EARLY CHURCH CATECHESIS AND NEW CHRISTIANS' CLASSES IN CONTEMPORARY EVANGELICALISM

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Mar 2004 by Arnold, Clinton E

1. Was the catechumenate a "new Christians'" class? Perhaps the first question that needs to be discussed is on the propriety of speaking of the ancient church catechumenate as a "new Christians'" class. The section of the Apostolic Tradition treating the catechumenate begins with the following statement: "concerning newcomers, those who will give their assent to the faith" (15.1). The church leader who interviews them is guided as follows: "let them be asked the reason why they have given their assent to the faith" (15.2). Similarly, the DidaKcalia Apostolorum says, "When the heathen desire and promise to repent, saying 'We believe,' we receive them into the congregation so that they may hear the word, but do not receive them into communion until they receive the seal and are fully initiated" (2.39).14

These new people clearly have some rudimentary level of faith. They appear to be aware of enough of the gospel message that they have exercised faith in it and are now taking the step to commit themselves to a rigorous course of study, prepare for baptism, and join the community of believers.15 In the language of contemporary conversionist evangelicalism, one might say that they have heard an evangelistic message, prayed the sinner's prayer, and are ready to get plugged into a church.16

The difficulty, however, is that the catechumenate was also a formal preparation for baptism. Perhaps the most significant motive for the shift away from the apostolic practice of baptizing immediately after profession of faith17 to a time after substantive training, mentoring, and preparation had to do with "the concern the ministers of baptism had from the very beginning for the sincerity of the conversion of the candidates."18

The question of whether the catechumenate was a new Christians' class also hinges on the assumption of a number of early Church fathers that baptism was the occasion for the divine bestowal of salvation and the divine work of regeneration.19 Some Church fathers, however, could argue that regeneration takes place prior to baptism. In his discourse on repentance, Tertullian says:

Is there one Christ for the baptized, another for the learners? Have they some different hope or reward? some different dread of judgment? some different necessity for repentance? That baptismal washing is a sealing of faith, which faith is begun and is commended by the faith of repentance. We are not washed in order that we may cease sinning, but because we have ceased, since in heart we have been bathed already (Tertullian, On Repentance 6.15-17).20

It is not my purpose here to solve the question of the occasion of regeneration in relationship to baptism. The answer to the question of whether or not the catechumenate was a new Christians' class hinges on our perspective on the moment of saving faith. If we believe that it occurs at the time that we put our faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ-as I believe-then we can refer to the catechumenate as a new Christians' class.