Catechism as an important and necessary stage of preparation for entering the Church

Abstract

A person's entry into the Church begins with Baptism. Before proceeding to the sacrament of Baptism, everyone must know and understand in Whose Name he is being baptized, what responsibilities are imposed on him and how he must live in order to be called a Christian. The author notes that in various historical situations, the understanding of the importance of pre-baptismal preparation was not the same; to assess the importance of catechumenal practice, it is necessary to consider the reasons that led to its formation, growth and subsequent decline. The key dates here can be called the middle of the 2nd century - the beginning of the intensive formation of the catechumenate (its beginning is the apostolic preaching. Further development of catechumenate associated with persecution, i.e. a Christian must be steadfast in faith); the 4th century - the time of the legalization of the Church (due to the greater number of people wishing to become Christians, for various reasons: to please the emperor, to follow new traditions, which in turn indicated the unconsciousness of accepting the sacrament); and the beginning of the 6th century - the final extinction of the catechumenal practice. Based on the evidence of the Holy Scripture, church tradition, the holy fathers of the Church and church history about the catechumenate before the sacrament of Baptism, we can conclude that the catechumenate is an important stage of preparation for entering the Church. A person receiving the sacrament of Baptism must realize not only with his mind, but with his whole being, that in this sacrament he gains a new, previously unknown understanding of life, enters into a completely new relationship with the world. This new is based on the rock of faith, faith in eternal life, granted to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead. Baptism in the likeness of the death and resurrection of Christ. This likeness, before being fulfilled in the rite, must be fulfilled in the soul of a person. In his faith, in his love. To believe in Christ means not only to acknowledge Him as God, not only to receive from Him, but, first of all, to surrender oneself to Christ, to love Him.