"Conversion happens when the Word of God comes alive for people and transforms them. How does this happen in the RCIA? This book shows how the readings for the rites of the catechumenate both describe conversion and help bring it about." "Journeybread for the Shadowlands offers those who prepare people for Baptism a source-book for meditation on the relationship between the liturgical readings and ritual actions of the rites, and the faith-experience of the converts. It provides a liturgical spirituality for the RCIA." "But this book is also addressed to all who seek a deeper conversion by listening in on the experience of the catechumens, and allowing the Word of God to come alive for them, too."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The celebration of the sacrament of baptism underwent a major change in the years after the Second Vatican Council (1962 '65). The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults was revised to take into account the situation of the contemporary world by incorporating insights from the earliest centuries of the Church. The Rite of Baptism for Children was renewed to take into account the role of parents and godparents in a more direct way. These two situations 'the initiation of adults who profess their own faith and the baptism of children whose faith is professed for them 'are the object of this book. The symbols and actions of the rites together with the words of Scripture and prayer are explored to answer the question: How do these celebrations reveal a theology of initiation and baptism for today's Catholic community? Michal G. Witczak, SLD, is a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and an assistant professor in liturgical studies at The Catholic University of America. His writings have appeared in Theological Studies, Ecclesia Orans, and Liturgical Ministry.

Martin Luther once listed seven "marks" of the church-those defining ecclesial features that show where the true church is to be found. This insightful volume brings together essays by ten leading Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, and Orthodox theologians, each analyzing one of the seven traditional marks of the church and discussing how it is found, or not found, in today's churches. Writing about each "mark" of the church are these scholars: Gerhard O. Forde and Richard Lischer on proclamation; Susan K. Wood and John H. Erickson on baptism; K. Paul Wesche and Richard A. Norris Jr. on the eucharist; David S. Yeago on the office of the Keys; Carl E. Braaten on ordination; Robert W. Jenson on catechesis; and William J. Abraham on discipleship. The picture of contemporary church life that is developed by these authors is grim, but their analyses and practical suggestions are both constructive and necessary.

This book proposes a method of mystagogy based on the preaching of Ambrose of Milan. Chapter 1 establishes the need for mystagogy. chapter 2 lays out the historical context of Ambrose and his church. Chapters 3-8 are a series of six historical studies on Ambrose and his church that correspond to the components of a homiletic method. Chapter 9 proposes a method of mystagogy for the contemporary church based on Ambrose's preaching.

From 1962 to 1965, in perhaps the most important religious event of the twentieth century, the Second Vatican Council met to plot a course for the future of the Roman Catholic Church. After thousands of speeches, resolutions, and votes, the Council issued sixteen official documents on topics ranging from divine revelation to relations with non-Christians. In many ways, though, the real challenges began after the council was over and Catholics began to argue over the interpretation of the documents. Many analysts perceived the Council's far-reaching changes as breaks with Church tradition, and soon this became the dominant bias in the American and other media, which lacked the theological background to approach the documents on their own terms. In Vatican II: Renewal Within Tradition, an international team of theologians offers a different reading of the documents from Vatican II. The Council was indeed putting forth a vision for the future of the Church, but that vision was grounded in two millennia of tradition. Taken together, these essays demonstrate that Vatican II's documents are a development from an established antecedent in the Roman Catholic Church. Each chapter contextualizes Vatican II teachings within that rich tradition. The resulting book is an indispensable and accessible companion to the Council's developments, one that focuses on theology and transcends the mass-media storyline of "liberal" versus "conservative."

The homily is a primary way that pastors and deacons can communicate how the whole parish community forms the catechumens. Many parishioners are not aware of their role in the Christian initiation process. In Preaching Discipleship: Preparing Homilies for Christian Initiation, Michael E. Connors, CSC, provides homilists and catechists with the tools to evangelize not only the catechumens present, but also to capture the imagination of the parish community so that they too realize their own role in the Christian initiation process. This resource will help the homilist: Build a homily Foster a deeper appreciation of the call to discipleship on the part of the assembly Instruct the assembly on their role in the Rite of Christian Initiation so that right from the outset the catechumens may feel that they belong to the people of God Bring the baptized and catechumens into a deeper personal relationship with the Lord Provide specific insights during the period of Mystagogy

The revised second edition of the award-winning The RCIA: Transforming the Church incorporates new insights in liturgical catechesis and ritual celebration that have emerged since the original edition. The changed format includes an expanded commentary on each of the periods of the rite, expanded sections, all-new sections, practical guidelines, and suggestions for using the rite with children.Again divided into three parts, this resource first looks at foundational issues for implementing the rite, including underlying theological issues and ministries in initiation. The second section looks at each stage in the rite following a four-step process. The third section examines pastoral issues such as annulments, ecumenical sensitivity, discerning valid baptism, etc.