THE REALIZATION OF THE WORD IN CHURCH CATHECHISM

The issue that is investigated concerns the dynamic realization processes which occur on the basis of the preaching of the Word of God in church catechism. The study is undertaken b y means of a su rvey and evaluation of re levant data from Dutch, German, American and South A frican lite r ­ ature. Following that, with the Bib le as the prim ary source, data with regard to the realization of the B ib le in the concrete life of the congre­ gation are surveyed and collated. From the analysis of re levant B ib lica l data the conclusion is reached that the realization, the making real, of the Word in everyday life and existence follows on the act of preach ing. Th is b rings us to the awareness that catechetical teaching (that is, preaching of the Word) should not stop at the dissemination of knowledge on ly, but the ch ild should be guided to realise the Word in practical terms in everyday life . Lastly, attention is d irected to methods of catechetical teaching, to demands fo r the construction of the lesson and to the person and the actions of the catechist, and how all these combine to serve the ch ild in the process of realization of the Word in his life .

The issue th a t is in vestigated concerns the dynam ic realization processes w hich o ccu r on the basis o f the pre a ch ing of the Word o f God in ch u rch catechism .T he s tu d y is undertaken b y means of a s u rv e y and evaluation of re leva n t data from D u tch , German, Am erican and South A fric a n lit e r a tu re.Follow ing th a t, with the B ib le as th e p rim a ry sou rce, data with regard to th e realization of the B ib le in the concrete life of the co n g re gation are su rveyed and collated.From the analysis o f re leva n t B ib lica l data th e conclusion is reached th a t the re a liza tio n, th e making re a l, of the Word in e v e ry d a y life and existence follow s on the act of p re a ch in g .
T h is b rin g s us to the awareness th a t catechetical teaching (th a t is , p reaching of the Word) should not stop at the dissem ination of knowledge o n ly , b u t the c h ild should be guided to realise the Word in p ra ctica l terms in e v e ryd a y life .L a s tly , attention is d ire cte d to methods of catechetical teaching, to demands fo r the co nstru ction of the lesson and to the person and the actions of the ca te ch ist, and how all these combine to serve the c h ild in the process of realization of the Word in his life .

IN T R O D U C T O R Y REM ARKS
In the action of preaching the Word more than one face of the m in istry of the Word can be distin g u ish e d .F ire t (1974:60-102) d istin g u ish e s three modes of m in istry which are closely related to the fie ld s of Hom iletics, Pastoral Care and Catechetics.
He calls these the th ree modes of the kerygma (1974:60-65), which e ssentially means an announcement of a new state of a ffa irs .He also d istin g u ish e s the mode of the paraclesis (1974:91-102) which especially involves man in the here-and-now s itu ation w ithin the action of consolation, admonition and exh ortation .In K o e r s 53(3) 1 9 8 8 . 5 1 2 -the last place he deals with the mode of the didache, and allocates to that mode the fu n ction of accompaniment along a way w here the sense and meaning o f the new state of a ffa irs (salvational events) are indicated and a p plied .
An objective with th is indication and application is to b rin g catechumens to d iscip le sh ip in the sense of follow ing C h ris t (cf.Matthew 28:19-20) (F ire t, 1974:68-90).
The shared aspect in all actions of m in is try is that man is exposed to the Word of God.It is p re cise ly this statement which b rin g s us to the problem that is dealt with in th is a rticle .

S TA T E M E N T OF TH E ISSUE
In essence the statement of issue can be formulated as follows: What dynam ic process occurs u nd er the guidance of and through the power of the Holy S p irit in the action of exposing others to the Word of God th rou gh the preaching of the Word -in th is case in the action of catechetical tra in in g ?What should the method of in stru c tio n , the s tru c tu re of the lesson and the p ra ctical actions of the catech ist be lik e in o rd e r to be able to serve the realization of the Word in catechism?
Form ulated in p ra ctical and w ider terms: What do m inisters of God, as instrum ents of the Holy S p irit, wish to achieve b y p reaching each Sun day, b y co nd u cting pastoral dialogue, and by co ndu cting catechism -and how do th ey wish to achieve w hatever objective th ey have set fo r themselves?
It is s trik in g that C a lv in seem ingly did not make d ire c t references to the effect of the Word sp e cific a lly w ithin the process of catechetical teaching.
V a n 't V ee r exp lain s th is fact as follows in his useful thesis (1942:316): "F o r the ch urch in stru ctio n in the Holy S c rip tu re s mostly coincided with p reaching on a Sunday and in the week, w hile it was not excluded th a t attention was given to it d u rin g the catechism se rv ice " (tran slatio n of Dutch quotation).From the above it is clear why Calvin did not concern himself prim a rily with the dynamic process of Word re alization in the field of catechism.-515-Within the w ider framework of reflection about the Bible as prim ary source fo r catechism it is accepted that "som ething" happens on the basis of the exposure to the Word in Catechism -w ithout more serious reflection being given to it.
Before we go on to an independent su rve y of the S crip tu ra l data about the process which occu rs follow ing the hearing of the Word, the purpose with the exposure to and in stru ctio n from the Word should f ir s t be in dicated .

4.1
Colossians 1:28 and 29 is most illum inating with a view to the d is co ve ry of the objective of in stru ctio n .
In these verses we have to do with a d ire c t lin k in g of the concepts proclaim , and teaching with wisdom, "so that each in d iv id u al can be brou gh t to s p iritu a l m atu rity in C h ris t" .The aim with the preaching is th e refore a change from im m aturity to s p iritu a l m atu rity.It is s trik in g to note the way in which In recapitulation it can th erefore be stated that the purpose of catechetical in stru ctio n is nothing other than change, growth from im m aturity to m atu rity in fa ith , and n u rtu rin g .Floor (1982:47-50) and Coetzee (1984:234-255).

S U R V E Y OF D
The process which occu rs as a re su lt of the hearing of the Word emerges often in S c rip tu re .
In th is regard special attention w ill be directed to fiv e passages from the New Testament.

The Apostles testify powerfully (verse 33)
Here we once again have a proof of the concrete realization of the Word in the sh arin g of each other's possessions and means.From th is follows the im portant consequence that in the catechetical learning process as preaching one cannot stop at the basic offe rin g and acquisition of know ledge--that knowledge has to be applied and realised in the concrete rea lity of life of the catechumen, and the catechumen has to ju s tify him self openly in terms of how he is going to deal with a sp ecific revelational tru th in the context of his own p ra ctical life.
-521- As a point of dep arture fo r this sub-section it has to be stated that no method as such is the guarantee or can be the guarantee th a t the Holy S p irit w ill realize/m ake real the Word in the lives of people.The Holy S p ir it cannot be bound by a method, but also does not w ork w ithout any method at all.In the same s p irit it has to be stressed that catechism, as a mode of m in istering the Word, is fa r more than a mere clin ica l application of an in stru ctio n a l method or mode.Catech ists may not go up in educational methods, although they might learn a great deal from these in terms of the e ffe ctiv e dissemination of material.
Nel (1985:171-181) points out that in present research men, as it were, reflect completely anew on modes of catechetical teaching.A p a rt from the basic methods, such as dire ct a d dress, d iscu ssio n , s e lf-a c tiv ity , textbook and groupw ork, stress has to be put on ways which w ill promote communication in the in teractive situation (Nel, 1985:176-177).
Van Wyk (1976:32-33) d istingu ish es fo u r modes of approach in catechetical teach in g , v iz .induction, where there is a movement from the known to the unknown; deduction, where one w orks from the general to the p a r tic u la r and then retu rn s to the general; analysis (the material is broken up into su b-se ction s); and synthesis (following explication of the parts, they are put together again into a whole).Van Wyk (1976:33-37) men tions special methods which can be applied in catechetical teaching, in clu d in g the sto ry (= narration), the question and answer method; the d iscu ssio n , in clu din g the learning and the class discussion; the textbook method; project-based in stru ctio n ; d rill and se lf-s tu d y .
The mere oc cu rren ce of a v a rie ty of methods stresses the fact that not only one method of in stru ctio n should be singled out.
In th is regard it is important to note R ich a rd s's fiv e levels of learning (1970:69-73).With these levels there is a movement from mechanical -522-reprod u ction to realization of the material -in th is case, the revelational tru th s of th e B ib le -in the p ra ctic a l, eve ryd a y life of the catechumen.
R icha rds d istin g u ish e s the follow ing: • Learn in g sim ply on the basis of h e arin g , th rou g h mechanical repe titio n w ithou t a concept of meaning.For the realization, the making real, o f the Word in the concrete life of the in d iv id u a l, th is method o ffe rs little o f value.

