Brookline, MA – The Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has recently released its new catechetical resource catalogue. The instructional material summarized in the 2002 – 2004 Orthodox Catechetical Resource Guide provides families, educators and students of all ages with the means of increasing their knowledge and appreciation of the spiritual values and heritage of the Orthodox Church. The purpose of Orthodox Catechesis is to help build up the Church, the Body of Christ, by nurturing every Christian in the life of personal communion with the Holy Trinity (theosis).
According to the Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos, Director of the Religious Education Department (DRE) for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the new 49-page Catechetical Resource Catalog containing over 600 items is entitled: Learning, Loving and Living our Orthodox Faith. The new catalog is a reflection of the Archdiocese mandate that the Department of Religious Education be responsible for all levels of religious education in the Archdiocese from early childhood through Adult Education.
In addition to Church School Curriculum materials and age-appropriate supplements, the catalog includes books for Adult Education, Vacation Church School Programs, Resources for Catechists and Parents, Children’s Books, Prayer Books, Bibles, Scriptural Resources, Religious Pamphlets, Multimedia CDs, CD-ROMs, Videos, and Audio Cassettes, Orthodox Icons and Gifts, St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival materials, and more. The catalog is easy to use with a clear Table of Contents and an alphabetical Index of all the titles.
The multimedia offerings have been expanded by the addition of several iconographic CDs and interactive CD-ROMs such as the newly released interactive, educational CD-ROM, The Ecumenical Patriarchate, to help Orthodox Christians better understand the historical, theological, and ecclesiological aspects of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The CD-ROM, which was sponsored by the Order of Saint Andrew and unveiled at the recent Clergy-Laity Congress, includes video clips of Patriarch Bartholomew, a comprehensive menu of past Ecumenical Patriarchs which, when activated, will hyperlink to their respective biographies, activities and their theological achievements. In addition to a virtual reality tour of the Patriarchal chapel, a list of the past and present Archons of the Order of Saint Andrew with short biographies is included. Other CD-ROM products developed by the DRE includes: The Royal Road: An instructional journey through the Triodion and, Put on Christ: An interactive examination of Holy Baptism.
The new Catechetical Resource Guide may be viewed on-line at www.religioused.goarch.org or you may obtain a complimentary copy by contacting the Department of Religious Education at 800-566-1088.