Nearly every Sunday, as confirmands are presented, I ask the rector, \u201cHave they been adequately
prepared?\u201d Now, I’ve been a parish priest. I’ve worked with people. I know just how fraught with
opportunities to fall short the goal of things like confirmation classes can be. \u201cAdequately
prepared\u201d is something of a moving target. But the Prayer Book presses on. \u201cDearly beloved,\u201d I’m
required to say, \u201cit’s essential that those who wish to be confirmed or received in this church
publicly confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior, become his disciples, know and affirm the
Nicene Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments, and have received instruction in
the Holy scriptures of the Old and New Testaments in the catechism of the church.\u201d
I always imagine the clergy saying, \u201cWell, I mean, yeah, they finished our eight-week new
members class.\u201d But my deep concern is that we live in an increasingly complicated world where
living out the Christian faith has become a challenge and is often also challenged by those around
us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My question is, are we preparing people to bear witness to the faith when it, the faith, and its
moral vision are constantly challenged? Can we say that the people in our churches are being
given the tools necessary to give an answer for the hope that they have?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the youngest age to our oldest members, we must be in the business of teaching the Creed,
the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Holy scriptures, and the Catechism of the Church.
That we might be prepared to resist our great adversary who is always on the prowl seeking whom
he may devour. I’ll add briefly here that our ACNA catechism, To Be a Christian, is an excellent
resource. If you haven’t already, I urge you to look into it, and especially into the cottage industry
that’s grown up around it, about how to use it for instruction for all ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a wealth of material available to teach our great Catholicism. <\/b>My first passion, which
births vision, is a serious commitment to Christian education.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p> #SouthCarolina<\/a> #Anglican<\/a> Bishop Chip Edgar's Diocesan Convention address https:\/\/t.co\/UHSdYyTXnn<\/a> #parishministry<\/a> #lowcountrylife<\/a> #faith<\/a> #charlestonsc<\/a> #religion<\/a> #anglicannews<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/zwZ6dhFztU<\/a><\/p>— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) March 19, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>