From the Living Church News
“Packer’s last crusade in this world,” the Rev. Dr. J.I. Packer affirms, is recovering catechesis — systematic instruction in the Christian fundamentals — to meet the challenges of an increasingly pagan age.
The evangelical theologian said at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Dallas on Jan. 9 that he yearns for the return of catechesis, “Bible-based, Christ-centered, declarative in style,” at a time when “the Christian value system is virtually disappearing from schools.”
“We are drifting back into paganism, that’s the truth,” said Dr. Packer, the second featured speaker in the James M. Stanton Lecture Series.
“Ongoing learning is part of the calling of the Church,” he said. “It has to be taught in all churches at all times.”
Dr. Packer, 83, is completing a book on catechesis. He called it “ridiculous to think that no more learning of the faith is necessary after confirmation has taken place.”
Recovering the traditional emphasis on careful, lifelong instruction in Christian faith “will be totally uphill all the way,” he said. “We shall be challenging the dominant trends in our culture, and it won’t be easy.”
All the more reason to begin quickly: “It’s a matter of time till this current Western [secularist] infection spreads its tentacles in the rest of the world.”
Dr. Packer said a recovered catechetical enterprise need not resemble the “schoolroom method or question and answer” format set during the Reformation and enshrined in The Book of Common Prayer. A likelier pattern for modern times, he said, is that of the Alpha course, which involves sharing meals, forming new friendships, listening to brief presentations and discussing the content in small groups.
“You get much further, much faster” that way, he said, than with relying on a fixed set of questions and answers.
Another of my pet peeves. I believe the Anglican church abandoned
catechesis to the detriment of a whole generation (maybe two or three) of our young people. Certainly this last generation finds itself without indentity, as a result, also without any moral absolutes. Catechism should begin on entry into the Church be it infant baptism or otherwise. A complete program (handbook)should be in hand to direct a parish on the caring and preparation of the newly Baptised for Confirmation. THE BIG DAY !!!! The content and practises I have touched on in earlier blogs. Confirmation should be the most important day in an Anglican’s life. As the marriage day is to the unfolding of creation. I would never presume to contradict Rev. Dr. Packer I believe like C.S. Lewis he will be “received” as one of the Saints. Of course I pray that this not be His last crusade, but He and They Know. ….To God be the Glory.
Paraphrased – “Raise up children in the way they should go, when they are older they will not depart from it” (Scripture somewhere)
My good friend Dr. Packer makes a very good point that the means of catechesis cannot be the old Reformation way of the Prayer Book, but using courses such as Alpha as a kick off and developing other courses using the style of the Alpha course with dinners, short presentations and small group discussion over coffee. This will give us an opening to attract the people of this age and introduce them to the Gospel message and authentic faith found and rooted in Scripture.
Brian+
I use Dr. Packer’s “Concise Theology” as my catechetical text for middle school. The kids love it and I find it superb.
I don’t know what I did in #3. It should have looked like this:
Pretty strong advertising for something that isn’t even clearly taught in Scripture.
That aside, as someone who has long taught Sunday School and been a leader in kid’s clubs, I heartily endorse J.I. Packer’s “crusade”. I think biblical knowledge has reached an all-time low – in a time and age when more resources are available than ever before.
The last church I was part of had developed their own “Beta” course to supplement the Alpha course. Are there parishes out there doing that? I found this, but I don’t think it’s exactly what Packer has in mind. #3 deleted by your ever amenable admin
And now I left out the hyperlink. What a mess:
http://www.beta-course.org/
fixed again
I owe many favours to the “amenable admins”.
#4
Confirmation is an Ordinance (or rule) of the Anglican church. Turn to the Baptismal Service and at the end you will find instructions to godparents. They are instructed to see to it that their godchild knows the Creed, Lord’s Prayer and Ten Commandments, is instructed in the church Catechism and then is Confirmed. Of course, these days it is more the parents’ responsibility, as the role of godparents is often ceremonial.
