What does this mean?
The hosts of this website, Drs. Kent Burreson and Rhoda Schuler, both have had an interest in an adult catechumenal model for today’s context for decades. Nevertheless, during the search for an appropriate domain name, we decided against using the word “catechumenate.” First, it’s a hard word to spell correctly, and we want people to find us! Second, not everyone is familiar with the word “catechumenate.” So we went with the phrase “forming Lutherans,” even after (we are not making this up!) the domain naming site suggested “welding Lutheran” as an alternate choice.
People of our generation (Boomers and Busters) were “formed” as Lutheran Christians by being raised in Lutheran households. Much as we might lament the loss of the handing down of Lutheran teaching and practice by parents who would “recite them to your children and talk about them at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:7), we know that we are called to witness to the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every age. We believe that a well-developed adult catechumenal model can be an effective means to “form Lutherans” in the 21st century. We invite you to explore this website, read our publications on the topic, and, should you be inclined, reach out to us about presenting our research at you congregation or clergy group..