Adult Faith Formation or Adult Religious Education?

In an April update for "Connection to Education," adult faith formation director Julianne Donlon addresses a common question: is our mission to adults that of faith formation or religious education? Here's her opinion:

“In fact, every aspect of and event in parish life can be intentionally fashioned as an occasion for adult faith formation. For example, every parish meeting can begin with a reading of the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, followed by a time of reflection and sharing.” (Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, par. 112)

The term "adult faith formation" itself may seem new to many of us. It has become more common than the more familiar "adult religious education" or “adult catechesis”. I am often asked to clarify the difference between these terms so here goes! Adult religious education may bring to mind images of instruction, lectures,classrooms and catechisms. And while adult faith formation clearly includes instruction it also provides many other types of opportunities for people to grow and mature in faith.

Adult faith formation is far more common than most people even realize. It is often woven organically through the mission of parish life, social justice programs, catechesis, outreach work etc. Adult faith formation clearly happens in a variety of contexts. While the church has offered more formal instruction for its young members for millennia, most adult formation opportunities happened informally and sporadically within normal family and parish activities. While all parish centered events have the potential to be faith-formative many adults often engage in these events without bringing into focus their own faith or the relationship between their faith and life.

The goal of adult catechesis goes beyond providing programs and opportunities for adults to learn about their faith. It points to a process whereby the adult who has been evangelized becomes the evangelizer. Through adult catechesis our communities are transformed into evangelizing communities of lifelong discipleship. The church is concerned about adult faith formation today because it recognizes that unless it intentionally offers opportunities to help adults understand what Catholics believe and shows them how Catholics act, other voices and forces within the culture will influence them to believe and act outside the faith.

Pope John Paul II stated that an active Catholic is an informed Catholic. We cannot love what we do not know. As adults we need to seek out opportunities to have serious discussions guided by faith, to pray together and to be public witnesses to our Catholic faith. The process of transformation is essential to the ongoing process of more fully living out the Gospel vision as individuals and as faith communities. Every parish event is an opportunity for the adult to become the living message of Jesus!

Adult Faith Formation calls for a spirit of generosity, of curiosity, of imagination, and of commitment. All are welcome and encouraged to participate in the multitude of ways we deepen our faith as Christians: through full participation in worship, in mission and outreach work, in teaching, leading, praying, and giving and in joining classes that call out to us and to our interests.