The Shack (movie) in a RCIA meeting

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I’m going through RCIA and last night the meeting was about watching this awful movie.

And we were told this movie is a summary of the RCIA. This movie is completely heretical by Catholicism (and mainstream Christianity).

A lot of people already gave up from my RCIA class and certainly more will do the same after this absurd.

Thanks God that I learned Catholicism outside RCIA.
 
I haven’t seen the movie, so I can only comment on it from what I read on Wikipedia and from this (seemingly fair) review: http://m.ncregister.com/daily-news/sdg-reviews-the-shack#.WcEWmXMpDqA

If you want me to try to see the positive here (I’m feeling quite positive and mushy right now, not at all like my usual cynical self), RCIA isn’t a rigorous course in doctrine and philosophy, and you won’t have a test on the Athanasian Creed at the end. Of course, you should still be learning the basic doctrines and not being taught error, but for most people, the program may be about developing a personal relationship with Christ/God. It’s may focus really on that personal encounter between the divine and man, that God is always with us in our suffering, and that God will, in some ways, meet us where we are and help turn us around. For all the movie’s issues, perhaps that is what your RCIA program is trying to capture. I’m inclined towards more systematic, technical, and academic knowledge, but that doesn’t speak to everyone.

As it’s September, I’ll assume your RCIA program has just begun. Here’s hoping to more theologically accurate catechesis on God and the Church going forward. If you still feel there are flaws, well, try to be open to the good that’s being delivered. If God understands that our attempts will be imperfect in charity but can draw out the good in us anyway, best we try to do the same for others.
 
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really sorry they forced that on you. Easter will be here before you know it.
 
Jomann said:
I’m going through RCIA and last night the meeting was about watching this awful movie.

And we were told this movie is a summary of the RCIA. This movie is completely heretical by Catholicism (and mainstream Christianity).

A lot of people already gave up from my RCIA class and certainly more will do the same after this absurd.

Thanks God that I learned Catholicism outside RCIA.
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That sounds terrible. Why would that movie be in an RCIA class? I read the book, but did not see the movie. Actually, I did not finish the book because I saw it seemed to not align with my faith.
 
What is there to say about this? RCIA quality varies from parish to parish and, while it’s a shame many have to suffer through awful sessions, many others are taught well.
 
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Yeah, sorry about this. The sentimentality of someone who heads up RCIA took over. It’s usually run by parishioners who volunteer which results in inconsistent emphasis. There are volunteers who are knowledgeable and orthodox and others who know just enough to get into trouble and use stuff like that film for filler, and a variety of experiences in between. The person in charge of RCIA at my parish is obsessed with Theology of the Body and teaches RCIA with that foundation so it sounds like they bring up sex all the time; at least that is what people who have gone through the program have said.
 
I haven’t seen the movie, but I liked the book.

Anyway, the book/movie can’t be heretical - it’s a fiction novel/movie. Furthermore, it wasn’t even written by a Catholic.

You should ask the RCIA director what was the point of having you all watch the movie. Anyway, I think the book would be a nice intro for someone going into Christianity in general. As for your RCIA director’s reasoning…I would just ask.
 
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The Director of Religious Ed is (supposed to be) over the RCIA Director (if not the same person).
I would ask them why this was presented and how exactly it fits into Catholic catechesis.

If nothing else, it won’t happen again.
Just my 2 cents 💬
 
At our parish RCIA is done by lay volunteers. Me. And inconsistency has been a huge issue. Three years ago I started investigating ways to make it better. I found after much searching the Symbolon program from the Augustine Institute. It really works well for parishes in our situation. We augment it by adding a few homework ideas. And we make sure they study the Mass readings for the upcoming Sunday. This system makes it much easier for lay teachers, and much more consistent for the catechumens and candidates.
 
Sorry your RCIA class was so bad.

I am not saying The Shack is bad, but it’s not for teaching Catholicism to newcomers to the faith.

I suggest you try another RCIA program at a different parish, or maybe your parish will do it better the next time around. Don’t give up!
 
RandomAlias said:
I am not saying The Shack is bad, but it’s not for teaching Catholicism to newcomers to the faith.
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Yes, this. I, as an established Catholic, might want to watch such a movie. If it annoyed me, i’d turn it off. But when my dad went through the required courses (taught decades ago by a priest) to become a Catholic, he would not have had much patience with being asked to sit through a fictional movie of this type and think about developing a personal relationship with God. He basically wanted the catechism knowledge he needed in order to join, and no folderol. It would be like going to a bar exam review course and instead having to watch a 2-hour fictional movie about lawyers, "The Verdict’ or something. Hope you don’t let this kind of fluffy stuff turn you off the Church.
 
I concur. This program (Symbolon) is good and works for RCIA when you don’t have a lot of trained volunteers.
 
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I didn’t care for the book for the most part Never bothered with the movie. Cannot imagine why this would be considered RCIA material
 
You bring up a good point. There can be a good program in place and that can be augmented with good resources or undermined by silliness.
 
Of course fiction can be heretical - heresy IS necessarily “not true”, hence fictional.
 
I have been a Catholic my entire life. Two years ago I attended an RCIA class to investigate why people want to convert and to see what was actually taught. I was appalled. I began to investigate RCIA in general. Unless the diocese imposes order, each parish is on its own. Most have a “team,” and of course that in itself means there will inevitably be a lot of variation in approach, content, and ability to teach.

The diocese of Nebraska (as you might expect!) has a standardized program in its own diocese. All the materials are available online. I would recommend it.

As for the original poster, why not go to your parish priest, express your concerns, and ask if you can skip RCIA and just deal with him–like converts did in the old days.
 
I have a good theological knowledge. I was baptized in the Lutheran church. But I want to follow the normal path (RCIA) just like anyone else. It’s a good way to know people from the parish too.

I don’t want to protest about this heretical incident because the Catholic Church survived 2000 years without me. I know they will find a way to the true teaching and solve these problems.
 
You’re an optimist! Good luck with that. You could always do what I did: write down all the questionable stuff and come home and look it up. That way you’re at least making a record of the issues, and when you look it up you’re probably learning something–even if it’s just where to look it up.

And yes, there’s a fine line between just letting things be and causing problems. It depends on your personality and ability to absorb abuse.
 
See my above post. The program we are using, Symbolon, takes the personal biases of our catechist completely out of the picture. The first half of the course is essentially, “what we believe.” The second half is “how do we live these beliefs as Catholics.” It is very orderly and is put together in a way that makes sense to newcomers without talking down to them.
 
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