Christian Initiation Bibliography
In this and other NDCL bibliographies, materials have been selected primarily with parish ministers (rather than professional scholars) in mind. Most of the resources are in English and were published in North America.
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Print Resources | Video Resources
- Austin, Gerard. Anointing with the Spirit. (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press / A Pueblo Book, 1985). A survey of the historical and liturgical practices linked to confirmation, with a discussion of future possibilities for celebrating this sacrament. AMAZON~~POWELLS
- Baker, J. Robert, Nyberg, Larry J., and Tufano, Victoria M. A Baptism Sourcebook. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1993). A collection of biblical texts, patristic commentaries, Christian literature (ancient and modern), art, and hymns that focus on images of baptism. AMAZON
- Brown, Kathy and Sokol, Frank, eds. Issues in the Christian Initiation of Children: Catechesis and Liturgy. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1991). AMAZON
- Brown, Raymond. A Risen Christ in Easter Time: Essays in the Gospel Narratives of Resurrection. (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1991). A series of essays on the gospel narratives of the resurrection, helpful for preaching during the Easter season when neophytes are present. AMAZON
- _____. A Once and Coming Spirit at Pentecost. (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1994). Essays on the lectionary readings between Easter and Pentecost, from Acts of the Apostles and gospel according to John; a guide for preaching during this season when the neophytes are part of the eucharistic assembly. AMAZON
- Conn, Walter. Christian Conversion. A Developmental Interpretation of Autonomy and Surrender. (New York: Paulist Press, 1986). AMAZON
- _____, ed. Conversion. Perspectives on Personal and Social Transformation. (New York: Alba House, 1978).
- Duggan, Robert, ed. Conversion and the Catechumenate. (New York: Paulist Press, 1984). This series of articles is intended as a resource to be used with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, by broadening our horizons and deepening our understandings of conversion. AMAZON
- Dujarier, Michel. The Rites of Christian Initiation: Historical and Pastoral Reflections. (New York: Sadlier, 1979). Explains the structure of the rites; especially valuable for educators and pastoral ministers new to Christian initiation of adults. AMAZON
- Dunning, James B. Echoing God's Word: Formation for Catechists and Homilists in a Catechumenal Church. (Arlington, VA: The North American Forum on the Catechumenate, 1993). Addresses the need to fashion a faith that meets the dilemmas of discipleship in our time and that leads to sacramental forms of worship. Offers a vision of life giving catechesis. AMAZON
- Fahey, Michael A., ed. Catholic Perspectives on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry. (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1986). A discussion of the ecumenical "Lima Document," Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (1982: Faith and Order Paper #111). AMAZON
- Ferrone, Rita. On the Rite of Election. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994). Emphasizes divine election as the central point of the rite of election; an in-depth reflection upon the rite. AMAZON
- Finn, T. Early Christian Baptism and the Catechumenate: Italy, North Africa and Egypt. (= Message of the Fathers of the Church, Vol. 6; Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press / Michael Glazier, 1992). The author's two volumes (see following entry) improve upon earlier editions of crucial baptismal documents of early Christianity by providing historical context, more critical translations, and bibliographies. AMAZON
- _____. Early Christian Baptism and the Catechumenate: West and East Syria. (= Message of the Fathers of the Church, Vol. 5; Collegeville: The Liturgical Press / Michael Glazier, 1992). See annotation accompanying the previous entry. AMAZON
- Fitzgerald, Timothy. Confirmation: A Parish Celebration. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1983). Examines the rite, with an eye to the liturgical celebration by parish communities. AMAZON
- _____. Infant Baptism A Parish Celebration. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994. "We Catholics thought we had the one definitive meaning of [baptism], but our historical searching and the reform of our rites have shown us the meaning is as potent and ambiguous and as hard to control as the water we use." Reflects on the rite, step by step. AMAZON
- Gillespie, V. Bailey. The Dynamics of Religious Conversion. Identity and Transformation. (Birmingham, AL: Religious Education Press, 1991). AMAZON
- Heller, Christopher. Infant Baptism Basics: A Parish Program. (Washington, D.C.: The Pastoral Press, 1993). Examines past and present approaches to the celebration of infant baptism; presents a parish baptismal program responding to the vision of sacramental and parish life described by Vatican II.
