-
out words.
Q. What is Christian Prayer?

A. Christian prayer is response to God the Father, through Jesus Christ,
in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Q. What prayer did Christ teach us?


A. Our Lord gave us the example of prayer known as the Lord’s Prayer.

Q. What are the principal kinds of prayer?


A. The principal kinds of prayer are adoration, praise, thanksgiving, pen-
itence, oblation, intercession, and petition.

Q. What is adoration?

A. Adoration is the lifting up of the heart and mind to God, asking noth-
ing but to enjoy God's presence.

Q. Why do we praise God?


A. We praise God, not to obtain anything, but because God's being
draws praise from us.

Q. For what do we offer thanksgiving?


A. Thanksgiving is offered to God for all the blessings of this life, for
our redemption, and for whatever draws us closer to God.

Q. What is penitence?

A. In penitence, we confess our sins and make restitution where possi-
ble, with the intention to amend our lives.

Q. What is prayer of oblation?


A. Oblation is an offering of ourselves, our lives and labors in union
with Christ, for the purposes of God.

Q. What are intercession and petition?


A. Intercession brings before God the needs of others; in petition, we
present our own needs, that God's will may be done.
Q. What is corporate worship?

A. In corporate worship, we unite ourselves with others to acknowledge
the holiness of God, to hear God's Word, to offer prayer, and to celebrate
the sacraments.
Reflecting on the Catechism
What difference does it make to you that prayer, and Christian prayer,
are identified as responses to God? Can we ever initiate prayer, or is
prayer always a response?
What place does the Lord’s Prayer have in your life? What does it say
for you personally? When do you say it? Do you say it with other
prayers, or by itself?
What kind of prayers do you say most often of those listed in the Cate-
chism teaching? Which do you say the least? Which are the easiest and
which are the most difficult to say?
How would you differentiate between prayer and worship?
Going Deeper
Below are some Scripture references. Go through them and identify
which kind of prayer they represent.
Scripture:

I Chronicles 29:13 Joshua 7:9


Psalm 26:7

Daniel 19:19
I Samuel 1:17 Psalm 150 Romans 10:9-10 Philippians 4:6
I Timothy 2:1 I John 5:15 Psalm 142
Kind of Prayer:
The French theologian Auguste Sabatier* wrote: [*NEED PUBLICA-
TION INFO]
“Religion is an intercourse, a conscious and voluntary relation, entered
into by a soul in distress with the mysterious power upon which it feels
itself to depend, and upon which its fate is contingent. This intercourse
with God is realized by prayer....This act is prayer, by which term I un-
derstand no vain exercise of words, no mere repetition of certain sacred
formulae, but the very movement itself of the mysterious power of
which it feels the presence— it may be even before it has a name by
which to call it. Wherever this interior prayer is lacking, there is no reli-
gion; wherever, on the other hand, this prayer rises and stirs the soul,
even in the absence of forms or of doctrines, we have living religion."
Margaret M. Poloma*, in an article on the effects of prayer on mental
well-being, cites the above and much statistical evidence to demonstrate
that prayer is an important dimension in the well-being of people, and is
in fact a primary factor in personal well-being. From your own experi-
ence, how would you respond to this conclusion? Can prayer work for
you; can it also work against you? How?
The following is from an article on prayer for ourselves from Donald
Capp in the journal,
Second Opinion*:
“In petitionary prayer, we assume that, even as we view the matter from
what we understand to be God's perspective, so God views it from ours.
Our will, in the end, may or may not prevail. But whether it does or not,
we feel that we have been understood, meaning that God has entered as
thoughtfully and feelingly into our perspective as we have entered into
God's. In fact as it is God's nature to be understanding, we may assume
that God's ability to enter into our perspective is far more profound and
far more fully developed than our ability to enter into God's. Thus we
may make a useful distinction between answers to prayer (which involve
God's direct intervention in our situation) and response to prayer (which
involves understanding the situation from our perspective).”
How would you respond to this idea of petitionary prayer? What prob-
lems does it cause for you? Does it help shed any light for you? How
have you dealt with the problem of why God answers or doesn't answer
your prayers?
The Hymnal 1982 is divided into various sections. The following are
only some of the sections listed in the Table of Contents:

“The Daily Office”


“The Church Year”

“Praise to God”

“Christian Vocation and Pilgrimage” “Christian Responsibility”
“The Kingdom of God” “The Christian Life”
How might you use the hymnal to help your prayer life? If you were to
look at developing a prayer life for daily use, you might want to look at
Hymns 1 - 46. Are there some hymns in that section you could say, or if
you have the ability, sing to yourself, as part of your prayer life?
If you were praying for the ability to overcome temptation in your life,
what section of hymns might you look at? Look through those hymns
and pick out some thoughts that might be incorporated into your prayer
life.
If you were praying for the will to live out your faith in the world, what
section might you look at? What hymns might be used from that sec-
tion?
To pray is to live, and praying regularly means having a regular rule of
prayer. It doesn't have to be elaborate, it is something we develop for
ourselves to be used within the confines of our daily lives so that we
might incorporate our faith into life. Following are some ideas for such a
rule of life. Look them over, and then attempt to write your daily rule of
life.

1. Read the Sunday lessons during the course of a week. 


2. Read from Forward Day-by-Day each day. 


3. Read from a devotional book or collection of prayers. 


4. Use the prayers for daily devotions in the BCP, pp. 137 - 140 each
day, or the 


longer Morning and Evening Prayer.

5. Give time at the beginning and close of each day to give thanks,
reflect, and confess. 


6. Be quiet for a fixed time each day to “be still.” 


Unit 14: The Sacraments

From the Catechism, pages 857-858 of the BCP:

Q. What are the sacraments?


A. The sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual
grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive
that grace.

Q. What is grace?

A. Grace is God's favor for us, unearned and undeserved; by grace God
forgives our sins, enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts and strengthens
our wills.

Q. What are the two great sacraments of the Gospel?


A. The two great sacraments given by Christ to his Church are Holy
Baptism and the Holy Eucharist.
Reflecting on the Catechism
For many people, the definition of a sacrament may be the one thing
they remember from Confirmation instructions. Did you remember it?
When did you first hear it? How was it presented to you? What does it
mean to you today?
Grace is God's favor. What does that mean for you? What else would
you like that definition of grace to include?
Are the sacraments part of your life that you take with you into work,
family, and play? Why or why not? If so, then how?
Going Deeper
In order to understand sacraments, we need to be able recognize how
some actions or elements have a universal meaning attached to them.
They may be very common, but they convey a deeper meaning when
used at certain times and in certain ways. For example, look over the list
below and ask yourself what action or element might be used to convey
a response.

Marriage proposal

Friends reconciling after a fight Staying in touch despite the distance
Family reunion

Birthday celebration
Can you think of any other times in which something is shared so as to
express a relationship ? What typically is shared? Compare the actions
and what is shared with the definition of a sacrament. How are they sim-
ilar? How are they different? What is conveyed in the sharing of the list
above? What is shared in the sacraments?
How important is “intellectual understanding” in living sacramentally?
Do we always need to “understand” what is happening in order for it to
be real? Why or why not?
How might the sacraments become more important for you in your per-
sonal life? What would need to happen for this to occur?
Unit 15: Holy Baptism
From the Catechism, pages 858-859 of the BCP:

Q. What is Holy Baptism?


A. Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his chil-
dren and makes us members of Christ's Body, the Church, and inheritors
of the kingdom of God.

Q. What is the outward and visible sign in Baptism?


A. The outward and visible sign in Baptism is water, in which the person
is baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.

Q. What is the inward and spiritual grace in Baptism?


A. The inward and spiritual grace in Baptism is union with Christ in his
death and resurrection, birth into God's family the Church, forgiveness
of sins, and new life in the Holy Spirit.

Q. What is required of us at Baptism?


A. It is required that we renounce Satan, repent of our sins, and accept
Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Q. Why then are infants baptized?


A. Infants are baptized so that they can share citizenship in the
Covenant, membership in Christ, and redemption by God.
Q. How are the promises for infants made and carried out?