Confirmation is the means by which a person becomes a full member of the church. What happens is this. The candidate prayerfully studies the Bible truths contained in the Catechism and accepts them to the degree they are able. They then attend the Confirmation service where they publicly confirm the promises made on their behalf at their Baptism. The Bishop then confirms their confirming of the promises by laying hands on the candidate and praying for their strengthening in the Christian faith. The congregation then joins in prayer for all the candidates.
The laying-on of hands may seem a little strange, but it is an ancient symbol of prayer. In the Bible we find that the action of laying-on of hands was used on special occasions: eg. with prayer for God’s blessing, by the leaders of God’s people in Old Testament times, by Jesus himself, and also by his disciples. Prove this by looking up the following Bible references: Genesis 48:9-14; Deuteronomy 34:9; St. Mark 10:16, 16:18; Acts 6:6, 9:12, 19:1-6, 28:8: 2 Timothy 1:6.
So, Confirmation in our church is the rite, or ceremony, whereby the candidate confirms their baptismal promises and is confirmed by the Bishop in the prayerful laying-on of hands for strengthening in the Christian life.
Copied from http://www.lectionarystudies.com
“as for your Pretty strong advertising for something that isn’t even clearly taught in Scripture.” That depends on what page your on and how you interpret.
Incidently, one of my observations of young people today is the extreme difficulty they have with self identity. I believe that if the church were to recognize and of course agree, to what I said in #1 and a prepared child was to approach Confirmation with the level of excitement compared to some other religions and cultures it would be a “rite of Passage” that would serve them very well.
#4 Yes, but on the other hand – for the last two or three generations confirmation has tended to be the rite of exit from the Anglican church! (ie kids get confirmed, they stop coming to church).
Besides, church tradition is a wonderful thing, as long as it takes second place to scripture.
#3 I have that on my ebook reader. I really should get around to reading it!
#3 & #9, I picked up Packer’s Concise Theology a few weeks ago, but haven’t cracked it open yet. I’m looking forward to reading it.
#5, I understand confirmation and don’t denigrate it. I’m not convinced, however, that there is sufficient cause – or Scriptural warrant – for calling it “the most important day”.
Having studied under Dr Packer and edited several collections of his writings, I think I could seek to elaborate by saying that the day of confirmation, for Anglicans, would be similar to the day of baptism for Baptists, etc. ie the public declaration of following Jesus personally, and receiving God’s grace. For those baptised as infants, Confirmation is (should be) the explicit acceptance of Christ and claiming the inheritance that was given in baptism. Since we don’t baptized a second time, Confirmation, and the laying on of hands for a strengthening by the Holy Spirit is the alternative. So, for the person baptised as an infant, this should be the day when you formally and publicly declare your allegiance, hence “the most important day”.
Dr Packer said a number of times: wet infant baptism; dry confirmation: infant christening; wet adult baptism. They both end up at the same place.
I also recognize the tendency for Confirmation to be graduation, and the exit opportunity, but I’ve been seeking a fuller understanding before bringing individuals for Confirmation.
I hope this was fairly clear.
I concede that my first comment may have been too flippant. If I had children batpitzed in the Anglican church, I likely would view confirmation as a very important day in their lives. However (I always seem to have a “however”), there has also been discussion on this thread about the Alpha course, which is usually focused on on presenting the gospel to adults. I have confidence that the leadership of ACNA desires to see the kingdom of God advance through adult conversion as well as through infants being baptized into the church (and later confirmed). If confirmation is an ordinance that also applies to adult converts (which I now suspect it does), then I withdraw my comment in #4 and apologize to Stuck. I may prefer different terminology, but there truly is cause to celebrate when someone’s name is added to the book of life.
The initiation rite in the early church for adults was anointing, immersion baptism, then go in front of the presider (episcope), for further anointing and laying on of hands for the strengthening by and infilling of the Holy Spirit, followed by Eucharist for the first time.
This was preceded by 3 years of preparation (the Alpha Course pales in comparison) – it was called the catechuminate.
Confirmation is not an ‘option’ – whether for the infant baptised or those baptised as an adult (altho’ I do concede there are differences in affect, not necessarily in theology [not at all according to John Webster]).
