All forms of communication which are specifically Christian –catechesis, for example, but also theological study – occur on three distinct linguistic levels: the human, the religious, the Christian. The same word ("peace", "father", "love"), the same symbol (water, oils, bread) have three meanings, interrelated but distinct: a human or "lay" significance, a religious transcendent significance, and a specifically Christian significance.

For example, "father"

I. Common, "lay" level

a) acquisition of a positive significance

b) acquisition of a multivalent, analogous significance "father" in its everyday sense

II. Transcendent- religious level

a) universalization: father of more, and more, and more children --> of all children.

b) totalization: father in an ever-increasing number of respects --> in all respects.

"father" of all in every respect

III. Christian level

limitation: Father more and more . . . specifically.

Only "Father" of the Only Son, eternal;

"Our "Father", as brothers and sisters of His only Son.

There is a twofold dynamic at work here: an ascending from the level of human significance to the Christian, and a descending from the level of Christian significance to the human.

As we see in the table, there is a twofold dynamic in Christian communication, especially in catechesis, which is operative at three linguistic levels. The fundamental dynamic is the first one, the descending dynamic. This is theological and descends from the Christian message to its human comprehension and realization. Given that the Christian message comes to us in words, and subsequently in symbols (sacraments and others), the descendent dynamic must continue to the point of human experience.2  This theological dynamic is fundamental for catechesis, because faith does not come from human experience or reflection, but from listening to the Word of God.

The second dynamic ascends: from the customary significance of our words and, ultimately, our human experience, towards the hearing and acceptance of the Word of God; this dynamic is pedagogical.3 

In preparing his instructions the catechist has to proceed by the first dynamic — the theological. One must begin with the Christian message, which must be considered in its ‘global’ aspect, and not only in its particularities. But at the same time one must reach the level of human significance, be it of the child, the student, or the adult.

In practical catechesis, on the other hand, the ascending, pedagogical dynamic comes to the fore. This is especially important when the catechesis is part of a general education process, where the catechesis, or better: an education in the Christian faith, is one of several activities or moments which themselves are not specifically religious. Even here one proceeds according to the order of the dynamic. As far as possible one must begin from the human significance recognized by one’s listener, bring that significance to infinity, and finally concretize that with a text or episode from the Bible.

A thoroughgoing Christian initiation needs both of these dynamics: the upward movement towards God, and the downward movement towards the human being.4 

Let us look at some examples of these three levels of linguistic significance.

Not only the words but also the symbols that are used in the context of Christian faith and thus in religious education, have a profane significance before having a religious and Christian significance. The reason is simple: a religious significance – for example, grace, divine aid — cannot be directly explained. "No one has seen God."5  Thus, religious meaning is introduced into human language only indirectly, which is to say, departing from profane meanings and analogously to them. Obviously this is not necessarily to say that we are using identical words: "grace" can be explained by "help", as "to pray" can be explained by "to ask". Words which are used predominantly or exclusively in a Christian religious context (grace, penance, sacrament, Mass, Church, etc.) have a special need to regain their analogous profane significance, departing from which they can then be explained. Otherwise they actually cannot be understood, as unfortunately happens often enough in our present cultural-historical context. Thus in the working out of any type of catechesis, this profane significance generally needs to be presented in an explicit and conscious manner. This ‘passage’ should ordinarily constitute the first stage of any catechesis.

At the level of profane meaning, the expressions used in a faith context have a polyvalent significance. "Love", "aid", "pardon" are not univocal terms, and do not signify one sole thing but have a multitude of interrelated uses. They are analogous terms. Even the word "father" doesn’t refer only to the biological parent but to the multiple functions of the figure we call "father": "Father of the nation", "adopted father", "spiritual father". Usually this polyvalence must be pointed out and explicated so as to overcome the one-dimensionality of teenager speech; for them "love" often has only one association, and "help" can simply mean "give money".

Moreover, one must keep in mind that the expressions which in one way or another refer to God need to have a positive connotation. Thus if the word "father" has acquired a negative emotional freight in a particular case, one must make that conscious. Only then can a positive sense of the word be recognized and recovered. "God is a different kind of father.""What kind of father would you like to have?" Other examples of this problem are: "humility", "lord", "servant", etc.

