Pindiyan, Sajan
The catechetical programme of the Syro-Malabar Church
- 2010.
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In spite of its long history and important catechetical tradition, it is only now that the Syro-Malabar Church has developed its own set of texts in this area: a directory entitled Call and Response, published in 2003, and a 12-volume textbook, Rakshayude pathayil in Malayalam, published in English in 2004-2009 under the title On the path of salvation. This article presents the Church’s catechetical programme as envisaged in the directory and implemented by the textbook, with particular reference to Kerala, where that Church was founded and where it continues to be active alongside the Latin and Syro-Malankara churches. This article offers a historical overview of the Syro-Malabar Church and its catechetical heritage, before addressing the main ideas contained in that Church’s catechetical directory and briefly presenting the textbook series that was produced in accordance with the guidelines of the directory. To close, a few observations and critical remarks.