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Paschal Mystery

Easter Vigil 2019 (90)

Christian Initiation: Three Central Issues

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In Rhoda’s last blog she highlighted the Paschal Mystery as unpacked in various themes by Kim Belcher in her essay “A Theology of Christian Initiation.” In this our final post on A Pastoral Theological Commentary on the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (Chicago, Liturgy Training Publications), I take up Maxwell Johnson’s final essay in the volume, “Contemporary Issues in Christian Initiation” (189-204). I must be transparent about my receptivity to Johnson’s arguments. He was my teacher at Notre Dame. The three issues he highlights as contemporary challenges that still need to be addressed are all reflections of the implications of the Paschal Mystery as the predominant paradigm for Christian Initiation and baptismal living. These challenges all flow from Aidan Kavanagh, perhaps the foremost liturgical champion of the RCIA when it appeared, in a quote that Johnson provides at the end. There Kavanagh says that even in light of the monumental achievement of the RCIA, “there is much work to be done,” something which Johnson wholeheartedly affirms. He outlines that work through the following three issues:

  • The Full Christian Initiation of Adults or the Conversion of Other Christian to Roman Catholicism?
  • Infant Baptism or Infant Initiation in Light of the OCIA?
  • Christian Initiation and the Liturgical Year

I’ll highlight these three issues as Johnson outlines them but highly recommend that you read this essay. It is simply required reading regarding the contemporary practice of Christian initiation.

Full Initiation of Adults or Conversion

Initially he notes the significant impact a full practice of Christian Initiation (Baptism, Chrismation-Confirmation, and Eucharist with a robust process of formation, ie. RCIA) has had on the Roman Catholic Church, and Protestant communions as well. Quoting Aidan Kavanagh, these changes “are not merely specific changes in liturgical rubrics, but a restored and unified vision of the Church” (189). As I tell students in my classes the catechumenate aims toward birthing lifelong disciples of the Lord Jesus, but it ultimately transforms a congregation’s self-understanding of its life together. The restored catechumenate aims at initiating the unbaptized into life in the body of Christ. But typically in modern practice, both in Roman Catholic and Protestant congregations, the unbaptized and those already baptized but seeking to join this particular communion are included in the same process. Johnson seriously laments this intermingling because of the massive confusion it creates. Fundamental to that confusion is the notion that this is not focused on making disciples into the one holy catholic church from the unbaptized but on the conversion of those from other Christian traditions into being Roman Catholic (or Lutheran or Episcopalian). Johnson focuses on the ritual confusion, that is, receiving the fully baptized into communion at the Easter Vigil/the same time as the unbaptized and using the rite of confirmation as the means of reception into full communion. I agree on both points. The use of confirmation raises the issue of what confirmation is, and Johnson clearly indicates that it is for symbolically representing the gift of the Spirit in Christian Initiation with baptism, not at some other time. Johnson does not address the reality that it is unrealistic for congregations to offer two catechetical programs as part of the catechumenate, one for the unbaptized and one for entering into communion. But that doesn’t mean that congregations shouldn’t ritually distinguish these two groups. As he suggests, those already baptized should be received into communion on a different Sunday (perhaps from my perspective Pentecost) and the ritual mode of reception should be distinct from those utilized in the catechumenate.

Infant Baptism or Infant Initiation?

The primary issue here is the difference between initiatory practices for adults versus infants. Not since the days of the early church have infants been received with a full initiation process: baptism, anointing, and eucharist. Johnson provides the helpful taxonomy of this question in the Roman Catholic church as expressed through the M.A. Thesis of Paul X.F. Covino. As Johnson indicates, “the initiation unity school”—advocating for full rites of initiation for infants—alongside the “environmentalist school” that takes seriously the responsibilities of the Christian community in nurturing lifelong discipleship have come to predominate in Roman Catholic circles. This of course means advocacy for baptizing infants, confirming them (laying on hands and anointing) immediately, and also immediately incorporating them into the eucharistic community. As Rome engages this question it will also lead Protestants to grapple with it. Some Lutherans in the ELCA have discussed this and taken up a complete initiation process for Lutherans. It continues to be a conversation that LCMS Lutherans appear unwilling to have.

Christian Initiation and the Liturgical Year

While Johnson indicates that “the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection has emerged as the key image and central metaphor by which all Christian life and liturgy are to be interpreted and understood” (199), he also contends convincingly that Easter is not the only feast appropriate for the rites of Christian Initiation. Baptism’s many themes mean that it can be done at many other times. As Johnson indicates, Epiphany/Baptism of Our Lord, Pentecost, and All Saints are very appropriate, and there are other feast days as well. As Johnson indicates, “parish catechetical programs (especially for the prebaptismal preparation of parents, godparents, and sponsors) might also easily be structured in the fall, winter, and spring in close proximity to these festal occasions” (200). In a nihilistic age, taking seriously the preparation of those primarily responsible for the Christian nurture of infant (and adult) candidates for baptism is something to which we should give concerted attention.