Confirmation is part and parcel of the full initiation rite into the church.
That is not to say (by any means) that the baptised do not receive the Holy Spirit. They most certainly do.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, on Confirmation, cites these passages: primarily Acts 8: 14-17; Acts 19: 1-7. Also relevant: Hebrews 6: 2; and ‘sealing with the Spirit’ 2 Cor. 1: 20-22; Ephesians 1: 13; Eph. 4: 30.
#11 I was following you till you wrote this:
Could you elaborate a bit please? Thanks!
Margo (#13), when you say the “early church”, do you mean the early Anglican Church, or the NT church in the first couple of centuries? If you mean the latter, what is your reference?
I’m interested in exploring further the idea of adult confirmation in a modern context (if people here will humour me). Let me lay out a scenario.
A young man of 22 is invited to a Sunday morning service at a parish by a friend who has been witnessing to him for the past six months. This young man attended Sunday School at a Baptist church for a few years as a child, but then dropped away from the church and didn’t give Christianity much thought until his friend started witnessing to him. The Holy Spirit has been working in his heart and the soil is now rich for the gospel.
After the service (in which the rector faithfully presented the gospel), the young man turns to his friend and says, “I did it! I gave my heart to Jesus.” His friend is all excited and congratulates him. The Holy Spirit is working in a mighty way in this young man’s life and, two weeks later, he reports that he has read through the entire Bible (I knew a young man like this). He is eager to learn more and grow in his new life.
What would be a typical response in an ANiC parish? Let’s say the parish offers Alpha, but the next course isn’t scheduled for four months. Also, there is no adult Sunday School class providing teaching from the Bible. The young man expresses a strong desire to get baptized, but, because of his Baptist Sunday School experience, he only knows about believer baptism by immersion and has never been taught about other modes of baptism. When baptism by sprinkling is mentioned to him, he responds negatively and says, “that isn’t real baptism the way I read about it in the Bible!”
How will this young man be catechized (discipled, in my lingo)? How will confirmation be explained to him? How and when will confirmation likely take place? What will he be restricted from doing before he is confirmed? What will he be allowed to do following confirmation? How do you hang on to him and stop him from heading down the street to the independent evangelical church who is willing to baptize him immediately, has much more “exciting” music, and has a dynamic young adults group that meets weekly?
Margo,
A number of the Scripture passages which you mention do not actually relate to an apostolic rite of confirmation. In the Middle Ages the Western Church misinterpreted them as references to such a rite. See my discussion of the rite of confirmation on the Internet at: http://exploringananglicanprayerbook.blogspot.com/2008/04/anglican-prayer-book-2008-catechism-and.html
I do agree that young people need much more preparation than they often receive before they are confirmed. No one should be confirmed who has not professed faith in Jesus Christ and repentance from sin. The rite of confirmation enables such a person to make a public declaration of his faith and repentance before the church and to receive the prayers of the church. As J. I. Packer has pointed out in Growing in Christ (formerly I Want to Be a Christian), the laying on of the bishop’s hands as a part of the confirmation rite is simply a gesture of good will and acceptance toward the candidate. There is no conveying of grace or the Holy Spirit or the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
I also agree with Packer that Christians continue to need instruction in the Christian faith after they are confirmed (or baptized if a church practices believer baptism). Such instruction should be designed to help those receiving it to live their faith, not just to acquire more knowledge which they never apply.
In conjunction with Mr. Jordan’s “The rite of confirmation enables such a person to make a public declaration of his faith and repentance before the church” and my contention that This should be “a most important day” AND, in light of my witness to the Holy Spirit filled last ANiC Synod, particularly the Consecration of Three Bishops, I would like to remind you all of an earlier stream were I suggested that Confirmation (Were possible) should take place at Synod. To me the residual or spinoff effects are two fold.
A more memorial and Spiritual experience for the candidates and secondly a continuation of the increased worship experience found in Anic (and hopefully) ACNA Synods – Vive la Difference!
Hang the expense, Hang the time constraints, Hang any other negative thought. Our future and mission scream silently for this and for our young people, so much more.
