This week’s question had to do with whether or not Sunday school, which is a staple of protestant worship, could be successful if implemented in Catholic Churches. We had some pretty strong opinions this time around! Many of you said it would be a great idea, but weren’t sure how it could be implemented. Here’s a sampling of what you sent us via email and posted on the forums:
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“What I’ve taken part in and seen work is adult faith formation at a parish: this consists of a base course, that lasts a semester (call it Alpha, or Jesus is Lord, or Intro) and gives the basic kerygma. Then ‘elective’ courses are also taught on a topic, everything from Bible Timeline, financial university, apologetics, theology of the body, etc.
Secondly, I think it would help slow the attrition over to the Protestant side. I have seen many Catholics hungry to study the Scriptures go to Protestant Bible studies and end up being talked into leaving the Catholic Church by Biblically knowledgeable Protestant study members. It happens all the time. Even if the study leaders and members aren’t anti-Catholic, they still teach the Protestant understandings of the Scriptures, which ends up contradicting Church teachings.”
Howard Hampson, CHN Community Forum Moderator
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What are your thoughts? Have you seen adult faith formation work well at the parish level, or had experience of protestant Sunday school administrative methods that you think might be translatable into a Catholic environment? Share in the comments below!
