Entering the Kingdom: The Catechetical School of Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church, Brisbane
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Entering the Kingdom is a series that will teach you about all the fundamental teachings of the Orthodox Church – including the Nicene Creed, who is God, what humans are and how we are saved, how we are to live, the Sacraments of the Church that Christ founded, and how we are to get closer to our loving God.
We’ll be addressing important issues for Orthodox Christian life and faith, in a way that everyone will understand and be able to apply it to their own life.
It is expected that those who wish to enter the Orthodox Church will complete this course - including watching the talks, attending the Q&A sessions (on Zoom), and completing the revision tasks.
Completing this course is a prerequisite for baptism at Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church; however, finishing the course does not guarantee immediate baptism. (If you attend another Orthodox church and aspire to be baptised, kindly consult with your Parish Priest to discuss their expectations and requirements for baptism.)
It is both open and highly recommended for all who wish to learn more about Orthodox Christianity - whether you've just heard about this ancient faith, or you are Orthodox and want to know and understand your faith more.
All talks are in English, and are designed for those aged 16 and up. The Q&A sessions are held on most Sunday evenings at 7pm Brisbane time. Please note that the Course intentionally includes dedicated weekends without Q&A sessions.
Please note that all times are listed according to the time in Brisbane, Australia (GMT+10).
NB: For the ease of those who are interstate or overseas, 7pm in Brisbane is:
Western Australia: 5pm; South Australia: 6:30pm (DST 7:30pm); Northern Territory: 6:30pm;
NSW, Vic., Tas.: 7pm (DST 8pm); New Zealand: 9pm (DST 10pm)
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How is this course done?
There are 17 sessions in this series.
For each talk, our participants will
- Watch the video of Fr Andrew (or a guest presenter) delivering the talk.
- During this, participants are asked to write down any and all questions that they have.
- This can be at any time that suits the participants, prior to the Q&A session.
- Log in to a Q&A session with Fr Andrew, held on Sunday evenings.
- We especially welcome any and all questions regarding the talk's topic.
- Participants are also free to ask any further questions relevant to the participants.
- Complete a brief revision task.
- The URLs for each week of the course are available below.
Each week a reminder email is sent out with the information on the week's upcoming Q&A Session.
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Course Schedule
Part One: Introduction.
Session 1: A Beginners Guide to Orthodoxy
Q&A: The Q&A will be held on Sunday 26 May at 7pm (Brisbane time).
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism1
Synopsis: We’ll answer, ‘What is the Good News of Salvation?’, before outlining Orthodox theology, practice and spirituality.
Session 2: A Brief History of Church
Q&A: The Q&A will be held on Sunday 9 June at 7pm (Brisbane time).
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism2
Synopsis: The story of God’s love for us – from Jerusalem in 33AD to Brisbane today.
Part Two: The Creed.
Session 3: The Triune God
Q&A: The Q&A will be held on Sunday 23 June at 7pm (Brisbane time).
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism3
Synopsis: We’ll explain our belief in the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet one God.
Session 4: One Lord, Jesus Christ
Q&A: The Q&A will be held on Sunday 30 June at 7pm (Brisbane time).
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism4
Synopsis: We’ll answer ‘who is this Man, Jesus Christ’, discussing the Divine and Human natures of Christ.
Session 5: The Nature, Value & Purpose of the Human Person
Q&A: The Q&A will be held on Sunday 7 July at 7pm (Brisbane time).
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism5
Synopsis: In this talk, we talk about the God’s purpose for humanity, the impact of both the Fall and the Resurrection on humanity and individuals, the nature of the human person, and our common existential crisis and its resolution.
Session 6: Our Return to God
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism6
Synopsis: We believe God loved us too much to let us be away from Him. We’ll discuss what sin is, and how humanity was saved from it by Christ; and, we’ll talk about how we are individually saved, and how we repent from our own sins.
Session 7: Christ’s Church
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism7
Synopsis: What it means to be ‘One’, ‘Holy’, ‘Catholic’, ‘Apostolic’ and ‘Church’, and why being Orthodox matters.
Part Three: Praxis.
Session 8: The Sacrament of Ordination and the Church Today
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism8
Synopsis: We'll be talking about the Sacrament of Ordination, the various ranks of clergy in the church and the various roles that laity can undertake.
Session 9: A Guide to the Spiritual Life
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism9
Synopsis: We’ll explaining how we reconnect with God, and look at spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, charity, and more.
Session 10: Our Customs and Practices
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism10
Synopsis: In this talk, we explain the things that we ‘just do’, but also why we do them, and how they transmit the faith.
Session 11: ‘Be Ye Holy’: Ethics for Orthodox Christians
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism11
Synopsis: How Orthodox should behave and conduct themselves, and the Orthodox approach to various ethical issues.
Part Four: Services & Sacraments.
Session 12: Vigil & Confession
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism12
Synopsis: We’ll discuss our Saturday evening service, which gives us a space for prayer, musical education, and Confession.
Session 13: Liturgy & Communion
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism13
Synopsis: We’ll discuss the sequence and meaning of the Divine Liturgy, the significance of the church building where we celebrate the Liturgy, and the importance of the Sacrament of Communion to our lives.
Session 14: Baptism & Chrismation
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism14
Synopsis: We’ll discuss the theological and practical aspects of the Sacrament where Christians are born.
Session 15: Marriage and Other Services
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism15
Synopsis: We have a number of Sacraments and even more services. We go through some of the most important ones – including Marriage, Unction, the Moleben and the Water Blessing.
Part Five: Conclusion.
Session 16: Memorials, Funerals & the Soul
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism16
Synopsis: We’ll discuss what happens to a person who has died, and how those left behind can best care for them.
Session 17: Evangelism and Apologetics
Q&A: Date TBA
Link: www.HolyAnnunciation.net/Catechism17
Synopsis: How we can respond to common attacks on belief, Christianity and Orthodoxy, and even share our faith with others.
