The kerygmatic announcement in the First Letter of John and its pastoral indications for contemporary catechetical action

Abstract

This research analyzes the elements of the kerygma characterizing the announcement of the Johannine community recorded in the First Letter of John. According to historical evidence presented herein, the centrality of the
kerygma in this literature draws attention to its presence in the catechesis of a Christian community already mature in faith. The kerygmatic proclamation supports the community in defending the faith received through apostolic tradition against separatist preaching influenced by divergent doctrines emerging in the first century AD. Recognizing the fundamental role of kerygmatic proclamation in sustaining community and individual faith within Johannine Literature yields pastoral indications for contemporary catechetical action. This action must respond to the post-conciliar Church’s invitation to evangelizing and catechetical renewal, inspired by the catechumenate, where kerygma proclamation remains perennial and permanent, including for those already initiated into the faith. Today, this necessity stems from sustaining faith within a plural world marked by anthropological doubts and insecurities. This study develops through analysis of the Johannine community’s teachings in the First Letter of John, comparing text and historical context to identify the kerygma as the foundational axis via a bibliographical approach. The characteristics of Johannine kerygma inform contemporary catechetical indications, emphasizing kerygma as a guiding thread.