Christian Initiation

Convener: Diana Dudoit Raiche, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs, Ann & Joe O. Neuhoff School of Ministry, University of Dallas

Members in Attendance: Garrick Comeau, Christina (Christy) Condyles, Dennis Chriszt, Nicholas Denysenko, Tim Fitzgerald, Jason Haddocks, Larry Mick, Mark Stamm, Vicki Tufano, Paul Turner, Stephen Wilbricht

Visitors in Attendance: Ching-yu Huang, Pekka Rehumaki, Christina Ronzio, Kyle Turner, David Wood

Description of Work: The Christian Initiation Seminar addresses questions that stand at the intersection of sacraments of initiation, the classic Ordo for Christian initiation, and ongoing formation for discipleship in the church. The Seminar held a joint session with the Formation for Liturgical Prayer Seminar for an update on the Order of Baptism of Children with guest presenter Marit Rong.

Papers and Presentations:

• Paul Turner gave an update on the new Order of Baptism of Children. New translation rules and new editions in Latin necessitate the Order of Baptism of Children, available January 6, 2020. It may be used as of February 2, 2020; it must be used by April 12, 2020. Establishing the biblical evidence that infants were baptized as part of whole households by 3rd century, this new ritual book is for those who are younger than the age of reason (7 years, or catechetical age). Infants should be baptized “within the first few weeks after birth” (Canon 867.1) and disability is no reason for deferring baptism (USCCB Guidelines on Persons with Disability). The presentation focused on what is different in the new ritual text compared to what remains the same. • Marit Rong gave a presentation on “Confirmation—and/or Christian Faith?” from the perspective of three contexts: 1)Roman Catholics are the fastest growing group in Norway, 2) as a folk church, the Church of Norway connects Confirmation to pietism from Copenhagen, and 3) a third, new ritual for confirmation, which is not a sacrament, is emerging. Confirmation has been necessary to be considered an adult, go to dances, or get married. It has been influenced by Luther’s catechism because one had to have enough knowledge to be confirmed. From the perspective of a Lutheran pastor and professor, the paper responds to the ritual decisions in the third confirmation ritual that raise theological questions. Is the new ritual looking backwards or looking

forward to communion? How do we initiate people into the body of Christ? Should confirmation be a rite of passage, or is it a rite of intercession in the

Church of Norway? • Christina Condyles presented a chapter from her dissertation, “Sacramental

Relationships: God, the World, and the Christian”. Following a summary of the dissertation, which is to advance a theological understanding of sacramental personhood and better live out Christian identity in the world, and providing an outline of the first chapter, C. Condyles focused on sacramental theology of the sacraments of initiation. Three topics were offered for discussion by the seminar members: 1) Relationships made through the sacraments God, Creation, and the Church: What are the primary obstacles to living out these relationships more fully: Shallow spirituality and failure to reflect sufficiently on what we pray? How much do we think about what we are saying? 2) Regarding terminology—what needs to be made clearer—sacramental economy and sacramental personhood? 3) What is the relationship between sacramental identity and ecclesial identity? • Diana Dudoit Raiche presented a paper on “Liturgical Catechesis: A Method with Constitutive Elements”. The thesis of the paper advances that there are three movements to liturgical catechesis and such catechesis, using the constitutive elements found in Sacrosanctum Concilium, need to be presented in relation to reflection on how they are experienced in the liturgy rather than merely as a disconnected educational exercise in preparation for liturgy. Conversation focused on a request for suggestions for adapting the more academic paper for a pastoral audience. • Nicholas Denysenko, writing on reconciliation in the Orthodox tradition from the perspective of a liturgical scholar, presented a paper on “Rethinking the Mystery of Reconciliation in the Liturgical Context”. The paper raises questions regarding what the Church may be missing vis-à-vis the mercy of God in the context of communal and individual concerns. The Russian Orthodox broke communion, prompting a need for reconciliation between bishops. Due to the lack of a confessor, some Orthodox Christians may never experience confession. How do they participate in reconciliation? Is reconciliation merely focused on spiritual direction, only one part of reconciliation with the rite, which is often not used? How do renunciation and confession of faith occur in more than one mystery of the church? There is great diversity in the Orthodox tradition, as there is no editio typica for liturgical rites. However, the Orthodox Church is averse to change. Without resolving all the questions, the paper explores avenues naming the sins of our time, prayer of confession, lament, and abuse of power as connected to the need for reconciliation.

Other Work and Plans for the Future: Garrick Comeau was selected as convener for the next three years. A future topic was brought forward: What are the gaps between what we celebrate liturgically and what the people of God believe and live? Possible books to guide discussion on the theme in 2021:

• Thomas O’Loughlin, Eating Together Becoming One: Taking up Pope Francis’s Call to Theologians. Liturgical Press, 2019. • Mary E. McGann, The Meal that Reconnects: Eucharistic Eating and the

Global Food Crisis. Liturgical Press, 2020. • Michael Gallagher, Clashing Symbols: An Introduction to Faith and Culture.

Paulist Press, 1998, 2005. • Dennis Chriszt’s revised book on Mystagogy • Update on the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults