The State of Adolescent Catechesis Today: A Review of the Literature Jeffrey Kaster effectiveness. W. Bradford Wilcox provides an he two-fold purpose of this article is to overview of current research on the influence review current literature and develop of the family on faith practice. Peter Benson implications and conclusions regarding the and Pamela Ebstyne King provide one of the state of adolescent catechesis today. The best summaries available of current research of T youth and religion. scope of this review was limited because of time and space constraints and is heavily weighted toward sociological research. 3. Francis, L. J., Robins, M. & Astley, J. (Eds.). (2005). Religion, Education, and Adolescence: Annotated.Bibliography.on. International Empirical Perspectives. Cardiff, UK: University of Wales Press. Adolescent.Catechesis A collection of 12 presentations from the 2002 International Seminar on A..Sociological.Research Religious Education and Values 1. East, T., Eckert, A. M., Kurtz, D., and Singer- that provide securely grounded Towns, B. (2004). Effective Practices for Dynamic research into adolescents’ views Youth Ministry. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press. of religion in the United Kingdom, The Center for Ministry Development and Saint Europe and Israel. Of particular Mary’s Press sponsored a national symposium interest are the eight key on effective youth ministry practices in Catholic conclusions the editors identify parishes. More than 400 youth and adults resulting from this focused engaged in youth ministry from 100 parishes collection on adolescence, were interviewed as part of this qualitative religion and education. Four research. The symposium provided summaries of these include: Europe of 36 key findings from youth, adult youth and Israel are not heading ministers and parish staff interviews. Five key toward rapid secularization; areas of high impact were summarized, with the religion remains a significant first described as “faith formation/adolescent factor in the lives of young catechesis that is engaging and connected to Europeans; young people lives of youth” (p. 1). are redefining their religious traditions; and the task of the 2. Ebaugh, H. R. (2005). Handbook of Religion religious educator is enriched and Social Institutions. New York: Springer and enabled by the discipline Science+Business Media, Inc. of empirical enquiry that listens This handbook is written for sociologists to young people themselves (p. interested in recent studies and theoretical 11). approaches that relate religious variables to their particular areas of interest. Three chapters 4. Hudson, W. (2002). Window especially are important to note. David Sikkink on Mission: A CHS 2000 Report and Jonathan Hill write an in-depth review of on Academic and Co-Curricular the history and politics of education related to Programs and Services and Religious religion, and review research on Catholic school Source Book on Adolescent Catechesis: Volume I 7 Education and Formation. Washington, DC: is formed in the current media culture. This text National Catholic Educational Association. includes helpful annotated bibliographies on This report summarizes survey data from a media ethics, new media and religion, film and sample of 300 Catholic high schools. It provides religion and communication and theology. Of important benchmark data on instructional particular relevance is Mary E. Hess’ chapter inputs for adolescent catechesis including on media culture and how to engage media staffing, curriculum, assessment and formation. It culture in religious education. reports that 88 percent of Catholic high schools require students to take four credits or 480 hours 8. Roehlkepartain, E., Ebstyne King, P, Wagener, of religious instruction and, on average, perform L., and Benson, P. (Eds.). (2006). The Handbook 51 hours of service. of Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 5. Markuly, M. S. (2002). “Being Faithful—Pursuing This reference handbook by leading scholars Success: Tools for Assessment.” The Living Light, from multiple disciplines (psychology, sociology, 38 (3). 