A Theologically Rich Vision of Catechesis
A Review of
Making Disciples: Catechesis in History, Theology, and Practice
Alex Fogleman
Paperback: Eerdmans, 2025
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Reviewed by Elliott May
When I encounter a book calling Christians to recover an ancient practice, I brace myself for the kind of nostalgia that idealizes the past. That proves unnecessary here. Alex Fogleman’s Making Disciples: Catechesis in History, Theology, and Practice is a timely, historically rooted, theologically abundant call to recover the ancient Christian practice of catechesis in the contemporary church.
Fogleman, a theologian with expertise in patristic thought and the history of Christian formation, argues that the church needs a return to systematic formation in the Christian faith. The core thesis of the book is straightforward: catechesis is necessary for modern Christian communities and has been neglected in recent centuries of the American church. But what is catechesis? For Fogleman, catechesis is “basic but comprehensive instruction in what Christians believe, hope, and love” (2). Catechesis is distinct from evangelism. It is not sufficiently captured by church terms like “Christian education.” It is more holistic – educational, to be sure, but better described as enculturation, or an introduction to a worldview and way of life. Good catechesis forms Christians in faith, hope, and love (3).
Fogleman covers much territory in little space. The first sections provide a historical overview of catechesis, describing early and medieval practices before moving into the present. The reader is reminded, or perhaps persuaded, that the church once devoted considerable attention to preparing new believers not just to accept propositions about God but to live as though God is present and active in the church. Fogleman assembles an array of Christian voices and perspectives across traditions and centuries. Non-history buffs need not fear; Fogleman’s work is readable, and the narrative moves quickly.
In addition to its historical overview, Making Disciples offers a theologically rich vision of catechesis. Fogleman lays out of vision of catechesis in relation to mission, scripture, and sacrament. His tone is learned but deeply pastoral. Fogleman does not shy away from Christianity’s truth claims, as evidenced by chapter six, where he lays out the historic creeds and prayers of the faith, affirming that “Christianity is unabashedly dogmatic” (103). But he is also sensitive about how Christians experience these historic documents of the faith, encouraging readers to use the Nicene and Apostle’s creeds to “ask questions about a wide range of items” within the Christian faith (106). He trusts that the Christian faith is large enough to hold our questions, as it has for millennia.
Making Disciples is an excellent resource for pastors, seminarians, and church leaders who are committed to deeper and more formative discipleship. Fogleman reminds us that Christianity is not merely a set of propositions; it is a way of life.
Elliott May
Elliott May is the Children, Youth, and Young Adult Minister at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline, Massachusetts. Elliott is also postulant for priest in the Episcopal Church, and he holds graduate degrees in theology from Princeton Theological Seminary and Boston University. Elliott lives near Boston with his wife and their two young children.
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