MISSIONARY CATECHESIS: BEGINNING AND PURPOSE

The modern theology provides a new way of understanding what catechesis and mission mean when compared to the old one. The passing on of religious teachings in the traditional catechetical approach received precedence. Catechesis in this paradigm was theorized as a process ending with the incorporation into the ecclesial community, and an example is the celebration of Baptism or Confirmation. With the development of anthropology and pedagogy, however, since the 20th century, some of the studies have examined the new aspects of catechesis. The continuity and maturation of faith is, therefore, the focus of theological research on current catechesis. Meanwhile, there has been a significant shift in the theological understanding of mission that is currently perceived on a broader horizon than before. Traditionally, the mission was mainly used in connection with foreign missions, in other words, the spread of the Gospel to foreign countries. Although such missionary work remains of fundamental importance, modern theological thinking has elevated mission to the constitutive and defining principle of the Church’s existence. Despite the widening of these understandings, the overall perception of catechesis and mission continues to be closely associated with the traditional view. The most widespread misunderstanding is that catechesis is a form of early initiation into the faith or is a field of study that is restricted to children and youth. Here, there is a need to reevaluate the further meaning of the mission and catechesis and think about the missionary catechesis as a combination of the two key aspects. This is one of the methods of building up the basis of an accurate interpretation of ongoing catechesis. There are two aspects of special relevance in the missionary context. To begin with, they focus on the qualitative contribution of the first announcement to the development of faith among believers. Second, the significance of the active dimension of participants in the catechesis is emphasized. Conclusively, the ultimate purpose of missionary catechesis can be best expressed through the dynamic phrase, ‘living encounter with Christ’.