review all is books, most available from 23rd pulications, who also publishes a popular magazine, Religion Teachers Journal. He, with Thomas Groome and others, is one of those responsible for the trend in catechetical materials and methods that has dominated the church in the last 20-30 years. (warning, this may be more than you need or want to know)
That trend is the move away from systematic catechesis beginning with the doctrine as defined by the Church, the scriptural basis for the doctrine, and the application of the doctrine to the Christian Life.
Their method is often called the experiential approach. That is, they begin with the candidate’s or students personal experience, then “explore” the relevant scripture but on a personal level which encourages the candidate to make his own personal interpretation and application, and then from that constructs a doctrinal statement, or compares the results to established doctrine.
The dangers of that method that have been demonstrated over the years include, but are not limited to:
Encouraging the candidate to rely on personal experience, opinion and judgement as the foundation for defining what is true, relevant and useful, in doctrine and moral teaching as well as other areas. By extension, this philosophy is applied to moral judgements rendering them entirely subjective, leading to moral relativism and a re-definition of the role of conscience.
Personal interpretation of scripture in a subjective, selective reading being preferred to reading scripture in the mind of the Church. This leads to the current state of affairs where priests, catechists, teachers present doctrine through the lens of “their personal experience” which often means, in alignment with a social or political agenda.
A lack of systematic presentation of Church teaching and doctrine, its development and application. We already know we have at least one, probably two generations of essentially uncatechized Catholic adults who emerged from Catholic schools and RE programs in this time period due to this method of instruction or “formation”.
We have ample evidence in the discussions of how RCIA is implemented in many or most parishes of the damage this method has done and is doing.
These writers and their colleagues have almost totally dominated the writing and publication of religion textbooks, training programs for catechists, parish evangelization and renewal programs, RCIA programs and the like for 30 years and as someone who has participated in this ministry during that time period, I can tell you the damage done is beyond calculation.
Specifically relating to the author in question, he is one of several promoting inter-generational or “whole parish catechesis”, in fact he may be the inventor of the term. The concept is laudable as far as it goes, but IMO the methods he proposes and the sources he recommends and provides continue the cycle of misinformation, watered-down doctrine, and rejection of magesterial authority in favor of personal experience as the guide for the Catholic in belief and practice of the faith.
Is anyone familiar with this author? Our DRE is using his book in a class on theology at our parish. It seems anti-Catholic & definitely not in line with the teachings of our Church. I am meeting with our pastor and want to discuss this with him. Any suggestions?