Bishop says many high school catechetical textbooks have deficiencies

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Bishop says many high school catechetical textbooks have deficiencies

-Quite an understatement...

-partial quote:

"Among his examples of deficiencies, the archbishop said that the Catholic Church is described in some texts as "one church among many churches. Our young people are not learning what it means to say that sole church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church."

Doctrinal matter was introduced to students with "tentative language," he added, giving the impression that Catholic doctrine is one position among others "rather than a matter of truth."

Sacramental matters, according to Archbishop Hughes, were "seriously flawed" in the texts, leading students to think that the sacraments were developed "over an extended period of time with the implication they can still be changed" and that sacraments celebrate "moments in life" and not that they are an encounter with Christ.

Some texts suggest, he said, that "it is the community who baptizes, or confects the Eucharist." Further, Catholic teaching on women's ordination in the texts is "ambiguous or even misleading," the archbishop charged, while the sacrament of marriage is referred to in terms of "partners" rather than to "man and woman or husband and wife."

On sexual teaching, "there seems to be reluctance to name premarital or extramarital intercourse as sinful," Archbishop Hughes said, with morality presented as "a matter of options and personal choice," while the "relationship between the moral life in this world and in the life to come is often not treated."

In teaching about the nature of God, some books try to "avoid masculine titles" so that God the father is referred to only as "God," while some texts "speak of Jesus without noting his sonship or divinity," Archbishop Hughes said, adding that "the third person of the Trinity" is often referred to as "the Spirit of God, or God's Spirit."

Scriptures, the archbishop said, are defined as, "to a large degree, merely human texts," while the religion books try to make miracles seem ordinary, with some of "the miracles of Jesus explained as a result of lucky timing," he added, eliciting chuckles from some of the bishops.

Bishop William K. Weigand of Sacramento, Calif., and Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan of Santa Fe, N.M., asked whether it might be time for the bishops to consider publishing a high school catechetical text of their own.

"If we can't rely on Catholic publishers to provide sound texts for our children, then it's very serious," Archbishop Sheehan said."

--blame the publishers or those 'relying' on them?

-- Daniel Hawkenberry (dlm@catholic.org), November 11, 2003

Answers

Jmj

There may not yet be any reliable English-language series for secondary school kids, but there are at least two reliable series for elementary school kids: Here is one ...
and here is another.

Perhaps the editors of these series are busy working on a series for high school students. I'll bet that they are capable of creating one, especially if encouraged by the bishops to do so. If there is already a reliable series published in another language, it should be translated into English without delay.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 12, 2003.


The Catholic Church is a HUGE organization, they should be able to come up with adequate texts on their own, without going to outside businesses (and yes, I mean like those which print the missalettes).

"Archbishop Hughes said, adding that "the third person of the Trinity" is often referred to as "the Spirit of God, or God's Spirit.""

WHAT! You mean I shouldn't be singing, "Spirt of God in the clear running water, blowing to greatness the trees on the hill...etc."? But I like that song!

"while the sacrament of marriage is referred to in terms of "partners" rather than to "man and woman or husband and wife." "

Is this saying "partners" to imply that these books are in some way condoning same- sex unions, or "partner" as in promoting "equal say in the marriage" is the issue?

If it is the first, I agree with you that it is wrong.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), November 12, 2003.


Here's another new Catholic School Textbook effort.

AMDG,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), November 13, 2003.


It looks good, Mateo. However, the subject matter in question on this thread is catechetical textbooks for high school students (grades 9 through 12).
I believe that the project you linked is for history/social-studies textbooks for grades 1 through 9.
JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 14, 2003.

The Midwest Theological Forum ( mwtf.org )has published the first two of what will be a four book series suitable for High school and beyond. The First book is called "Introduction to Catholicism" is a very good overview of the Catholic Faith. Beginning with the nature of God and man it progresses through to the Church, the Sacraments, Morality the Commandments and the Beatitudes. The presentation parallels the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and is very solidly in conformance with the Magisterium.

The second book, in print now, is Our "Moral life in Christ". It is a also in conformance to the teaching of the Church and is very solid.

The last two of the series are due in 2004, “The History of the Church”, and “Understanding the Scriptures”.

-- Ted Rosdil (trosdil@hotmail.com), November 23, 2003.



Thanks for the good news, Ted. You (or the MTF) should contact the USCCB about this ASAP -- so that they don't undertake any unnecessary work.
JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@Hotmail.com), November 24, 2003.

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