The meaning of a phrase to be used in speaking about God must be capable of being gradually stretched to infinity:

"Lord": "Lord of all the people —> for always —> Lord of all peoples —> Lord of all creatures —> in all possible respects";

"Father": "Father of the nation" —> father of all people —> "father of all creation —> in all possible respects";

"salvation": "God saves us not only from this or that danger, but from all and definitively";

"liberation": "God frees us not only from political or economic servitude, or from neurotic complexes, etc., but from sin, from every lack of liberty";

"bread": "bread of eternal life"; "bread for the life of the world": "eucharistic bread".

Without this expansion of the word’s or symbol’s meaning — an expansion to the infinite, the absolute and total — that which is told about Jesus remains at a human level: just one lovely story among so many others. Only if Christ is God must one choose life or death before Him.

A direct passage from the profane, human level to the Christian is not however possible. And thus the message of the Gospels cannot be truly comprehended without the mediation of the Old Testament — in whose gradual ‘pedagogy’ we see the passage from a profane ( religious-reductive ) level of meaning to one which is religious-absolute.6  Catechesis thus demands a competent and ongoing use of the Old Testament. The concept of the Creator and the figure of Father must be presented in a clear manner alongside the figure of Christ and the concept of Lord.

To express the specific contents of the Christian message, the religious and transcendent significance of certain words and symbols must be applied or at least placed in relation to Christ. This application constitutes a final linguistic passage that changes the meaning of the words and symbols in question: Christ is God, and thus the significance of words used in relation to God are also true of Him.

But Christ is also a human being such as we, and thus the meaning of words used about one of us are also true of Him: to live, to love, to be near, to forgive. In the language employed in catechetical work one needs to continually present this twofold value of every word and symbol that refers to Christ, God and man.

God is the father of all human beings and therefore also the Father of Jesus. We all are sons and daughters of God and so also Jesus is Son of God. Already in the Old Testament we begin to find gradations in the significance of certain words. The king, the holy one, the "servant of Yahweh", etc., are children of God in a special way, and God is Father in a special way of the Jews, of the House of David, of the King, of the holy one, of the prophet, of the "servant of Yahweh". Moreover, Jesus is "Son of God" in a manner different from all the rest of us, in a way that is special, unique.7  Precisely here arises the new way with which we too, brothers and sisters of Jesus, are children of the Father, and among ourselves we are all, in a way which is new, brothers and sisters.

If this passage from the religious and transcendent level to the specifically Christian dimension of God is not made, then speaking about Christ, and consequently of everything he did, and of all that refers to him in the Gospels, and of the profound, absolute and transcendent significance of Christian faith and life, remains incomprehensible.

On the contrary, only by seeing the Absolute and Infinite in Jesus can I then discover the same in the Church, in the events of history, in my own life, and in my brothers and sisters.

1. The preceding chapter has not exhausted the logic of the attributes of God. We will develop this theme now, even at the cost of some repetition, in the present chapter, examining the matter from a diferent angle — that of communication.

2. We will take up this aspect in the next chapter.

3. In calling this dynamic ‘pedagogical’, we are reaching back to a very ancient precedent: The Alexandrine Fathers, especially Clement, called both the Old Testament and Greek philosophy "paidagogos" — a pedagogy on the part of God which was to lead to Christ.

4. At various points in the development of a mature and personal faith, one or the other dynamic will be dominant. In catechetical work at the parish level the theological, descendent aspect will predominate, and this is all the more true at the level of academic instruction. But in work with youth groups or within the family it is generally the pedagogical, ascending dynamic which prevails.

The essential complementarity of the two movements is the reason why a truly thoroughgoing faith education has need of diversified and distinct ‘agents’: school, parish, youth group, family. In some cases, one of these agents must make up for the lack of another; but in no case should any one of them have a monopoly. Equally unfortunate is the attempt to create an alibi for oneself: "The school will take care of it; the parish will take care of it."

5. John 1: 18.

6. We shall return to this consideration in Chapter 7.

7. John 20, 17.