by Angelika Piché

Angelika Piché was assistant director of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism until August 2004.

Ce document est aussi disponible en français : Allumer le cierge de nos enfants.

In this darkest season of the year - winter and Christmastime - we often hear about light in metaphorical terms, referring directly to our own experience of darkness as opposed to the light of faith.

The image of light is one that speaks powerfully to us, because we need light in order to see and understand. Those of us who live in faith know that we need the light to understand who we are in the world and in the multiplicity of our relationships with others and with God. Only when we see clearly can we move forward with confidence.

If we have taken a child by the hand, as parents, grandparents, teachers or pastoral agents, and walk with them in life, then we will naturally want to light their path as well. The light of faith that we find so indispensable is equally so for the next generation as it seeks a vision of the world and a direction to follow. And so we are called to share our light. Like in the traditional Easter vigil liturgy, we can use our candle to light our children's candles. The light spreads from one generation to the next and continues to shine.

However, passing on that flame seems harder than ever today, and the way to transmit our faith to the next generation has become a source of deep questioning and a crucial search in all Christian churches, and even in other religious traditions. How can we pass on the light of faith to our children? Many voices in many milieus are asking this question.

There are many reasons for re-examining our approach to religious education. First, we find ourselves in a culture of constant change that purveys a secular philosophy and a completely a religious way of life that are transforming public life and our institutions.

Clément Vigneault, from the Office de catéchèse du Québec, explains in his article the recent changes in Quebec's school policy. These changes have touched off a major renewal effort within the Roman Catholic Church. The traditional Family-Church-School triangle responsible for the transmission of faith to children has lost one of its sides. As society as a whole withdraws from religious education, the other two sides of the triangle, Family and Church, are wondering how to go about taking up the slack.

Parents seem to feel less and less up to the challenge. Nonetheless, many of the contributors to this issue emphasize the importance of family and the experience of home life at various different levels.

Hayat Mirza-Makhoul offers a psycho pedagogical view of the child's spiritual development. This helps us understand child development in general, and more specifically the child's spiritual and religious experience. Her article identifies the foundation for all religious education.

Authors from other Christian denominations then describe the challenges and possibilities of faith education as they are perceived in their respective churches today.

Stephen Bigham and Beverly Bechara speak of their experiences in the Orthodox church.

Jean Olthuis presents the Protestant perspective, and in his article touches on another reason for questioning our methods of religious instruction today: the effect of changes in communication technologies (media, computers and other). New methods of distributing information are influencing the way young people structure their thinking and how they learn. Is religious content being presented in a way that corresponds to how they receive information?

Finally, the story of a mixed Protestant and Roman Catholic family, presented by Craig Buchanan, leads us to the most difficult question of all: How can we raise children in one tradition and at the same time communicate respect and appreciation for other traditions? Above and beyond the increasing presence and visibility of different Christian traditions in society, there are now other religious traditions as well. Children live their everyday lives in an ecumenical and interfaith environment. This raises some fundamental questions for faith formation. We find ourselves faced with the necessity of raising children in a truly ecumenical spirit! Growing up with an ecumenical outlook means first being rooted in a specific religious tradition and being fully committed to this tradition with its convictions and spiritual life. Subsequently, it means learning to see that others experience the same kind of relationship and commitment - in a different way. On this basis, we can encounter the other and engage in an open and respectful dialogue.

In this spirit, we are opening the door to believers of other faiths in this issue. Baruch Frydman-Kohl and Priyamvada Sankar share approaches to faith education from a Jewish and Hindu perspective. It is surprising to note how similar our challenges and future possibilities are.

Indeed, in all the articles, there seems to be a consensus regarding the essential requirements for passing the torch to the next generation. May these contributions illuminate us and our children, so that the light will continue to shine in the world.