Ship of Fools: Confirmation Course (Church of England)

Thread: Confirmation Course (Church of England) Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by TonyK (# 35) on :

The Rector and I were talking the other day about our need (apparently urgent) for new material for confirmation courses - both for adults and young people.

A quick google reveals several possibilities but a marked lack of information and/or reviews.

Are any UK shipmates (or others, of course!) willing to share their experiences?

I should add that we are pretty much a 'middle-of-the-road' parish, with slight leanings to the higher end of the candle.

Posted by leo (# 1458) on :

We've successfully used This Is Our Faith: A Popular Presentation of Church Teaching by Jeffrey John with young adults.

Posted by Raptor Eye (# 16649) on :

Faith Confirmed suited both youngsters and adults in confirmation classes at a motr church I am familiar with.

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

The priest and SS people at our shack have tried various confirmation courses for children and found them all wanting, so we've devised our own, based on a wonderful little book produced for the Woodard Schools in the mid 20th century called To be a pilgrim. We also suggest that for children confirmands the parents should attend a couple of special sessions so they are up-to-speed with what their child is being taught, etc.

Posted by TonyK (# 35) on :

Thanks guys - 'Faith Confirmed' was one of the possibilities I'd found, so that's useful.

'This is our faith...' seems to be long out of print (according to Amazon) which is a pity as I might have looked seriously at something written by Jeffery John.

Anything from anyone else?

Posted by ExclamationMark (# 14715) on :

quote:
Originally posted by leo:
We've successfully used This Is Our Faith: A Popular Presentation of Church Teaching by Jeffrey John with young adults.

It may be "popular" but is it "true?"

Posted by Spike (# 36) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ExclamationMark:

quote:
Originally posted by leo:
We've successfully used This Is Our Faith: A Popular Presentation of Church Teaching by Jeffrey John with young adults.
It may be "popular" but is it "true?"

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :

donning Hostly biretta

Exclamation Mark ... an innuendo-laden comment or rhetorical question is not conducive to happy explorations of the finer points of gin or anything else ecclesiantical ... amazingly Spike has merely hinted that this is sub par.

Expand into a constructive question or I will bring out my flaming handbag ...

doffing Hostly biretta

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

We were used This is our Faith too, but from Church House Publishing, but it looks to be out of print there too. We gave it to adults and young people getting baptised too.

I'm out of touch for what is being used too.

Posted by Rosa Gallica officinalis (# 3886) on :

I've recently read Great is the Mystery of Faith by Paul Ferguson, and think it would not be difficult to adapt for confirmation prep. It might draw interest from a wider group of participants than just those preparing for confirmation, which is always good.
The pilgrim course was initially promoted for confirmation prep- but it looks to me as if you'd need to adapt bits from half a dozen books.

Posted by ExclamationMark (# 14715) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Zappa:
donning Hostly biretta

Exclamation Mark ... an innuendo-laden comment or rhetorical question is not conducive to happy explorations of the finer points of gin or anything else ecclesiantical ... amazingly Spike has merely hinted that this is sub par.

Expand into a constructive question or I will bring out my flaming handbag ...

doffing Hostly biretta

Apologies. Please delete the offending quote

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :

May I ask why this thread is seen as Ecclesiantical?

It seems to me that asking what is a good confirmation course is muck akin to asking what is a good introductory course to Christianity and the discussions of Alpha and such are definitely Purgatorial.

If you wish to argue it comes down to the rite of confirmation may I in turn reply that as a rite of passage into a worshipping community that the Holy Spirit weekend with its baptising in the Holy Spirit would function as a similar rite from the anthropological perspective at least in Pentecostal settings. Equally the evangelical "conversion" experience can be understood as such a rite.

As this is totally about the course preparing for initiation and not about the practice ceremony of initiation itself, it would seem to me to belong to Purgatory.

Jengie

Posted by leo (# 1458) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ExclamationMark:

quote:
Originally posted by leo:
We've successfully used This Is Our Faith: A Popular Presentation of Church Teaching by Jeffrey John with young adults.
It may be "popular" but is it "true?"

'Popular' because it was in magazine format with lots of photos.

'True' - well jeffrey is very orthodox.

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Jengie jon:
If you wish to argue it comes down to the rite of confirmation may I in turn reply that as a rite of passage into a worshipping community that the Holy Spirit weekend with its baptising in the Holy Spirit would function as a similar rite from the anthropological perspective at least in Pentecostal settings. Equally the evangelical "conversion" experience can be understood as such a rite.

Not sure about the Evangelical conversion unless the community requires a public testimony; but Believers' Baptism (and the preparation thereof) certainly fit the bill too).

[ 11. November 2015, 16:59: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ExclamationMark:
Apologies. Please delete the offending quote

Hosting
Absolutely accepted. Grace prevails. Carry on.
/Hosting

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Jengie jon:
May I ask why this thread is seen as Ecclesiantical?

It seems to me that asking what is a good confirmation course is muck akin to asking what is a good introductory course to Christianity and the discussions of Alpha and such are definitely Purgatorial.

If you wish to argue it comes down to the rite of confirmation may I in turn reply that as a rite of passage into a worshipping community that the Holy Spirit weekend with its baptising in the Holy Spirit would function as a similar rite from the anthropological perspective at least in Pentecostal settings. Equally the evangelical "conversion" experience can be understood as such a rite.

As this is totally about the course preparing for initiation and not about the practice ceremony of initiation itself, it would seem to me to belong to Purgatory.

Jengie

Hosting somewhat more frequently than normal

This stuff belongs in the Styx ... best take it there if you really want an answer

/Hosting

Posted by Morgan (# 15372) on :

We have successfully used Making Disciples It is quite a few years old and looking a bit formal and old-fashioned but is ecumenical and well suited to modification to suit your own requirements, whether of content or age groups.

Its greatest strength is the structure which involves pairing each person preparing for confirmation with a mentor for 3 months. They explore a different topic each week with opportunities for shared experiences, praying together and for one another, creative responses etc. All this is within the context of your church leadership guidance and oversight. There is no need to cover everything but there is enough there to make choices and to make additions in response to local requirements.

One welcome by-roduct we found was the great relationships built with the mature Christian mentors in our congregation.

Posted by Amos (# 44) on :

quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
The priest and SS people at our shack have tried various confirmation courses for children and found them all wanting, so we've devised our own, based on a wonderful little book produced for the Woodard Schools in the mid 20th century called To be a pilgrim. We also suggest that for children confirmands the parents should attend a couple of special sessions so they are up-to-speed with what their child is being taught, etc.

Thanks to your post, I just got a copy of 'To Be A Pilgrim' and am enjoying it. It's a really well-produced little book--very pleasing.

Posted by TonyK (# 35) on :

Just to say thanks to all - have now got a copy of Faith Confirmed, which looks pretty good to me.

We'll see what the Rector has to say about it...

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