"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." ~ Matthew 22:19-20
What Is a Catechism?
A catechism is an instruction in the Christian Faith (according to the respective denomination), to be taught to every Christian, to enable him to please God and save their own soul.
What Is the Meaning of the Word Catechism?
"Catechism" is a Greek word signifying instruction, or oral teaching, and has been used ever since the apostles' times to denote that primary instruction in the faith, which is needed for every Christian.
"That you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught" (Luke 1:4)
"He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25)
What Is taught within Catechism?
First, a knowledge of the true God, and a right faith in Him; second, a life according to faith, and good works.
Faith is necessary because, as the Word of God testifies, "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6).
Life according to faith is inseparable from good works as the Word of God also testifies, "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:17).
What Is Faith? Why Is it Necessary?
According to the definition of St. Paul, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1); that is, a trust in the unseen as though it were seen, in that which is hoped and waited for as if it were present.
Faith is required in the teachings of catechism because the chief object of this instruction is God invisible and incomprehensible, and the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery; consequently, many parts of this learning can not be embraced by sole knowledge but may be received by faith. "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all" (Isaiah 7:9b)
The Composition of the Catechism
A good order for setting forth a catechetical instruction in the Christian faith, take as the basis the saying of the apostle Paul, that the whole energies of a Christian, during this present life, consist in these three: faith hope, and charity. "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three" (1 Corinthians 13:13a).
And so the Christian needs: First, doctrine on faith in God, and on the sacraments which He reveals; secondly, doctrine on hope towards God, and on the means of being grounded in it; thirdly, doctrine on love to God, and all that he commands us to love. We can look to the following instruments to introduce us to these doctrines:
The doctrine of Faith: The Creed
The doctrine of Hope: Our Lord's Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer
The doctrine of Love: The Ten Commandments of the Law of God
What Is a Catechumen?
According to saintandrew.net, "A catechumen is someone who is preparing for baptism in the Church. In modern usage, catechumen can also refer to one who is preparing for chrismation (or another form of reception) to be received from a heterodox Christian communion.
In the ancient Church, the catechumenate, or time during which one is a catechumen, often lasted for as much as three years and included not only participation in the divine services but also catechesis, formal instruction from a teacher, often the bishop or appointed catechist.
Exorcists often performed the catechetical role, as well, following their initial prayers of exorcism over the one being made a catechumen, which is the traditional manner of receiving a catechumen into the community of the Church.
Catechetical instruction in Orthodoxy in America does not typically last the three years which was common in the time of St. John Chrysostom, but typically can last from six months to a year, depending on the practice of the bishop, his jurisdiction, and the level of spiritual maturity of the catechumen. Local parish priests typically oversee the catechesis of those preparing to be received into the Church.
The Orthodox Church has no formal catechism, a single body of work that details the specifics of its faith. This is one difference between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, who does have a specific catechism."
How to become a Catechumen
“The process of becoming an Orthodox Christian can be compared very closely to the process of becoming a married person for it involves the same basic movements of courtship, engagement and marriage. When a person first becomes interested in the Orthodox Church a series of initial interactions take place. Perhaps one visits for a liturgy, researches Orthodoxy on-line, or engages in a conversation with a friend who is Orthodox. If these initial interactions are blessed, a more studied process of inquiry follows which can be compared to the process of courtship. One who launches into this dance with the Church is called by the Church an inquirer or a seeker.” From Starting Down the Royal Path: How to Become an Orthodox Christian By Archpriest Josiah Trenham, Ph.D.
Sources
How to Become Orthodox | Saint Andrew Orthodox Church
St. Philart, Metropolitan of Moscow, Catechism of the Orthodox Church, The St. John of Kronstadt Press, 2009
Article Image is a painting of Jesus teaching the "Sermon on the Mount" from Wikipedia
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