"Relates real experiences from parishes that have used the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in the Roman Catholic Church; draws lessons for the church from these experiences"--Provided by publisher.
Up to now the teaching on baptism in the Holy Spirit has been based on a few scriptural texts, whose interpretation was disputed. This doubt cast its shadow on those who promote baptism in the Holy Spirit. Now new evidence has been found in early post-biblical authors (Tertullian, Hilary of Poitiers, Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom, Philoxenus, and the Syrians) which demonstrates that what is called baptism in the Holy Spirit was integral to Christian initiation (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist). Because it was part of initiation into the Church, it was not a matter of private piety, but of public worship. Therefore it was and remains normative. This is an intriguing ground-breaking study of value to RCIA teams, pastors, theology teachers and students, and Church offices.
Clay offers practical, step-by-step insights into implementing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in a way that is faithful to the rite and respectful of rural culture. Anyone who ministers in a rural or small-town catechumenate will find this book a valuable aid.
The recent retranslation and US adaptation of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults can be seen as the work of the Second Vatican Council continuing to unfold, fulfilling the council’s mandate to draw up texts and rites so that they “express more clearly the holy things that they signify” (Sacrosanctum concilium, 21). In this present volume, A Pastoral and Theological Commentary on the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, fourteen authors—all scholars and pastoral ministers steeped in the Church’s living liturgical tradition—help us appreciate this unfolding more deeply by presenting the historical development and theological significance of the OCIA rites and texts, thus enriching our pastoral practice. Introductory essays present a contextual foundation, including discussion of historical and theological roots and an exposition of Christian Initiation: General Introduction Then, following the structure of the OCIA, eight chapters of commentary concentrate on each stage of Christian initiation, from acceptance into the Order of Catechumens through the Period of Mystoagogy, including chapters on the Rites for Particular Circumstances. Further commentaries on the musical enrichment of the rites and on the newly revised National Statues for the Catechumenate round out this panoramic, yet accessible, view of the rites of the OCIA. “This book is for anyone ministering in or studying Christian initiation. We believe it offers a deep understanding of the rites for both those long familiar with this process and those fairly new to it. For those who wish to pursue further study, either casual or in-depth, a vast array of endnotes and bibliographies offer plenty of suggestions” (editor Victoria Tufano, from the introduction).
The history of Christianity and particularly of Roman Catholicism has been profoundly shaped by conversion for centuries, from the first apostles to such prominent modern converts as John Henry Newman, St Elizabeth Ann Seton, G.K. Chesterton, Thomas Merton, and Graham Greene. In this work, David A. Yamane offers a study of Roman Catholic converts in contemporary America.
Dr. Stamm integrates the biblical, theological, and pastoral insight fitting of a liturgical scholar-pastor as he attempts to improve and deepen the church's congregational practice of intercessory prayer. In Devoting Ourselves to the Prayers: A Baptismal Theology for the Church's Intercessory Work, Dr. Stamm points to the strong biblical and historical connections between baptism and intercessory prayer, suggesting that intercessory prayer is a vocation—a calling—rooted in our common baptism. Imaginative, informative, and deeply committed to the idea that prayer is an essential practice of the church, this book not only addresses what has become the church's neglect of intercessory prayer but the difference such praying makes.
Originally published in 1999, The Rites of Christian Initiation was haled for its clarity and comprehensiveness. Kalian McDonnell, OSB, called it the best overall treatment of Christian initiation available, and Paul Bradshaw predicted it would be the standard textbook on the subject for very many years to come." The current edition draws on new translations of early texts on baptism as well as recent scholarship on the early traditions in the East and West. It is sure to replace itself as the new standard reference on the rites of Christian initiation. Maxwell E. Johnson's expanded and revised text provides a more complete view of the history and interpretation of the rites in the Eastern Church, including two chapters that explore the pre-Nicene Eastern and Western traditions in detail. Revisiting the theology of baptism, this edition also provides more nuanced positions on the Eastern and Western traditions. Finally, recent liturgical developments in American Protestant churches, particularly Lutheran, as well as the ongoing development of the RCIA and confirmation practices of Catholics, made it necessary to revisit the place and meaning of these rites in the church today. Maxwell E. Johnson, PhD, is professor of liturgy at the University of Notre Dame and an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He has published in Worship and is the editor of and contributor to Living Water, Sealing Spirit: Readings on Christian Initiation (Liturgical Press, 1995) and the revised and expanded edition of E.C. Whitaker, Documents of the Baptismal Liturgy (Liturgical Press and S.P.C.K., 2003), to which this study serves as a companion volume. "
This paperback volume contains the liturgy for all kinds of Christian Initiation. It includes the well-known rites of Baptism and Confirmation, as well as a range of associated services to help Christians in the various stages of their journey of faith. These associated services included Rites on the Way, designed to be used with adults who have recently found faith. These rites mark their coming to faith and help them on the journey towards baptism and confirmation. Also included are various Rites of Affirmation, designed for those who wish to mark or reaffirm a Baptism that has already taken place. Services of Reconciliation and Restoration are also included, as they draw individuals back into the full baptismal life of the Christian community. These include the Reconciliation of a Penitent (individual confession), and a corporate service of penitence for use during Advent and Lent or in preparation for mission or pilgrimage. Services included are: Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child Rites Supporting Disciples on the Way of Christ Holy Baptism Emergency Baptism Holy Baptism and Confirmation, including a Vigil Service Celebration after an Initiation Service outside the Parish Thanksgiving for Holy Baptism Admission of the Baptized to Communion A Form for the Corporate Renewal of Baptismal Vows Affirmation of Baptismal Faith Reception into Communion of the Church of England A Corporate Service of Penitence The Reconciliation of a Penitent A Celebration of Wholeness and Healing
As one of the most influential thinkers in Christian history, St. Augustine (354–430) had a flair for teaching and meditated deeply on the mysteries of the human heart. This study examines a little-known side of his career: his work as a teacher of candidates for baptism. ln the revised edition of this seminal book, both the text and notes have been revised to better reflect the state of contemporary scholarship on Augustine, liturgical studies, and the catechumenate, both ancient and modern. This edition also includes new findings from some of the recently discovered sermons of Augustine and incorporates new perspectives from recent research on early Christian biblical interpretation, debates on the Trinity, the evolution of the liturgy, and much more. This reconstruction of Augustine’s catechumenate provides fresh perspectives on the day-to-day life of the early church and on the vibrancy and eloquence of Augustine the preacher and teacher.