A. Promises are made for them by their parents and sponsors, who guar-
antee that the infants will be brought up within the Church, to know
Christ and be able to follow him.
Reflecting on the Catechism
If you are baptized, then you have been adopted as a child of God. Do
you feel comfortable identifying yourself as God's child, a brother or sis-
ter of Christ? Why or why not?
How do you respond to the question and answer in the Catechism re-
garding infant Baptism? How are infants able to share citizenship in the
Covenant as infants?
Parents and sponsors guarantee infants will be brought up within the
Church, to know Christ and be able to follow him. What if the infant is
not brought up in the Church, to know Christ? What value has infant
Baptism then? Should such a person be “re-baptized” when he or she
can make that decision?
Does infant Baptism “guarantee” anything to a person that he or she
would not have if not baptized?
Going Deeper
According to the directions in The Book of Common Prayer on page
298, Baptism is full initiation into the Body of Christ. What does “full
initiation mean” to you, and what does that mean for a newly baptized
person?
The “Notes Concerning the Service” also state that the bond God estab-
lishes at Baptism is indissoluble. That should mean “once a Christian,
always a Christian.” Do you believe that? How do you explain it? What
circumstances would seem to challenge that statement, and how would
you respond to that challenge?
In times past, Baptism was often done on Sunday afternoon or other
times with just immediate family and friends present. The expectation
now is that it will be part of the principal celebration of the Eucharist,
with the Bishop, if present, presiding. What difference does this make in
the statement made about Baptism? What does it say about the relation-
ship between the congregation and the newly baptized?
Looking at the Thanksgiving over the Water on page 306, what are the
ways water is identified in the salvation history? Can we identify any of
those same things in Baptism? Which ones?
The following is the welcome given to the newly baptized (page 308 of
the BCP): “We receive you into the household of God. Confess the faith
of Christ crucified,
proclaim his resurrection, and share with us in his eternal priesthood.”
All of us are to: (1) confess the faith of Christ crucified, (2) proclaim his
resurrection, and (3) share in his eternal priesthood. Consider how you
live out those qualities in your baptized life each day. What might you
do in addition to what you already do? What

are you doing that prevents you from this?
In the closing notes on Baptism, several feast days are noted as especial-
ly appropriate for Baptism. Consider each of the feasts below, and dis-
cuss why they would be included in such a list:

Easter Vigil

Day of Pentecost

All Saints’ Day Baptism of our Lord The Bishop's Visitation
Read through the hymns appointed for Holy Baptism in the Hymnal
1982, 294 - 299. What are the themes and images of these hymns?
Throughout the liturgy for Baptism, there is note of the work of the Holy
Spirit, and in particular at the sealing. What does it mean to be “sealed in
the Spirit at Baptism”?
Unit 16: The Holy Eucharist
From the Catechism, pages 859-860 in the BCP:

Q. What is the Holy Eucharist?


A. The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the
continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his com-
ing again.

Q. Why is the Eucharist called a sacrifice?


A. Because the Eucharist, the Church's sacrifice of praise and thanksgiv-
ing, is the way by which the sacrifice of Christ is made present, and in
which he unites us to his one offering of himself.

Q. By what other names is this service known?


A. The Holy Eucharist is called the Lord's Supper, and Holy Commu-
nion; its is also known as the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, and the Great
Offering.

Q. What is the outward and visible sign in the Eucharist?


A. The outward and visible sign in the Eucharist is bread and wine, giv-
en and received according to Christ's command.

Q. What is the inward and spiritual grace given in the Eucharist?


A. The inward and spiritual grace in the Holy Communion is the Body
and Blood of Christ given to his people, and received by faith.

Q. What are the benefits which we receive in the Lord's Supper?


A. The benefits we receive are the forgiveness of our sins, the strength-
ening of our union with Christ and one another, and the foretaste of the
heavenly banquet which is our nourishment in eternal life.
Q. What is required of us when we come to the Eucharist?

A. It is required that we should examine our lives, repent of our sins, and
be in love and charity with all people.
Reflecting on the Catechism
The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament to continually remember the life,
death and resurrection of Jesus. If we do continually remember, what
difference will that have for our lives?
Which of the following comes closer to your perception of continual re-
membrance: Remembering an event in history

