Theos

is
Submitted by Carole A. Buleza
Design Joe Orthodox
 Here is your chance to visualize your ideal Orthodox
parishioner—perhaps your spiritual son.
 Draw Joe’s outline.
 The space around Joe is for phrases that describe why
Joe is an really good Orthodox Christian. What is he
doing right?
 We have socialized our children into the
faith by participation in the Divine Liturgy
. . . and,
 We have informed them about the faith
(the Protestant Sunday School model) with
the hope that they would live the Orthodox
Way.

Is this working?
 No.
 No. A survey done five years ago through the
Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute of U.C.
Berkeley showed that the top concern of
respondents was young people leaving the faith.
At the recent GOA Clergy-Laity Convention, the
keynote speaker made the same point.
 I believe we are having only moderate success.

Why?
“At no other time in history has
Orthodoxy existed in countries that
were not also Orthodox.”
We have assumed that they
are learning “the Orthodox
Way,” from their families and
communities—like in the
villages in the old country.
 We have followed the Protestant model with its
focus on giving information about doctrine, bible,
etc.

 Information does not make an Orthodox Christian.

We need to teach “the Orthodox Way.”

 We need to establish a goal. We have never had a

stated goal.

 We need to make a plan to meet the goal.

The goal for an Orthodox Christian
is theosis, living united with God.
“God became human so that humans could become god.”
(St. Athanasios)

“that we may become partakers of the divine nature by

“grace. (Epistle of St. Peter)

“This, then, is our task: to educate ourselves and our

children in godliness.” (St. John Chrysostom, Homily on
Ephesians)

“Our goal is to acquire the Holy Spirit” (St. Seraphim of Sarov)

Theosis is our goal. How do we chart a course?
 Curriculum planners use a Scope and Sequence Chart.
 Grade levels on the left, content areas on top
 At the intersection of the child’s age, and the content category,
determine what the child can/should know

Topics Bible Church Doctrine Liturgical, Ethics,

History Prayer Spirituality
Grade
5
Our Life
in the
Church

4
Jesus
the
Promise
of God
Scope and Sequence Chart Example
“What should a 3rd, 4th, 5th grade student should know about . . .” [OCEC chart]

Topics Bible Church Doctrine Liturgical, Ethics,

History Prayer Spirituality
Grade Passages are History of sacraments, Sacraments as per Eucharistic Prayer, Children are helped
selected as rituals, lives of saints salvation and Prayer before to find their own
5 they relate to Church Gospel, place in the Church
Our Life origin of membership; Antiophons, through the study
in the sacraments Trinity, Creation Troparia, As Many of sacraments,
Church and Fall, as Have Been vocations
Incarnation, Baptized, Trisagion
Redemption

4 Life of Jesus, Church History and Jesus is the promise Beginning prayers, Vocation; God
select Tradition in the of God; also angels, litanies, patience called a “people,” we
Jesus parables, OT context of gospel free will, the Fallen with God, Creed, are called, choices,
the prophecies, stories studied. Holy Angel, the selected tropar, concern, love, sin
Promise use of Bible Week, icons, Symbols Evangelists, feasts Simeon’s prayer vs. sinner,
of God of Pascha of our Lord beatitudes

3 Stories to Worship in New Life is shared Lord’s prayer, Creed, Church is

illustrate catacombs, Orthodoxy in community. Ephraim’s prayer; community called
New Life lesson Sunday, Nativity Fast, Sacraments, Bless the Lord, to pray, worship,
in the concepts: Great Lent, Holy Nativity Pascha, Christ is risen, serve, forgive, share
Church Call of Week, Icons Pentecost, Lord’s “What shall we Good news, make
Disciples, abiding presence, offer” Prayer is moral decisions
Epiphany, Creed communication
Zaccheus with God
How should we proceed if our goal is not
“information” but spiritual maturity—
theosis?

