National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent ...

Notes139of contemporary culture, making it easier to enable students to form an interior synthesisin the light of faith.Following are some additional criteria:i Academic qualifications: An advanced degree in theology, religious studies, or a relatedfield; a demonstrated ability as a competent teacherii Multicultural sensitivity: Experience with multicultural, gender, economic, and educationaldiversityiii Adult formation: Ability to teach adults in theory and practice; knowledge and experiencein adult developmental theory and methodologiesiv Diversity: Represent the ethnicity, racial, and cultural diversity of the diocesan Churchv Knowledge and experience of the diaconate: Knowledge of the identity and ministry ofdeacons in the Church17 Regarding the selection of textbooks, faculty presenters should be familiar with theUSCCB’s Guidelines for Doctrinally Sound Catechetical Materials (Washington, D.C.: UnitedStates Catholic Conference, 1990). The following excerpts from that document are providedhere for easier accessibility to several highlights of the text:The first principle of doctrinal soundness is that the Christian message be authentic andcomplete. For expressions of faith and moral teachings to be authentic, they must be in harmonywith the doctrine and traditions of the Catholic Church, which are safeguarded bythe bishops who teach with a unique authority. For completeness, the message of salvation,which is made up of several parts that are closely interrelated, must, in due course, be presentedin its entirety, with an eye to leading individuals and communities to maturity offaith. Completeness also implies that individual parts be presented in a balanced way,according to the capacity of the learners and in the context of a particular doctrine. (p. 7)The second principle in determining the doctrinal soundness of catechetical materials isthe recognition that the mystery of faith is incarnate and dynamic [and that the discourseof faith with adults must take serious account of their experience, of their conditioning,and of the challenges which they encounter in life]. The mystery of the divine plan forhuman salvation, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and made known in the SacredScriptures, continues as a dynamic force in the world through the power of the Holy Spirituntil finally all things are made subject to Christ and the kingdom is handed over to theFather “so that God may be all in all” (1 Cor 15:28). God’s creative power is mediated inthe concrete experiences of life, in personal development, in human relationships, in culture,in social life, in science and technology, and in “signs of the times.” The NationalCatechetical Directory refers to the Scriptures, the teaching life and witness of the Church,the Church’s liturgical life, and life experiences of various kinds as “signs of God’s saving