- Huck, Gabe. The Three Days: Parish Prayer in the Paschal Triduum. Revised edition. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1992). Intended for those who prepare the liturgies of the Triduum in parishes; even more basically addressed to those who have leadership roles in the parish. The book includes different approaches to catechesis on the Triduum. AMAZON
- Johnson, Maxwell, ed. Living Water, Sealing Spirit. Readings on Christian Initiation. (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1995). A collection of significant articles about Christian initiation, by many of the preeminent scholars on the subject. AMAZON
- Joncas, Jan Michael. Preaching the Rites of Christian Initiation. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994). Presents a process by which liturgical preaching might be prepared, suggests forms preaching might take during the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults,and lists models of initiation from ancient Christian writers. AMAZON
- Kavanagh, Aidan. The Shape of Baptism: the Rite of Christian Initiation. (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press/Pueblo, 1978). A classic study that looks at traditions in baptism which involve more than texts, more than merely water action. Faith, culture and ritual activity combine to create the richly ambiguous meanings of baptism. AMAZON~~POWELLS
- _____. Confirmation: Origins and Reform. (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press/Pueblo, 1988). Kavanagh proposes the hypothesis that what we now know as "confirmation" may have originated in the the rites of dismissal or "missa." AMAZON
- Kerr, Hugh T., and Mulder, John M. Ramous Conversions. The Christian Experience. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983). AMAZON~~POWELLS
- Kuehn, Regina. A Place for Baptism. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1992). Drawing on scripture, history and contemporary liturgy, Kuehn unfolds the symbolic or sacramental dimensions of the baptismal font. She includes many photographs of classic and modern structures in order to show that both position and style of font are important. AMAZON
- Made Not Born: New Perspectives on Christian Initiation and the Catechumenate. (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1976). Eight chapters, each written by a different scholar, examine the historical development of Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The material is extremely useful, especially to those new to or unfamiliar with this rite. AMAZON
- Marsh, T. Gift of Community: Baptism and Confirmation. (Wilmington, DE: Michael Glazier, 1984). AMAZON
- Mitchell, Nathan. Eucharist as Sacrament of Initiation. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994. This book focuses upon the meaning of the neophyte's participation in the paschal meal in light of the conversion that leads to baptism and the mystagogy that follows it. AMAZON
- Morris, Thomas. The RCIA: Transforming the Church. (New York: Paulist Press, 1989). Contains theory, guidelines, explanatory models and direction for translating the RCIA into pastoral life. AMAZON
- Osborne, Kenan. The Sacraments of Initiation (New York: Paulist Press, 1988). Deals with the ecumenical implications of initiation not merely as baptism, but as baptism-eucharist. Explores the liturgical and theological connections of baptism, eucharist and ministry. AMAZON
- Powell, Karen Hinman. How to Form a Catechumenate Team. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1986). Written for catechumenate directors to offer suggestions, ideas, encouragement and a vision so that the initiation of adults will belong to all the baptized. AMAZON
- Searle, Mark, ed. Christening: The Making of Christians. (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1980). A valuable summary of the history of Christian initiation, together with a consideration of the rites as revised after Vatican II. AMAZON
- __________. The Church Speaks about Sacraments with Children. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1990). Contains excerpts on initiatory practice from many recent church documents, along with the author's commentary. AMAZON
- __________. "Baptism and Confirmation." Vol. 2. Alternative Futures for Worship. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1987. Searle discusses the notion of initiation as read through the experience of infant baptism. He reflects on the sacramentality of the human process of pregnancy, birthing, homecoming, parenting and growth. His discussion assumes that all the sacraments of initiationbaptism, confirmation and eucharisthould be celebrated in the course of a single, unitary liturgy. AMAZON
- Stauffer, S. Anita. On Baptismal Fonts: Ancient and Modern. (Bramcote, Nottingham: Grove Books; and Washington, DC: The Pastoral Press, 1994). Similar in content to the videotape by the same author; see Section "B," below. AMAZON
- Tufano,Victoria, ed. Celebrating the Rites of Adult Initiation. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1992). Nine authors discuss historical, theological and pastoral perspectives on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. AMAZON
- _____. Readings in the Christian Initiation of Children. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994). Presents readings from a variety of authors who deal with the reformed rites for initiating children and the pastoral steps required for implementing these rites. AMAZON
- Turner, Paul. Confirmation: The Baby in Solomon's Court. (New York: Paulist Press, 1993). Explores and critiques seven models of the practice of confirmation, from various Christian denominations. AMAZON
- __________. Sources of Confirmation. From the Fathers Through the Reformers. (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1993). An overview of many significant documents and texts that shaped the practice of confirmation from Hippolytus (in the early third century) to Robert Bellarmine (in the sixteenth century). AMAZON
- Vincie, Catherine. The Role of the Assembly in Christian Initiation. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994). Vincie examines the introductions and ritual texts of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; discusses the way the church in the United States has received the revised order; and asks whether the role of the assembly is taken seriously. AMAZON
- Wallis, Jim. The Call to Conversion. Recovering the Gospel for These Times. (New York: Harper and Row, 1981). The founder of the Sojourner community reflects upon conversion as a public, corporate, and communal reality. AMAZON
- Wilde, James A., ed. Before and After Baptism. The Work of Teachers and Catechists. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1988). Essays showing three separate pastoral models, the earliest catechetical tradition of the Church, how the lectionary and catechesis work together, and parish and home cooperating in the initiation of children. AMAZON
- _____. When Should We Confirm? (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1989). Post-reformation renewal of catechetics, concerning restoration of the baptism-confirmation-eucharist sequence. AMAZON
Video Resources | Print Resources
- New Life: A Parish Celebrates Infant Baptism. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1996). Chronicles one parish's regular celebration of baptism at the Sunday Eucharist.
- This is the Night: A Parish Welcomes New Members. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1991). Filmed during the Fifth Sunday of Lent and the Easter Vigil, this video shows initiation as a serious, ongoing part of parish life.
- Re-examining Baptismal Fonts. By S. Anita Staufer. (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1990). The history and theology of the font; includes many photos and diagrams of historic fonts and baptistries. See also the entry under Staufer's name in "A, Print Resources," above.
- Catechumenate for Children. By Don Neumann. (Allen, TX: Tabor Publishing, 1991). Two tapes that provide an introduction to the revised rites and their theology.
