Praxis operates in effect as
an education and formation arm of the Liturgical Commission.
This pack comprises 29 OHP-masters with commentary, 7 handout sheets
(=aggregated copies of the OHP slides), 6 pages of small group materials and a
7-page introduction (all for £10).
The pack aims not to introduce the new services so much as to train
those who “have to understand them themselves and may also play a key part
in helping others to understand them.”
As it wisely comments: “Initiation is a subject guaranteed to produce
controversy and strong feelings within the Church of England.”
So how can you write a comprehensive pack? “This pack does not attempt to engage at any depth with
these issues. ...
The debate will no doubt continue in other contexts!”
You bet!
The presentation of the pack is in the style of Microsoft’s Power
Point - each OHP master (copyable, or you can buy slides) is accompanied by a
text with notes of points to make and issues to raise.
As such, I feel it succeeds quite well at displaying content and
leaving the speaker or group to bring out the issues.
I was encouraged by the “heart” of the package (slides 13f), which
sets out that Baptism fits in the middle of the larger picture of Christian
discovery and growth (not at the beginning) and that confirmation of those “indiscriminately”
baptised is not about completion but rather about recalling the promises.
I thought the slide on proxies (23) made a good stab at a bad job, and
the one on “confirmation et al” (26) was a clear route through a confusing
maze. There is useful
good-quality input here.
But I wonder about some other aspects.
For instance, in slide 11 the ASB is “a bit thin” for those coming
to faith as adults - so it needs beefing up.
And it’s “unwelcoming” for familes who don’t attend - so it
needs watering down (by hiding the costs until later)?
And confirmation is not initiation after all.
Maybe this slide is a joke? Likewise
the first group study aims to see faith as “a journey that ... begins at
baptism ...” contrary to the OHP. I
didn’t warm to the small group materials.
Nary a mention of Thanksgiving, of course!
Some
useful parts, but don’t just parrot the notes if you use it.