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Learning at the relational level.T he cru cia l question here is: What does th is sp e cific B ib lica l tru th mean fo r me?T hu s: the Word of God is not fa r away, ephemeral -it has something to say to me.
• Learning at the level of realizatio n.T h is is the highest level of learning and implies that the catechumen should be able to realize that which he had learn t in his concrete, e ve ryd a y life.(The cru cia l question here is: How do you deal with th is B ib lica l tru th when you are s ittin g in a cla ss, when you are p la y in g netball or ru g b y -say how you w ill apply th is .) The realizational level th ere fore begins -m ethodologically speaking -from level three onwards (the connective level) and reaches a climax where the catechumen is able to apply the B ib lica l ( = revelational) tru th in his concrete, e v e ryd a y life.
-523-6.2 Requirem ents fo r the compilation of the lesson which can serv e the realization of the Word.

6.2.1
One may not sim ply stop at B ib lica l facts.Although these are fundam ental, they b rin g the catechumen on ly to the level of knowledge, while the purpose is , a fte r a ll, to realize the Word in the concrete life of e v e ry d ay.T he focus th e re fore has to be directed -in a v e ry simple manner -to facts plus sign ifica n ce .In other w ords, it is a question of revelational h isto ry in which the revelation of God is ce n tra lly placed.

6.2.2
The revelational h isto ry has to be offered w ithin a sp ecific lesson s tru ctu re .
In such a lesson the theme, as the core of the revelation of God, should be p e rtin e n tly underlined .
In a lesson on Genesis 1, fo r example, a form ulation such as Creation of heaven and earth would be unacceptable as theme.In co n trast, a theme such as God creates heaven and earth w ill u nderline the ce n tra lity of the revelation of God.
Together w ith th is one should emphasize the importance of the co rre ct form ulation of lesson objectives (cf.Nel, 1985:178).
With a specific lesson one wishes to attain a sp ecific m in istering objective (a realizatio n).
T herefore the form ulation of the lesson objectives have to answ er to sp e cifica lly th ree cru cia l requirem ents.An objective should be formulated from the view point of the catechumen being in stru cte d , and should be formulated in a way that demands and promotes in sig h t.Subsequently the lesson objective should also in te g ra lly contain the realizational aspect in the sense th a t the catechumen should of himself be able to app ly the revelational tru th in his life and also be able to state how he is going to app ly it.
An example of a lesson objective -fo r the treatment of Exodus 2:1-10which does not comply with the above requirem ents, would be: • A t the end of the lesson the ch ild re n should know that Moses's p a r ents placed him in a basket in the Nile.
In the f ir s t place th is lesson objective has been form ulated from the view point of the catechlst. -524- In the second place he remains stu ck at facts and does not go on to divin e revelation in th is section.
In the th ird place the lesson objective as form ulated here does not p ro mote in sig h t in revelation with a view to realization because the form ulated objective rests on a th a t and not a how o r a w hy.
An example of the form ulation of a lesson objective -in the treatm ent of Exodus 2:1-10 -which would comply with the set requirem ents could be: A t the end of th e lesson.I, as catechumen, should be able to say and to p ra c tic a lly app ly in my life: • How or w h y God protects the leader of his nation.In catechetical teaching aimed at the realization of the Word in the life of the catechumen the ca te ch ist plays a cen tral role.
In him the ch ild is presented with a model of an adult in volved in God's w ork in the ch u rch and who devotes him self to God (c f.Nel, 1985:176).
T h is th ou ght, the idea of the following of a precept set by a master, is not alien to the Bible.C h ris t's d iscip le s were present, with Him, to learn from Him fo r th ree years d u rin g his M in is try -and to emulate Him in his m in is try and teaching.
In regard to the actions of the catech ist in formal catechism, we have g u id in g p rin cip le s in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.The follow ing are pointed out here: R elationships are easier to create when catechumens realise that the teaching and the catech ist are secu re ly located w ithin life its e lf.
"T eache r and learn er share life 's experiences together.Here in life its e lf the Word is tau gh t and talked about" (R ich a rd s, 1975:36).
-526-7.R E C A P IT U L A T IO N