Making an event in history present in life now


What is the difference between the two in how we celebrate the Eu-
charist?
Which of the alternate names for the Holy Eucharist are you familiar
with? Are there some you are uncomfortable with? Why?
Could we use something other than bread and wine for the Eucharist?
Why or why not?
How do you prepare for the Holy Eucharist? What would you want to do
to prepare for it?
Going Deeper
Read Mark 14:22-25. What does Jesus do at that Last Supper with his
disciples?
We identify four distinct actions of Jesus in the Last Supper, and we in-
clude those four actions in every Eucharist. They are:
Offering Thanksgiving Breaking of the Bread Communion
For each of the actions, describe what is happening. Ask who is offering
what; who is receiving the offering and for what reason; who gives
thanks and why; what does it mean for the bread to be broken; who
shares in the communion and what does it mean?
Look at Hymns 304 and 308 in the Hymnal 1982. They speak of coming
to be fed for the road ahead with other Christians. If we consider this life
to be a pilgrimage, then what role does the Eucharist have in that road?
Look at Hymn 314 in the Hymnal 1982. This is a hymn from the Middle
Ages and reflects a very different perspective of the Eucharist. How
would you describe it?
The Holy Eucharist is intended to be the meal for Christians to partici-
pate in at the Lord's Table. We have not always, and still do not always,
welcome all to that table. The Eucharist is often as much a symbol of
how we exclude as include the children of God. Can you identify such
times both from the past as well as in the present that this happens?
Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we not only retell the story of Je-
sus Christ, we re-live it. How would you respond to that statement?
What would be the arguments for and against children receiving Com-
munion? On what would you base those arguments?
Unit 17: Other Sacramental Rites
From the Catechism, pages 860-861 of the BCP:
Q. What other sacramental rites evolved in the Church under the guid-
ance of the Holy Spirit?

A. Other sacramental rites which evolved in the Church include confir-
mation, ordination, holy matrimony, reconciliation of a penitent, and
unction.

Q. How do they differ from the two sacraments of the Gospel?


A. Although they are means of grace, they are not necessary for all per-
sons in the same way that Baptism and Eucharist are.
Q. What is Confirmation?

A. Confirmation is the rite in which we express a mature commitment to
Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the
laying on of hands by a bishop.

Q. What is required of those to be confirmed?


A. It is required of those to be confirmed that they have been baptized,
are sufficiently instructed in the Christian Faith, are penitent for their
sins, and are ready to affirm their confession of Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord.

Q. What is Ordination?

A. Ordination is the rite in which God gives authority and the grace of
the Holy Spirit to those being made bishops, priests and deacons,
through prayer and the laying on of hands by bishops.

Q. What is Holy Matrimony?


A. Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which the woman and man
enter into a life-long union, make their vows before God and the Church,
and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows.

Q. What is Reconciliation of a Penitent?


A. Reconciliation of a Penitent, or Penance, is the rite in which those
who repent of their sins may confess them to God in the presence of a
priest, and receive the assurance of pardon and the grace of absolution.

Q. What is Unction of the Sick?


A. Unction is the rite of anointing the sick with oil, or the laying on of
hands, by which God's grace is given for the healing of spirit, mind and
body.

Q. Is God's activity limited to these rites?


A. God does not limit himself to these rites; they are patterns to count-
less ways by which God uses material things to reach out to us.
Q. How are the sacraments related to our Christian hope?

A. Sacraments sustain our present hope and anticipate its future fulfill-
ment.
Reflecting on the Catechism
The Catechism notes that the sacramental rites are “patterns of countless
ways by which God reaches out to us.” How would you describe this
pattern by which God manifests his love for us?
If these sacramental rites evolved as the Catechism notes, could we ex-
pect that they are still evolving, or is their evolution completed?
Why would a sacramental rite evolve? Based on your answer, is it con-
ceivable that new sacramental rites might evolve in the future? Why or
why not?
How could the sacraments sustain our present hope and anticipate its fu-
ture fulfillment?
Going Deeper
Draw a timeline of your life, and include what you project will happen
in the future. Include key times in your life. Now add in where you were
in the Church at these times. How did the Church respond to what was
happening in your life? Do you identify any of the sacraments with spe-
cific times? How and why?
Do you note any pattern for the sacramental rites that have developed
and events in life? If so, what might that pattern be?
Confirmation is one sacrament that seems to be in a state of transition
right now. In the early Church, a person was baptized by the bishop and
confirmed at the same time. Later, in order to encourage people to take
the Eucharist seriously, Confirmation was withheld until a later age, sep-
arating it from Baptism. Until the present generation, Confirmation was
often a rite associated with young people anywhere from the fifth grade
until senior high.
Would you say that Confirmation “completes” Baptism? Why or why
not? Is Confirmation a mature affirmation of faith by a young adult, or is
it a gift of the Spirit upon one who is able to receive such a gift for min-
istry?
Is there a difference between Confirmation (which can be done once)
and reaffirming your Baptismal Vows (which might be done more than
once in a lifetime)?
Look at pages 412 - 419 of the BCP. Should one be required to be con-
firmed before he or she is considered a full member in the Church and
able to hold office in the vestry, etc.? Why or why not?
The Catechism states that authority and grace are given to those or-
dained. What authority is given, and to do what? How is that authority to
be used within the Church and the world?
What role does the Church have in presenting people for ordination?
Why is that important?
What is the difference between a Christian marriage and marriage in the
world? What role does the Church have in a Christian marriage? Why
does a couple get married in church and invite the people they do?
What difference does it make if a person reflects upon the day and says a
prayer of penitence, or offers a confession for his or her sins? What
would it take for you to use the sacrament of reconciliation?
What can we expect from anointing? Why? What part does the prayers
of the community and the person play in healing? Might healing occur in
the mind or spirit before the body? Must there be a healing of the body
for unction to be considered successful? Why or why not?
Look up some of the following biblical passages and determine which
sacrament they might be associated with:
Deuteronomy 8:2 - 3 Romans 6:3 - 5 Matthew 5:1 - 12 John 6:47 - 58
Philippians 4:4 - 9 James 5:14 - 16 Matthew 11:28 - 29
Unit 18: The Christian Hope
From the Catechism, pages 861-862 of the BCP:

