To the Reverend Clergy, Parish Councils, Catechists, and Faithful of the Holy Metropolis of Atlanta
 
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
It is with great joy that I introduce to you a new catechetical resource of our Holy Metropolis of Atlanta, The Catechism: An Introduction to the Orthodox Faith in Fifteen Lessons. (Please see the links to the resources following the conclusion of this letter.)
 
One of the most sacred responsibilities entrusted to the Church is to welcome those who seek Christ and to prepare those who desire to enter into the fullness of the Orthodox Christian Faith. This sacred work of catechesis is not simply the transmission of information. It is an invitation into a life in Christ: a life of faith, worship, prayer, repentance, participation in the Holy Mysteries, and communion within the Body of Christ.
 
Our parishes carry out this ministry in many different settings and circumstances. Some have established catechetical programs with many participants, while others may prepare only one or two individuals at a time. Yet regardless of the size of the parish or the number of catechumens, those seeking to enter the Church deserve thoughtful, substantive, faithful, and pastorally responsible preparation.
 
For this reason, the Metropolis has undertaken the development of a comprehensive catechetical program that can serve as a common resource for our clergy, catechists, catechumens, and inquirers.
 
The Catechism consists of fifteen lessons that lead participants through the foundations of the Orthodox Christian Faith and life. Although many of our catechumens may have been brought up in Christian homes, their ecclesiology and Christology may differ from our faith. Therefore, we begin the Catechism with the question, “What is Truth?” and the program proceeds through Creation and the Fall, salvation history, the Person and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostolic Church, the Ecumenical Councils, Holy Tradition, the Divine Liturgy, prayer and monasticism, the Theotokos and the Saints, the Holy Mysteries, Orthodox theology in relation to Western Christian thought, the liturgical cycle, and finally the practical questions that arise as one begins to live as an Orthodox Christian.
 
The program has intentionally been designed as more than a syllabus or reading list. It provides detailed lesson plans, material for catechists and catechumens, scriptural and patristic references, opportunities for discussion, suggested readings, anticipated questions, and practical guidance. Its purpose is to give our parishes a substantial and consistent foundation from which catechesis can take place, while recognizing that no written curriculum can replace the pastoral relationship among the priest, catechist, sponsor, catechumen, and parish community.
 
I wish to emphasize that the completion of these fifteen lessons should not, by itself, determine when an individual is ready to be received into the Orthodox Church. Catechesis is not simply the completion of a curriculum, and reception into the Church is not graduation from a class.
 
The catechumenate should ordinarily extend for a minimum period of six months before reception into the Church. Depending upon the individual's circumstances, background, spiritual growth, and participation in the life of the parish, this period may appropriately extend to one year or longer. The purpose of this time is not to create an unnecessary obstacle for those seeking the Faith, but to provide the opportunity for Orthodox Christianity to become something that is lived and experienced, rather than merely studied.
 
In extraordinary circumstances in which a priest believes that reception in fewer than six months may be pastorally necessary, the priest should first communicate with me and receive my blessing before proceeding.
 
During the catechumenate, those preparing to enter the Church should be strongly encouraged to become active participants in the worshipping life of the parish. They should attend not only the Divine Liturgy on Sunday mornings, but, as they are able, experience the broader liturgical life of the Church through Orthros, Vespers, feast-day services, and the other divine services offered by the parish.
 
It is through this participation that what is taught in the classroom begins to be encountered in the prayer of the Church. The Divine Services themselves catechize us. Through the Scriptures, hymns, icons, fasting, feasts, prayers, and rhythm of the ecclesiastical year, the catechumen gradually discovers that Orthodoxy is not merely something one believes; it is a life into which one enters.
 
Our priests and catechists should therefore accompany each catechumen personally and pastorally throughout this process. Individuals will progress differently, and pastoral discernment remains essential. The goal is not simply to complete fifteen lessons within a prescribed number of weeks, but to help prepare a person for a lifetime of communion with Christ in His Holy Church.
 
I also remind our faithful that catechesis is not solely the responsibility of the priest or teacher. The entire parish participates in receiving and forming those who come seeking Christ. Our hospitality, our worship, our example, and the manner in which we live our Orthodox Faith all become part of a catechumen's encounter with the Church.
 
A project of this scope is possible only through collaboration, and I wish to express my sincere gratitude to those who have labored to bring this important work to fruition.
 
I thank Fr. Gregory Edwards for his work in assembling the packet and writing the lesson plans; Fr. Micah Hershy for carefully proofreading the lessons; and Fr. Andreas Houpos for his editorial work. I am likewise grateful to Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou and Fr. Dionysios Lampropoulos, who provided the syllabus, topics, and bibliography upon which this work could be developed, and to Mr. Scott Davenport for his valuable input concerning the practical application of the material.
 
I offer particular thanks to Fr. Christos Mars, who served as Chairman of the committee, under my guidance, coordinating its work and guiding the collaborative effort that has brought this project to completion. To all who contributed their time, scholarship, pastoral experience, and love for the Church to this undertaking, I extend my paternal gratitude.
 
This first edition should also be understood as a resource that can continue to grow and improve through its use in our parishes. I therefore welcome the observations and experiences of our clergy and catechists as they begin using the program. Suggestions, corrections, and recommendations for future revisions should be directed to Fr. Christos Mars, who will continue to coordinate feedback concerning the program on behalf of the committee.
 
Beloved brothers and sisters, it is my prayer that this catechetical program will provide greater consistency and support for this sacred ministry throughout our Holy Metropolis, while preserving the pastoral care and personal accompaniment that are indispensable to bringing someone into the life of the Church.
 
May this resource serve as an instrument through which many may come to know more deeply the One Who declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and may it strengthen all of us in our calling to proclaim faithfully the Gospel entrusted to the Church.
 
Invoking upon our Reverend Clergy, the faithful entrusted to their care, and especially all catechumens and inquirers throughout our Holy and God protected Metropolis of Atlanta the abundant blessings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I remain,
 

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• The Catechism: An Introduction to the Orthodox Faith in Fifteen Lessons
  

• Reference for Lesson Two - Creation, Fall, and the Promise of Redemption
  • Optional background for the teacher: Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou, “Chrysostom and Augustine on the Sin of Adam and Its Consequences” (St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly 39.4, 1995)
    
• Reference for Lesson Thirteen - Western Theology & Patristic Theology:
  • The Attempts of the Reformers to Contact the Eastern Patriarch by Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou

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