In conclusion, Johnson notes that a new translation of the catechumenate, the OCIA, does not address all of these issues. But it can serve as a catalyst “for revisiting and addressing these and other (important) and related issues anew” (202). Amen, I say.

Easter Vigil 2019 (69)

Christian Initiation: An Introduction Indeed

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Last week Rhoda concluded her post with this new series on several essays in A Pastoral and Theological Commentary on the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults with “We ‘separated siblings’ need to be aware of the theological concerns raised here, and work toward elevating the significance of baptism as core to our Christian identity.” Central to that elevation of baptismal at our identity core is the concept of initiation. Lutherans have not talked in the past about baptismal entry into the church’s life as rites of initiation, at least not until Vatican II. In line with the Confessions, we have tended to talk about, in my sainted professor Norman Nagel’s words, the proprium of each sacrament, the unique gifts of grace given in each of the sacraments. And so, we should. Each sacrament brings its own gifts. However, the fact that we Lutherans fail to speak of baptism as a process of entrance into the church demonstrates how much we have lost sight of the ancient catechumenate. The rites of initiation—Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist—are the culmination of that catechumenal process, the liminal threshold of crossing over from unbeliever to believer. These three rites together manifest the variety of ways by which we can conceive of this crossing—through the regenerative waters, the seal of the Spirit, and the feast of the kingdom of God. Initiation Rites indeed.

The Roman Catholics perceived that in 1968 they needed an introduction, or better a re-introduction, to the Rites of Initiation which had fallen into desuetude until Vatican II. Diana Dudoit Raiche’s essay provides an introduction to Christian Initiation: General Introduction of 1968. The introduction was translated, as with the entire OCIA, anew through the principles of Liturgiam Authenticam oriented toward formal equivalence for theological accuracy. But as Rhoda asked last week, why should Lutherans care? Because, just as baptism was important to the Vatican II reforms, so it is important to Lutherans. Many of the issues with which our separated brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic communion grapple are issues with which Lutherans wrestle as well. Raiche addresses these theological and practical issues as they arise in the General Introduction to the Rites of Initiation

The General Introduction has 35 paragraphs organized into a Preamble and five distinct parts. While Raiche does give attention to the changes in language between the RCIA and the OCIA, comparing the first paragraph in the Preamble, most beneficially her essay identifies the key theological themes regarding Initiation in the General Introduction. In the Preamble she highlights these themes: “unity and sequence of the sacraments of initiation; the paschal mystery, which is a consistent theme developed in the CIGI; and the unity of God’s people through these sacraments” (20). These are all important themes to which Lutherans should give more focused attention. For example, the theme of the Paschal Mystery—holding together Christ’s redemptive work as it culminates in the Three Days of his Passover from death to life—is a helpful way of encapsulating God’s story and keeping things united that should not unnecessarily be divided. Central to that unity in the Introduction, according to Raiche, is the unity of the Initiation process: “The three Sacraments of Christian Initiation [for Lutherans, three rites] so work together that they bring to full stature the Christian faithful, who exercise in the Church and in the world the mission of the entire Christian people” (21). Our new book, Journey to Jesus, attests to that very unity between initiation, discipleship, and mission in the Lutheran catechumenates we examined.

The five parts of the General Introduction as well as theological and ritual themes highlighted in these sections are:

  • Dignity of Baptism (paragraphs 3-6)
    • Advocates for the use of primary initiatory images: paschal mystery, regeneration, cleansing from sin, door to the kingdom, sharing divine life and adoption as children of God (sons)
    • Primacy of pastoral instruction for adults (especially godparents and witnesses [non-Roman Catholics] because of their foundational role in shaping the faith lives of those they sponsor)
    • Theological significance of discipleship
  • Requisites for the Celebration of Baptism (paragraphs 18-29)
    • Use of natural and clean water and its temperature
    • Location of the baptistry and font
    • Desire to bless the water (for Lutherans a prayer denoting that this water is set aside for God’s use, ie. the Flood Prayer in Luther’s Rite)
    • Preference for Immersion/Submersion
    • Paschal candle expressing the paschal mystery as a journey
  • Adaptations within the Competence of the Conference of Bishops (paragraphs 30-33)
    • Bishops can recommend adaptations to the rite for the sake of inculturation (Lutherans need to give continued attention to inculturation but the local church needs to be involved in such decisions)
  • Adaptations within the Competence of the Minister (paragraphs 34-35)
    • The inculturation can be enacted by the pastor for the sake of individual candidates (Lutherans do have more freedom in this regard, not being bound by canon law)

Which of these theological and ritual issues are significant in your context? To which of these do you need to give attention? How might you provide a space for focused consideration of these issues?

In doing so you would be doing exactly what Raiche indicates the General Introduction to the OCIA was intended to do: Provide “An opportunity to deepen understanding of Christian initiation as an integral whole because the faith of the Church rests on the Trinity into which we are baptized and become the People of God through the paschal mystery” (25). In so doing, we would continue to elevate the significance of baptism as core to our Christian identity.