Q. What is the Christian hope?


A. The Christian hope is to live with confidence in newness and fullness
of life, and to await the coming of Christ in glory, and the completion of
God's purpose for the world.

Q. What doe we mean by the coming of Christ in glory?


A. By the coming of Christ in glory, we mean that Christ will come, not
in weakness but in power, and will make all things new.

Q. What do we mean by heaven and hell?


A. By heaven, we mean eternal life in our enjoyment of God; by hell, we
mean eternal death in our rejection of God.

Q. Why do we pray for the dead?


A. We pray for them, because we still hold them in our love, and be-
cause we trust that in God's presence those who have chosen to serve
him will grow in his love, until they see him as he is.

Q. What do we mean by the Last Judgement?


A. We believe that Christ will come in glory and judge the living and the
dead.

Q. What do we mean by the resurrection of the dead?


A. We mean that God will raise us from death in the fullness of our be-
ing, that we may live with Christ in the communion of the saints.
Q. What is the communion of saints?

A. The communion of saints is the whole family of God, the living and
the dead, those whom we love and those whom we hurt, bound together
in Christ by sacrament, prayer and praise.

Q. What do we mean by everlasting life?


A. By everlasting life, we mean a new existence, in which we are united
with all the people of God, in the joy of fully knowing and loving God
and each other.

Q. What, then, is our assurance as Christians?


A. Our assurance as Christians is that nothing, not even death, shall sep-
arate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reflecting on the Catechism
This section of the Catechism touches on many of the questions that
come up most often. Which of these strikes a nerve within you? Do you
know why? Do you find the answers satisfactory? Why or why not?
Going Deeper
What do you believe God’s hope is for us? What will we need to achieve
that goal? What is your hope for yourself? What will you need to
achieve that?
Read I Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:11. This letter was written for a people
who believed the Lord would be coming in the near future and wanted to
know when. How is our generation like or unlike that time? How might
this passage speak to us now in a different way than it spoke to them?
Read Luke 16:19 - 31. This is the story of the rich man and Lazarus.
Would this correspond to the Catechism teaching on heaven and hell?
Do you believe anyone ever goes to hell? To heaven? Is there such a
thing as heaven and hell upon this earth now?
Read the first chapter of the Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians.
Paul speaks of the coming of Christ and the final judgment. Are you
worried about the judgment of Christ? In what way? How do you think
he will judge us? Will he judge us, or will he judge us according to how
we have chosen to live, and thereby allow us to judge ourselves?
Is there a resurrection of body and spirit? If there is, should we have
cremation? Read I Corinthians 15:35-50. What does that say about the
resurrection of the body?

Appendix

A Baptismal Covenant

In the Name of Jesus Christ,


I will faithfully continue in the apostle’'s teaching and fellowship, in the
breaking of the bread,

and in the prayers.

Where there is evil,


I will resist it.

Whenever I fall into sin,

I will repent and return to the Lord.
I will proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ.
I will seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as myself.
I

will strive for justice and peace

among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.