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The Holy S p ir it is ce n tra lly located in the realization of the Word in catechism .For that reason p ra y e r is a p re re q u isite fo r the re aliza tion of the Word in practice.
• An objective with teaching from the Word is change or growth towards m atu rity in fa ith .
A condition fo r th is is that the Word has to be realized in the concrete everyd a y life of the ca tech ist w ithin the congregation, to the outside w orld and in his personal life.

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The realization of the Word in ch u rch catechism implies that there is a movement from knowledge to in sig h t and from there to a fu ll ap p ro p ria tio n , concretization and application of the Word in practical life .With a view to th is there should be a movement in teaching from B ib lica l facts to revelational h isto ry and in th is the revelation of God should be cen tra l.
TH E R EA LIZ A T IO N O F TH E WORD IN C H U R C H CATH EC H IS M C .J .H .V e n te r Department of D iaconiology, PU fo r CHE A B S T R A C T It is to be welcomed that R icha rds w orks from the pe rsp ective of th e Bible as p rim ary source.T he follow ing question which are linke d to his han dlin g of Colossians 1:9-11 can be form ulated: Why does he not p e rs is t in the process in o rd e r also to include perseverance (ve rse 11)?The fact th a t the pericope is dominated by Paul's p ra y e r (Colossians 1:3) fo r the congregation is mentioned b y R ic h a rd s, b u t th e in trin s ic importance of p ra y e r in the process of exposure to the Word is not stressed s u ff i c ie n tly b y him.3 .5South A fric a n lite ra tu re in the fie ld Recent lite ra tu re indicates th a t reflection is being d irected anew in South A fric a -as regards catechism -to cu rric u la tio n (B e u ke s, 1985:154-170), about in stru ctio n a l material and about how the B ib le should be offered as p rim a ry in stru ctio n a l material (V iljoe n , 1985:209-243; Van W yk, 1976:3-5; c f. also Beukes, n .d ., 88-100 and Beukes et a l., 1987:1-5; V e n te r et a l., 1982:i-ii; as well as, fo r newer methods fo r ch urch catechism , Nel, 1985:171-181).
TH E ACT IO N OF TH E PR O CLAM ATIO N OF THE WORD As an absolute point of de pa rture it has to be stated here that the work of the Holy S p ir it is the fin al determ inative action.No catech ist -how eve r capable -can replace o r do the work of the Holy S p irit.In catechism too the S p irit and the Word cannot be separated from each other.We cannot here enter more fu lly into the w o rking s of the Holy S p irit in the action of the proclamation of the Word.O u r attention is d irected f ir s t of all to the dynamic process which follows on in stru ctio n in S c rip tu re d u rin g catechism .For reflection on the w o rkings of S p irit and Word, the reader is re ferred to Floor (1979:120-122); V ersteeg (1976:19ff);

