Christian initiation is a journey marked with the teachings, rituals, actions and songs of faith—a Hallelujah highway, one might say. The history of how the Church has initiated adults and children over the centuries is itself a journey from a vibrant process adapted in many ways according to local need, through a period of dormancy, and back to a vibrancy just beginning to be understood and appreciated. In this exciting book Paul Turner relates the history of the catechumenate through the stories of people and documents that played a significant role in developing the rites and recording its development from the earliest days of the Church to the present. Quotations from the documents, maps and photos of significant places and artifacts enrich and enliven the story. A comprehensive index and a helpful bibliography make this book immensely useful for pastoral ministers, Christian initiation teams, adult education classes, students, scholars and Church historians.

Paperback, 8 1/2 x 11, 206 pages.

AWARDS:

Catholic Press Association 2001 Book Award winner, third place, in liturgy