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The following are published writings that may be catechetical in nature[[Category:Church Life]]
* Carlton, Clark. ''The Way: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church (Faith Catechism Series)''. (ISBN 0964914123)* Carlton, Clark. ''The Truth: What Every Roman Catholic Should Know About the Orthodox Church (Faith Catechism Series)''. (ISBN 0964914182)* Carlton, Clark. ''The Faith: Understanding Orthodox Christianity: An Orthodox Catechism (Faith Catechism Series)''. (ISBN 0964914115)* Harakas, Stanley S. ''Orthodox Church: Four Hundred and Fifty-Five Questions and Answers''. (ISBN 0937032565) [[Categoryro:Church LifeCatehumen]]
→See also: Add link to online catechism list
A '''catechumen''' (Greek: κατηχούμενος) is one who is preparing for [[baptism]] in the Church. In modern usage, ''catechumen'' can also refer to one who is preparing for [[chrismation]] (or another form of reception) to be received from a [[heterodox]] Christian communion.
In the ancient Church, the catechumenate, or time during which one is a catechumen, often lasted for as much as three years and included not only participation in the divine [[services]] but also '''catechesis''', formal instruction from a teacher, often the [[bishop]] or appointed '''catechist'''. [[Exorcist]]s often performed the catechetical role, as well, following their initial prayers of [[exorcism]] over the one being made a catechumen, which is the traditional manner of receiving a catechumen into the community of the Church.
Catechumens are understood to be Christians upon beginning their catechumenate, and should they die before baptism, they are traditionally given an Orthodox [[funeral]].
The Orthodox Church has no formal '''catechism''', a single body of work that details the specifics of its faith. This is one difference between the Orthodox Church and the [[Roman Catholic Church]], who does have a specific [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm catechism].
==Published worksSee also==* [[Inquirer]]* [[Conversion]]* [[Journeys to Orthodoxy]]* [[Orthodox Catechisms in English]]* [[Online books#Catechism|Online books: Catechism]]