In the spirit of faith

Roderick Strange in The Tablet

These two elements in catechesis are not, of course, mutually exclusive. On the contrary, they are allies. Mastery of the information leads to intimacy with the person; intimacy with the person stirs a thirst for deeper knowledge. Nevertheless, particularly since the Second Vatican Council, they have often been presented as opposed. There has been controversy. Information and personal intimacy, instead of being seen as companions, have sometimes been cast as antagonists. There have been those who have insisted on the importance of content, and those who have championed process. Naturally, supporters of both approaches explained that they were arguing for particular emphasis, but the effect has tended to make one undermine the other. The weakness in both viewpoints, when taken to extremes, has been to assume that, if one element were secure, the other would follow automatically.