1. Establish it as our goal.

2. Define its components
3. Make a plan for children to deepen and broaden their
understanding of its components each year.
 Everything that Joe
Orthodox did right, is Liturgy
contained in these
categories. Repentance

Conversion
Theosis:
the goal of Orthodox Catechesis

Wisdom
Struggle We need to help our
children grow in
understanding of these.
Conversion • Living for Christ and Others; seeing Christ in all
• Seeking to know Christ through Scripture, prayer, Church

• Seeking a clean heart,

Repentance
• Living Humbly; Jesus Prayer

• Vigilant regarding temptation and evil

Struggle
• Following discipline of prayer, fasting and giving

• Offering self and world to God on behalf of all and for all
Liturgy • Understanding that Eucharist constitutes Church, living in church

Wisdom
• Seeking to learn from Orthodoxy’s treasure (saints, icons)
• Reflecting experiences; the world, grappling with theodicy et al
Spiritual Maturity from Increasing Understanding
Example: Repentance

5 What does it mean to “deny” someone? Could we ever deny

Christ? Peter’s repentance after denying Christ. Christ’s
forgiveness. Sin as bondage. God’s forgiveness experienced as
release.

4 Introduce sins of “omission,” such as not

reaching out to new kids. Consider humility
as not placing yourself above others.

Introduce reflection
3 time at bedtime.
Discuss ways of
“making things right.”
Review procedure of
confession
 Aspects of Spiritual Maturity
Liturgy
Conversion Repentance Struggle Wisdom

Knowledge Categories Church

History
Saints Service
Doctrine
Ethics
Scripture Patristics
Sacraments
The points of information now contained in these
categories will be related to an aspect of spiritual
maturity instead.
Example of New Scope and Sequence Chart
“How can we increase the 4th Grader’s spiritual understanding?”
Conversion Repentance Liturgy Struggle Wisdom
Grade OT types and Could we ever deny Discussion of Introduce concept What happened to
fulfillment Christ? Peter’s Passover Supper of Church as ark of Peter and the others
5 gospels. Jesus’ repentance after (OT covenant), salvation; church as who correctly
“Who do question to denying Christ. and Mystical kingdom in the answered, “Who do
you say I Peter, “Who do Christ’s forgiveness. Supper midst of a fallen you say I am?” Intro
am?” you say I am?” fulfillment. world; church as to formation of
Consequences of Mystical Supper target of the devil. church.
answer: Church as New Covenant

4 What does it Introduce sins of We offer Discuss activities of Saints who were
mean to love “omission,” such as ourselves to God, students are particularly
“I have
God? Sermon on not reaching out to and receive as involved with, humble, ministered
not come
Mount, GC, the new kids. well. Build on facebook, texting, to others, such as
to
Jesus stories of Consider humility as Little Entrance: etc., and discuss John of Kronstadt.
condemn,
Samaritans, not seeing oneself what is Gospel? how those can cause How we can pray to
but to
loving enemies better than others. Epistle? Receive us to sin. that saint, and
save.”
inspiration imitate?

3 Review Baptism, Review “on purpose,” Little Entrance as Discuss temptation Evangelists wrote
NT: Life of Jesus, and “by accident.” Jesus’ Coming in various scenarios. down life of Jesus,
“I am the
OT: Nativity Introduce reflection into the World, Discuss efforts at contained in Bible;
light of
prophecies, time at bedtime. Liturgical year re- prayer, fasting, and Introduce concept
the
Memorize Discuss ways of presenting events giving—living “with of proverb—their
world.”
Greatest “making things in Jesus’ life God.” Practice admonitions.
Command, right.” Review praying with an People have sought
service, procedure of icon. to do the right thing
forgiveness confession. thru history.
 Catechesis that is About God, and Them is Life-giving
Instead of the categories of: We give them

 Doctrine,  Conversion—living for God and

others because of what they
know to be true.
 Ethical/Spiritual,  Struggle and Repentance—
recognizing evil, struggling
against it, and repenting of sin.
 Instead of Church  Wisdom—seeing God’s plan as
History their inheritance, seeing their
role in it, following in the
footsteps of those who journeyed
before them.

Knowledge is not for its own sake, but rather for the sake of their relationship with God.
How do we educate our children
in theosis?
 Teach children key Orthodox ife-giving theology
(“image and likeness;” theosis)beginning at
Kindergarten.
 Let them know they are made in God’s image for the
goal of theosis—we have never taught this.
 Repeat this every year.
 Teach so the “heart knows,” unpacking our treasure
chest of eastern ways of knowing through the senses,
imagery, narrative, poetic elements such as
juxtaposition, art, hymnography, beauty, chant, and
silence, bodily expression, symbol and ritual—we
have never trained them to know aesthetically,
bodily, with their feelings.
 Education for the goal of theosis.
Knowledge for the goal of spiritual maturity.
Opening their eyes to aesthetical knowing so Orthodoxy’s
treasure will help them gain “heart knowledge.”