5. 1
The encompassing process of acceptance o r rejection of the Word In Paul' s preaching the prim ary dimension of acceptance or rejection cle a rly emerges.Here one can re fe r to the pericope A cts 13:44-48.What is s trik in g is that certain reactions are juxtaposed on the basis of e .also Acts 14:2 and 2 C o rin thian s 18:5.)Here the pattern of preaching and hearing on the one hand and accept ance or rejection is v e ry cle a rly indicated as a reaction to the Word.5.2The realizatio n, making real, of the Word in the f ir s t congregation is especially s trik in g to note in what a p ractical way the Holy S p irit made real the Word in the f ir s t congregation.On the basis of testimony (preaching) of Peter (verse 40) the Word is accepted, the fa ith fu l baptised and after that the Word w orks w ithin the concrete rea lity of the everyday life of the congregation.We have to do in Acts 2:42 with a ch ia stic constru ction which can be represented as follows: in g to th is co nstru ction perseverance in doctrin e and p ra ye r should go together, but then, with the inevitable realization of the p e r severance in learning and p ra y e r, the concomitant communal life with each o ther, the sh arin g in the joys and g rie f of others, but also the sharing of meals.In A cts 4:33-35 we have something of a continuation of the process in Acts 2:40-44 in the realization of the Word.
In th is pericope it is most s trik in g that it is the Holy S p irit who makes the d iffe ren ce between (mere) words which come to the congregation in the course of the sermon, and words which have power, "th rough the Holy S p ir it and with fu ll conviction " (verse 5).T h is cannot be anybody other than the Holy S p irit which realizes the Word th us (cf.schema) in the life of the congregation.As in Colossians 1:9-11 the pericope 1 Tessalonians 1:2-10 is also dominated b y Paul's p ra y e r fo r the co ng re gation.Realization of the Word cannot take place w ithout p rio r and ac companying p ra y e r. ecapitulation follow ing the s u rv e y of S c rip tu ra l data The process which occu rs in the realization of the Word can only take place under the guidance of the Holy S p ir it and with p rio r and accom panying p ra ye r.The re su lt of p re a ch in g /in stru c tio n is that the Word is realized in the concrete life of the congregation, w hether in concrete m anifestations of love and communion with each o ther, o r as examples fo r each oth e r in the se rv ice of God and in the expectation of the advent of C h ris t, o r in the rejection of sin , or in the growth of fa ith .
6 .TH E Q U EST FOR IN S TR U C TIO N A L MODES WHICH CAN SER VE THE R EA LIZ A T IO N OF THE WORD THROUGH TH E HOLY SPIRIT 6.1 The method

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And be able to mention examples from my own life of God's protection and care.Not only th rou gh the co rre ct form ulation of lesson objectives b u t also in the evaluation at the end of the lesson the realization aspects have to emerge and be tested.Evaluation of a lesson presentation , a fte r all, implies the question as to how, as ca te ch ist, I reached the c h ild re n , not only fo r the attainm ent of the set lesson ob jectives, but also in the accompaniment of the ch ild re n in th e ir application of the acqu ired revelational tru th in th e ir p ra ctical e v e ryd a y lives.6.3 T he actions of the ca te ch ist and the realization of the Word In Education and in Psychology the acceptance and follow ing of an e x ample set b y the teacher is called id e n tifica tion of the pu pil with the teacher (cf.about th is issue Van d e r Lans, 1987:24ff; B e rg e r, 1987:16-23).

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In the process of realization of the Word e ffe ctive methods of catechetical teaching and a logical lesson s tru c tu re in which theme, lesson objectives and evaluation are cen tral components can serve the realization of the Word.The catech ist in whose personal life the Word has been realized, who shows that the Word has been fixe d in his own h eart and in his actions, and who stands in a liv in g dynamic re latio n ship with his catechumens and o ffe rs them teaching located in the re a lity of th e ir lives can serve the realization of the Word th rou gh the Holy S p irit in th e ir live s.lic h e r Ju g e n d arb e it.Theologia P ractica , 12(1): 179-193.B E R G ER , W .J. 1987.Kansen en gevaren binnen die le ra a r-le e rlin g relatie.P ra k tisch e theologie, 14(1): 16-23.BE U KES , M .J. du P. n .d .Kategese en eksistensieteologie.Hervormde Teologiese S tu d ies, 35(1-2):88-100.B E U KES , M .J. du P. 1985.Die toepasbaarheid van R .A .K ru g e r se 'Beginsels en k rite ria v ir Kurriku lum o n tw erp' v ir die kategese. .-K e rk b o e k h a n d e l. pp.154-170.)