I think if the Holy Sprit wishes to bestow his gifts at Confirmation, He is certainly capable of doing so.
Confirmation is taking on for yourself the vows that your godparents made for you at your baptism, a public declaration of one’s belief in Christ.
In answer to Warren’s question,there isn’t really anything a confirmed person can do that an unconfirmed person can’t. When I was a child you couldn’t take communion unless you were confirmed, but today that isn’t the case.
Further, I sometimes wish I hadn’t been confirmed as a child. My confirmation meant absolutely nothing to me. My parish priest told us that “he didn’t believe that any of us were ready for confirmation, but he was going to lie to the bishop and say that we were, because our parents expected it”. True story. I didn’t come to real faith until I was in my 30s, it would have been nice to have been able to be confirmed then.
#10 “special day” For the young person Warren , for the young person!
# 18 your quoted quote – I’m not so sure, However certainly was that way for me and the 200+ Anglicans I have asked over the past 10-12 Years Like you to a person not one left the experience, having been instilled with an awareness of the Holy Spirit. WRONG, but there is much wrong in the past and we are slowly focusing forward and it is my prayer in that focus we will examine the past (turn around) correct the errors (go back down) and not deviate (back the way you came).
#18 you said ” I think if the Holy Sprit wishes to bestow his gifts at Confirmation, He is certainly capable of doing so.” first off you must have just finished “The Shack”) “Sprit” is as good a word as any to describe the amazing word picture by Mr. Young. (back to the quote,) Yep your absolutely right but than God could also Heal, drive out demons, bestow spiritual gifts if He wanted to. BUT He chose to ask us to do that via the Laying on of Hands.
Then shall the Bishop say,
O ye here, in the presence of God, and of this congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow that was made in your name at your Baptism; ratifying and confirming the same in your own persons, and acknowledging yourselves bound to believe, and to do, all those things, which your Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for you?
You said “Confirmation is taking on for yourself the vows that your godparents made for you at your baptism, a public declaration of one’s belief in Christ. Close Kate but doesn’t have quite the same bite. It does explain part of your #19 though. May I suggest that you read the reccomended passages in my #7 and Margo’s #13. By the way, if we get it right I am sure the Church will offer re-confirmation for those wishing it. Heck maybe we could be confirmed again – together – at Synod – wouldn’t that be a hoot. With Gerry and Obituary and the traveller an oh yeh don’t forget Warren Hmmm would we have to get him Baptised? I love you all!
In the name of the Mighty One.
“In answer to Warren’s question,there isn’t really anything a confirmed person can do that an unconfirmed person can’t. When I was a child you couldn’t take communion unless you were confirmed, but today that isn’t the case.”
Maybe, maybe not. One thing is for sure in my book, the more of Christ an Anglican young person, has, the better His or Her chances are of entering life. To speak in any way negative of Confirmation is also in my book under the heading Don’t —- Me Off!!!
In #13, I was responding to what I perceived to be comments intimating Confirmation was an ‘option’ for the adult baptised. Baptism, anointing, Confirmation & receiving Communion are all part of the initiation ‘package’. It’s a ‘one’. This is the early church, not the NT church – although of course, the basics are there.
Warren #15 – some of those things are what I have understood for years. Here are some references from the books on my shelf, or references in the books on my shelf.
Liturgy & Worship ed. by W.K. Lowther Clarke, Ch. on Baptism.
The Didache, Ch. 7; interestingly, even this early, one may baptise by pouring water on the head.
The Church Father Justin Martyr writes of the period of personal preparation (fasting prayer, confession) and Tertullian (around 200) of preparation, sponsors and dates for baptism. He omits reference to Unction & Laying on of Hands.
The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus.
Gordon Fee in God’s Empowering Presence unpacks many of the scriptural references to ‘baptism’ and Holy Spirit’, basically seeing Paul as associating the reception of the Spirit with hearing the proclamation of the gospel and conversion, not with baptism (p.862). This implies adults. However, I believe the Holy Spirit is operative at baptism – whether adult or infant – as we believe ‘something happens’ (it is non-repeatable) and it can only be in the spiritual realm.
