As we prepare to enter into the season of Lent we return to our ritual journey through faith formation focusing on the third period in the catechumenate: The Period of Intense Preparation (Go Make Disciples) or The Period of Purification and Enlightenment (RCIA). The turn, out of the period of the catechumenate into intense preparation, […]
To commemorate St. Martin on this website devoted to “forming Lutherans,” let us consider his lessons and encouragement for pastors and teachers in Luther’s Preface to the Small Catechism. Luther begins by setting forth his purpose for writing this catechism, a purpose just as relevant today: “The ordinary person … knows absolutely nothing about the […]
Several weeks ago we had discussed various rites and practices that can supplement the catechumens’ primary experience of the Sunday liturgy of the Word. During the period of the catechumenate these can include: Minor Exorcisms; Blessings of the Catechumens; and Anointings of the Catechumens. We focus on the last of these in this post.Anointing the […]
This week’s excerpt from the virtual conference held in June 2021, Orbiting Christ: Belonging, Believing, Behaving , again features the Rev. Dr. Scott Bruzek, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Wheaton, Illinois, in conversation with the Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, The Bronx, New York. Dr. Bruzek begins by contrasting […]
This video excerpt features the Rev. Dr. Scott Bruzek, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Wheaton, Illinois, in conversation with the Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, The Bronx, New York, at the virtual conference held in June 2021, Orbiting Christ: Belonging, Believing, Behaving. Their conversation, in which they discussed formation […]
This video excerpt again features Reverend Daniel Eggold, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Lafayette. Pastor Eggold, in conversation with Reverend Timothy Droegemueller, pastor of Living Faith Lutheran Church, Cumming, Georgia, presented at the virtual conference held in June 2021, Orbiting Christ: Belonging, Believing, Behaving. Their conversation, in which they discussed their practices of preaching and […]
This video excerpt features Reverend Daniel Eggold, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Lafayette, Indiana (with a cameo appearance by Reverend Timothy Droegemueller, pastor of Living Faith Lutheran Church, Cumming, Georgia). The two pastors presented on at the virtual conference held in June 2021, Orbiting Christ: Belonging, Believing, Behaving. Their conversation, in which they discussed their […]
The period of the catechumenate immerses the catechumens in the gospel Word that leads to faith and Christian life. As we have seen, celebrations of the Word of God—in addition to ongoing catechetical instruction—feed and structure that immersion, along with various ritual acts that apply the Word to the lives of the catechumens. These include: […]
As I mentioned last week, the Catechumenate stage in the RCIA is filled with a number of minor rites in addition to the Celebrations of the Word of God. The rites include: Minor Exorcisms; Blessings of the Catechumens; and Anointings of the Catechumens. They all flow from and lead back to the service of the […]