Bishops' Guidelines
Photo from Photos.comThe tools (students' religion texts and teacher manuals) have been fashioned with the following criteria in mind:
1. Authentic: in harmony with Catholic tradition and magisterium or Church authority
2. Complete: gradual, balanced presentation of interrelated parts of the whole doctrine
3. Incarnate and Dynamic: related to experiences of life, "signs of the times," biblical, liturgical, and ecclesial signs
4. Holistic and Progressive: moves toward maturity of faith and lifelong conversion
5. Respectful of Hierarchy of Truths: recognizes some teachings as more central and important than others
6. Respectful of the Learner's Situation: sensitive to the learner's developmental stages and to the circumstances of the local church community
7. Incarnated in Cultures: appreciates the diversity and cultural dimensions of the Catholic faith experience
8. Fosters Unity and Community: provides common experiences and a shared language of faith
9. Fosters Catholic Identity: so that believers will hear, live, and share the Gospel message as Catholics
(Adapted from the U.S. Bishops' Guideline on Doctrine for Catechetical Materials, 1990)
Janaan Manternach is an author and master catechist who lives in Dubuque, Iowa.
