"And as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."[1] Jesus calls all men to himself, and to some men he calls them to be shepherds of his flock. The catechist and the director of RCIA serve in this role of evangelizing and shepherding the flock of Christ under their bishops. For those Christ called to follow Him, as shepherds or disciples, He was their teacher. Jesus Christ is the good teacher, and to the extent that we teach, we transmit the teachings of Jesus Christ to others.[2] When building up the body of Christ, the Church, the precatechumenal period in RCIA seeks to share the Good News of salvation in and through Christ, the "one mediator between God and man." Often times opportunities for apologetics presents itself, especially among learned adults who are entering into the fullness of faith from another Christian sect. These apologetics must consider the pastoral, catechetical, and liturgical needs of the inquirer or candidate.

Pastorally, the Church in the precatechumenal period brings people to Christ. "During the period of evangelization and the precatechumenate, the faithful should remember that for the Church and its members the supreme purpose of the apostolate is that Christ's message is made known to the world by word and deed and that his grace is communicated."[3] Every opportunity must be given to give the candidate or inquirer help and attention so they may cooperate with the grace of God.[4] In the time of the precatechumenate they should be able to express an "initial conversion and intention to change their live and to enter into a relationship with God in Christ."[5] Sometimes, certain doctrines pose obstacles to adhering to the full Christian faith. During this time apologetics can be employed in order to explain the faith in a way which will allow the candidate or inquirer to fully accept doctrines they are having trouble with, giving them a clear conscience to enter into the little flock of Christ. Apologetics should never be given to "prove the inquiring person wrong", but rather to build them up and give them understanding. While Christ used strong language with the Pharisees, candidates and inquirers are hardly Pharisees, and should instead be viewed as children in the faith who need the Word of God. They should be nurtured and build up by the Church and never torn down. The catechists in RCIA should encourage questions that they have about the faith and "always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you," yet do it with gentleness and reverence.[6]

Catechetically, the Church through its teachers must first be able to give an adequate explanation of the story of salvation.[7] First, for those who do not know Jesus Christ and have yet to hear the Gospel message this may serve as their first encounter with the risen Lord. Second, those who are Christians already seeking the to be members of the Church that Christ, through the Holy Spirit has given "all the truth,"[8] it is important to show them the organic unity of the living Word of God. They are likely use to feeling left unfulfilled in their former Protestant churches and are looking for something more. By giving a powerful and adequate explanation of the story of salvation, the scriptures can open up for them and come alive in a way they haven't experienced before or did not know was possible, often grappling with 'difficult' passages that suddenly make sense in the fullness of the truth. Only the Catholic faith can bring the scriptures together in such a way that there is no need for the division and constant arguments that take place in the Protestant churches.

During this time of explaining the scriptures in a catechetical manner there may be those who are interested in learning about the Catholic faith, but are not convinced. In a very real way they are still "Protestant". They are willing to learn and discover, but they won't be won easily, they bring with them zeal for the Bible and for Jesus and are on the guard. Apologetics can serve best in these instances, especially when they are used in above all with love.[9] If they are coming from a Fundamentalist background they are probably used to bitter fighting over the interpretation of scriptures. If the catechist can approach their questions with love in authority it will go far to bringing them to a point of conversion. The authority of the apologetics in the Catholic Church is much unlike what they are used to in the Protestant circles, because the Church has an authority that is lacking in Protestant circles. When we speak to a doctrine and speak in such a way that it is true and not "I believe it to be true" but there is something (the Holy Spirit) as a guarantor of our faith, it will move mountains from the obstacles they face to full communion with the Church. The faith they will experience in the Catholic Church will bring to fulfillment what they began to experience as a non-Catholic Christian, and apologetics serve as a tool to aid them in their journey. While the whole organic unity of the faith cannot be shown in a single doctrinal explanation, each explanation can serve to show the unity of the faith over time.

Liturgically, precatechumenal apologetics do not have any major function, but eventually prepare people for, and lead people to the liturgy. Especially through explanations of the mass, prayer, and the sacraments, apologetics can prepare people to experience a deeper faith. When obstacles to the faith, such as a lack of understanding of some various doctrine is removed, they come closer to appreciating the liturgy and longing to be a participant in the ancient and timeless worship of God.