#16 – Robin G. Jordan – I read your article (down to the Homilies). As I said above, I was actually trying to make a case for not omitting the laying on of hands in the initiation rite. What we do today, or some do today, comes out of the early church, not necessarily the NT church, but other than unction, I do see the seeds of later practice in the NT. Perhaps it is the physicality of the oil to ‘represent’ the Unction of the Holy Spirit.
I must be off – it’s late.
MARGO – Are you a member of Synod? Please contact me personally (Through Blog Masters).
With respect to the scenario Warren (#15) presented. I don’t think it matters too much which is done, Baptism or Confirmation, but some sort of ‘rite of passage’ should take place, to affirm in the minds and hearts of both the young man and the people around him that something special has taken place. Ceremonies and traditions are powerful things within a culture. This is why most cultures have coming of age ceremony for young people and why people have a wedding in order to get married.
We have had some adult baptisms at my church. We borrow somebody’s kiddy pool for ‘semi’ immersion baptism. In most cases the adult being baptized has already had some instruction and they rarely then go on to be Confirmed.
On a personal level I was baptized as an infant. When I was in my early 20′s I was Confirmed but there were no classes, I was away at university at the time went home one weekend and ‘got it done’. When I was 30 I chose to be baptized in the Jordan River, that is the baptism which holds meaning for me, even if the Anglican church doesn’t recognize it. As for communion, my 3 year old takes communion, she get rather annoyed if she is not included.
Cathy I can appreciate your 3 year old’s need for participation. I believe that withholding this awesome Spiritual exchange until a child fully understands serves the child and the church. The child by instilling curiosity, discipline, and an early gentle understanding of responsibility. For the Church, a reminder and acceptance of Her responsibility to the child.
Ah, I just get so perturbed when possibilities always lead to “religion” and then “religion’ most inevitably to ‘denominationalism’.
Why can’t people just get back to the raw basics of the Christian Faith…..remember that?
The infilling of the “Holy Spirit”… Remember that or is that just to scary for some…I mean the actual reality of it….. like the oft times actuality of speaking in tongues, interpretation of diverse tongues, healing, knowledge, wisdom, prophecy, and the other three that at this moment I cannot get from my brain to my fingertips.
Oh I know, there are actually those out there in Anglican Land who that that Ephesians is a bunch of bunk when it comes to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit…..you know…good for the early Church but not today. isn’t that what micheal Ingham and the pack of followers are kind of promoting…..the new church, the new age, the new way. Now there is the bunk!!
Blessings all,
Gerry
Administration, Teaching and Miracles?
People still operate in the Gifts of the Spirit. I have occasionally interpreted tounges (kind of freaky the first couple times) and prophesied. My husband is a developing prophet. I’ve seen people healed, I’ve heard people teach with the authority of the Spirit.
Thank you Cathy………….There are others out there…..Isn’t the practice of the Gifts of the Spirit something wonderful? I just keep asking that the Holy Spirit will use me as a vessel in some other ways than those which I have been…..
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are as much for todays Christian Faith as for any other. Those who think otherwise have lost the Christian Faith possibilities. When the Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost and then upon Cornelius and his household and then on others, it has been passed on ever since and comes down now upon those who seek it. This is my prayer for followers…..Forget about the Denominationalism being as important as the Faith..
Pray that God’s Holy Spirit will descend upon each of us in fire and power and that there will be more healings, prophecies, deliverances and other wonderful manifestations and that there will be revival.
Gerry and Cathy; #s, 26,27,28. Heaven is listening, Angels have paused waiting, watching. Is there time for one more great revival? One last chance for the wind of the Spirit to move across the face of the waters? Should we continue outward? your words give hope. I thank you. Sooner or later the time of witness of things to come will be. Entrenchment together for strength and preparation to stand, will be the only option left. I pray for mercy and time to lift ourselves high enough. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
I also praise God in thankfulness that He will shorten the time of the end for the sake of the Church and His Elect.