EARLY CHURCH CATECHESIS AND NEW CHRISTIANS' CLASSES IN CONTEMPORARY EVANGELICALISM

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

As we once again think of the contemporary evangelical church context, one wonders if this is still a priority and in what contexts this kind of inquiry and admonition take place. We clearly struggle against a powerful cultural pressure not to intrude into someone else's private affairs and especially not to make any kinds of judgments about their moral behavior and life-style.

The most natural place for this to occur is in the context of relationships built either in a small group setting or in a mentoring relationship. Earning respect and the right to be heard is crucial for effectiveness in gently but firmly speaking into the life of a new believer.

A hard question that we need to ask of ourselves is whether there is an intentional and structured part of the curriculum for ministering to new believers in our churches that addresses issues of life-style and Christian behavior in a direct way. Is there a process that helps new believers confront and deal with such sin issues as sexual impurity, bitterness, rebellion, greed, and unforgiveness as well as cultic involvements and adherence to false religious beliefs?

4. Deliverance ministry. One of the common and widespread characteristics of the ancient church catechumenate was what evangelicals today might call "deliverance ministry."42 This is well illustrated by a passage from the Apostolic Tradition:

Moreover, from the day they are chosen, let a hand be laid on them and let them be exorcised (exorkizein) daily. And when the day draws near on which they are to be baptized, let the bishop himself exorcise (exorkizein) each one of them, that he may be certain that he is purified. But if there is one who is not purified let him be put on one side because he did not hear the word of instruction with faith. For the evil and strange spirit remained with him (20.3-4, 8).

The passage probably does not imply that this happened daily for three years, but speaks of a second stage of the catechumenate immediately preceding their baptism.43 This instruction appears in every versional form of the Apostolic Tradition, including the Sahidic, Arabic, and Ethiopie, implying that this was the practice in these areas of the church as well.

A similar instruction is contained in the Testamentum Domini:

And when the days approach [for the occasion of baptism], let the bishop exorcise each one of them separately by himself, so that he may be persuaded that he is pure. For if there be one that is not pure, or in whom is an unclean spirit, let him be reproved by that unclean spirit. If then anyone is found under any such suspicion, let him be removed from the midst (of them], and let him be reproved and reproached because he has not heard the word of the commandments and of instruction faithfully, because the evil and strange spirit remained in him (2.6).

Egcria attests to this practice in the Jerusalem catechumenate (Peregrinatio 46). Similarly, Cyril of Jerusalem urges the catechumens to receive the exorcisms with earnestness and goes so far as to say that "without exorcisms the soul cannot be purified" (Prochatechesis 9). In one of his writings on catechesis, speaking about an exorcism prior to baptism, he told a catechumen, "on the command to stretch out your hand, you renounced Satan as though he were there in person" (Mystagogical Catechesis 1.2).