Entering the Orthodox Church: A Contribution to the Pastoral Ministry for the Catechism and Baptism of Adults
Metropolitan of Nafpaktos Hierotheos Translated by Marina Mary Robb
“[...T]he Orthodox Church is the Body of Christ and the communion of those being deified but it is at the same time the Church of the Apostles, of the Fathers, the Martyrs, the Saints and the Ascetics, the Church of the Ecumenical Synods. Overall, the Orthodox Church is the Church which preserves the richness of the Tradition in both Christ and the Holy Spirit, as this has been manifested through the ages. It is not easy for someone to enter this great ancestral treasury of the Holy Spirit. This is why, from the very beginning, the Church laid down a special way by which to receive people who want to be baptized. This way is described briefly in this small book, that is, it lays out the preparation of the Catechumens from the point of view of spiritual life and worship in reference to the teaching of the Church. It also lays out the content of Catechism, the Baptism of those who have been already catechized as well as the life of the faithful within the holy and blessed body of Christ.” —“Introduction to the English Edition”
CONTENTS
Prologue Introduction to the English Edition 1. Catechism in the Tradition of the Church 2. Joining the Catechumens to the Church Community 3. Orthodox Catechism A THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON Christ and Christians The Christian God Man and His Fall The Church and Her Work The Communion of Saints The Ascetic Life The Healthy and Sick Members of the Church B THE SYMBOL OF FAITH The Use of Creeds Reading and Clarification of the Symbol of Faith The Symbol of Faith Central Points God the Creator and Creation The Divinity of the Word The Incarnation of the Word The Passion and Resurrection of Christ The Divinity of the Holy Spirit The Church and Her Attributes The Sacramental Life of the Church The Resurrection of the Dead and the Life to Come 4. Questions and Answers 5. The Rite of the Sacrament of Baptism 6. Guidance after Baptism Epilogue
Item Number: BKN642 Publication data: Levadia, Greece: Birth of the Theotokos Monastery, 2006 Format: softcover Number of pages: 216 Dimensions (l × w × h): 19.3 cm × 12.1 cm × 1.4 cm ISBN: 960‒7070‒52‒6