61-77. medicine, anthropology and education) This text raises two very important questions: provides a comprehensive review of current How do we really know what religious scientific knowledge of adolescent spiritual education outcomes we accomplish, and, development. Rev. Dean Borgman asks more importantly, what instructional practices important questions: “Why aren’t congregations most effectively help accomplish these having a more profound effect on their children outcomes? The author argues that pursuing and surrounding communities? How can we get empirical research and evaluation in adolescent our latest studies and findings into the trenches?” catechesis will set religious education on the (p. 435). He argues for bringing youth workers slow but steady path of making improvements. and catechetical leaders into dialogue with current research on the spiritual development 6. McCorquodale, C., Shepp, V., and Sterten, of adolescents. This text is an excellent resource L. (2004). National Study of Youth and Religion: around which academics, researchers and Analysis of the Population of Catholic Teenagers serious practitioners of adolescent catechesis and Their Parents. A Research Report Produced might engage such a dialogue. for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. Washington, DC: National Federation for 9. Search Institute. (1990, March). Effective Catholic Youth Ministry. Christian Education: A National Study of This research report further analyzes the Protestant Congregations. A Summary Report Catholic-related data from the National Study on Faith, Loyalty, and Congregational Life. of Youth and Religion. The study found that Minneapolis, MN: Benson, P. L. & Eklin, C.H. many Catholic young people are not served This 1990 report (available at www.search- or reached by the church. It also found that institute.org/downloads) remains one of the few participation in parish programming, regular congregational studies on effective Christian Mass attendance and Catholic school education in the United States. In relation to attendance reduces at-risk behaviors in youth faith growth and congregational loyalty for and that youth need an evangelizing and a both youth and adults, the report concludes, welcoming community. “nothing matters more than effective Christian education” (p. 2). 7. Mitchell, J. and Marriage, S. (eds.). (2003). Mediating Religion: Conversations in Media, 10. Smith, C. and Lundquist Denton, M. (2005) Religion, and Culture. New York: T & T Clark. Soul Searching. The Religious and Spiritual Lives This text resulted from presentations and of American Teens. New York: Oxford University conversations at the Third International Press. Conference on Media, Religion and Culture This seminal text reports the comprehensive hosted by the University of Edinburgh in July research findings from the National Study of 1999. It explores empirically how religious identity Youth and Religion (www.youthandreligion. 8 National Initiative on Adolescent Catechesis org/) conducted from July 2002 to March 2003. This study is unique because it utilized random How.might.parishes.and.. telephone sampling procedures (sample size 3,290) that appear to accurately estimate the schools.effectively.engage. population of U.S. teens ages 13-17 and their and.support.parents.in.fostering. parents. Christian.discipleship.practices.. The authors note that Catholic youth scored in.their.homes? significantly lower than their conservative, mainline or black Protestant peers on many aspects of religiosity. The authors devote an their role in building Catholic school culture. It entire chapter to analyzing Catholic data. They concludes with seven helpful norms for building offer five explanations for Catholic teenage Catholic culture in schools. religious laxity: 1) demographic differences (Catholics congregate in regions of the 3. Hagarty, M T. & Hagarty, M. J. (2002). country that are less religious); 2) low levels of “Evangelizing Catechesis and Comprehensive Catholic parent religiosity; 3) lack of institutional Youth Ministry,” The Living Light, 38 (3), 6-20. commitment of resources; 4) changes in The importance of this article rests in that it was Catholic schools and CCD; and 5) upward the only source found that identifies definitional mobility and acculturation (pp. 207-215). and conceptual differences in the “General The data on Catholic Hispanic teens suggest Directory for Catechesis” and “Renewing the a wide disparity exists economically, socially Vision.” and educationally between Hispanic and white Catholics. Hispanic teens reported a greater 4. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. (1997). General frequency of family religious practices, but Directory for Catechesis. Washington, DC: United were less likely than white teens to participate States Catholic Conference. in parish and Catholic school-based religious The “General Directory for Catechesis” programs and activities. Instituto Fe y Vida (GDC) is the official theological reference for recently published a report analyzing this data, catechesis in the Catholic Church. The use which is available online at www.feyvida.org. of the term “general” in the title is important because it functions as a general point of B..Theological.Foundations reference for catechetical content, pedagogy 1. Duggan, R. D. (2001). The New Constellation and methodology. It is to be used as a of Catechesis. The Living Light,