When given the opportunity to share apologetic material with inquirers and catechumens during the precatechumenal period, how can the catechist show the organic unity of the whole faith in each explanation? First, let's take the Eucharist as an example. An inquirer asks "The Baptist church I attended taught that Holy Communion was a symbol and to believe that Jesus is really present in a piece of bread is blasphemy, can you explain why Catholics believe in the real presence?" It is not rare to run into such a question, and what an opportunity to share the faith, even if you only have 10 minutes. Fundamental Christian groups are not used to the idea that Catholics know anything about the Bible. Here is a prime opportunity to show otherwise. Have the inquirer open his Bible to Luke 22:1. One of the most important, and yet one of the most often forgotten parts about the Eucharist is that it is a Passover meal. If there is any question to if it is a Passover meal this passage should settle the fact. Next have them read Luke 22:7-23. There is no doubt that the Last Supper is the Passover meal, and this is the Passover meal in which the lamb is sacrificed. Now have the inquirer turn to John 1:29 and 1 Corinthians 5:7. If there is any doubt that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, the lamb that is slain, this should settle the question. Up until now at least the fundamentalist can follow along and agree, and they have probably heard the passages before. How often is it though that a Protestant clergyman will spend his sermon on Exodus 12:8, 46. It is important for the Christian to understand that the Paschal lamb must be eaten. And that is what the Last Supper is – a Passover meal. Jesus did not take what was not symbolic, and empty it of its power. Turn next to John 6:52-58. This famous discourse on Jesus as the bread of life shows how one must eat the blood and flesh of Christ in order to have eternal life. If they think this is hard to swallow, tell them that you understand, and read John 6:66. They aren't the only ones who found it hard to believe: "After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him." To anyone who loves Christ, this should send chills down their spine. How then, they may ask, can the bloody sacrifice of the Passover meal be made to be bread and wine? Even if they do not ask it, lead them to Hebrews 5:5-6. Jesus Christ is a priest forever, the high priest of the new covenant, after the priest Melchizedek – who offered what? Read Genesis 14:18. He was a priest, a prophet, and a king, and he made an offering of bread and wine. By now all of this is may be a lot to take in. Bring them finally to 1 Corinthians 10:16. It is arguably the oldest New Testament text that we have. The passage states that by blessing (consecrating) the Eucharist we are participating in the actual blood of Christ. It is the one sacrifice of Christ, begun at the Passover and finished on Calvary that we participate in today. If this sacrifice that we participate in was merely symbolic, only a 'remembering of a person who lived 2000 years ago', then why, ask them, would have St. Paul needed to warn people not to receive unworthily in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29? We have been able to show them how all of scripture, not just a single passage or even a single word, serves to show how the Eucharist is not only a mere symbol. Catholicism, unlike much of Protestantism examines the 'forest before the trees'. It is important then to share, briefly, how other doctrines are interrelated to the Eucharist. The Catechism states how the Eucharist is the "source and summit" of the faith.[10] All of the other sacraments flow out of the Eucharistic covenant that we have with God today. The catechist can explain how the Eucharist is related to the incarnation because Jesus Christ is both fully human and divine and subsequently related to the Trinity because Jesus is a one person of the Trinity. Even further this is explained in the Creed. At the same time the catechist does not want to be overwhelming in his apologetics as to lose the catechumen and confuse instead of enlighten.

The following is a explanation of another doctrine, "faith alone", and how the Catholic understanding shows the organic unity of the faith and shows Christocentricity. When explaining the faith to others through apologetics the catechist should always seek to have the heart and mind of Christ the teacher and redeemer. The catechist is never out to prove the inquirer wrong, instead to show how the Catholic faith is all that we claim it is as Christians. In this the inquirer, through the working of the Holy Spirit, may find themselves broken before God, and in their brokenness, they will find true joy and eternal life. When an inquirer, if they come with objections, find that the Catholic faith is the fullness of truth, they must let go of their own human understanding, and embrace the understanding that the Spirit of truth has given us through the "pillar and bulwark of truth."[11] Catechists must then be there to support the inquirer and candidate, to continue to show them hope, and lead them to the "love that never ends."

Faith Alone Apologetics

Explain:

Myth – The most common myth among Protestants is that Catholics believed that they are saved by their own works and that Jesus' role was simply to make the Mosaic Law obsolete. It is important to explain, and be exceptionally clear that Catholics don't believe "Faith + works = Salvation". It is a common misunderstanding, one that Protestants are taught by their leaders, so patience is required.

Scripture:

If not "Faith Alone" and not "Faith + Works" then what? "Faith Alone" utterly ignores good works as part of our 'deliverance from sin and renewed relationship with God' – the idea of what salvation is. This can be very complicated because Catholics believe salvation is covenantal (filial), where Protestants believe salvation is more of a legal contract (an exchange of goods or services).

For Catholics:

Salvation is only by the grace of God through the work of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:5,16).
Salvation is a process (Romans 8:24, Phil 2:12, Matthew 10:22)
Initial Salvation begins in Baptism, it is a work of God (John 3:5, Acts 22:16, Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 3:21)
Good works can only be done through the grace of God, in cooperation with God. (Galatians 5:6)
Faith alone is not sufficient for salvation (James 2:24, 1 Cor 13:2, James 2:26)
Salvation is through Christ, but in our free will we chose through our actions to follow Christ (pick up our cross) or reject Christ. (Matt 7:21, Mt 19:6-7, John 14:21)
We must persevere to the end, through our free will choose God, and seek forgiveness for sins (Matt 7:21, Rom 11:22, Romans 1:5, 1 Peter 1:17, Revelation 20:12-13, Colossians 3:24-25, 2 Cor 11:15)

Organic Unity:

Our faith is tied intimately to the idea of a covenant relationship with God in the story of salvation. It is God who saves us through the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary and Jesus then who intercedes for us before the Father. Mary is our greatest example of an obedient faith to Jesus.

[1] Holy Bible, RSV-CE, Matthew 4:18-19.
[2] Pope John Paul II, Catechesi Tradendea (Salem: Harmony Media Inc, 2005) 6.
[3] Catholic Church, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1985) 9.
[4] RCIA, 38.
[5] RCIA, 42.
[6] 1 Peter 3:15
[7] RCIA, 38.
[8] John 16:13
[9] 1 Corinthians 13:13
[10] USCCB, Catechism of the Catholic Church (Washington, DC: USCCB, 1997), 1324.
[11] 1 Timothy 3:15

Essay is copyright by Adam Janke | Adam is a studying theology and catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He also serves as the President of the St. John Bosco Society for Catechetics and serves on the FUS RCIA team.