The talks provide the framework of the Antioch Weekend. More than anything else in the Weekend, they present a picture of the new life to which God is calling each person. Consequently, for the effectiveness of the Antioch Weekend, one clear, strong message has to come through in all the talks. The talks form an integrated whole, and those who work on the Weekend have to learn how to speak as members of a team, together presenting a single message.

Each talk given in the Antioch Weekend must, therefore, fit into the whole message of the weekend and each person who gives a talk must understand how the talk he gives fits into the progression of talks. This section of the Manual is meant to aid seeing each talk as part of the whole. It should be read before working on the individual talk and after reading the introduction which provides the background to understand the approach taken in the Weekend.

The talk on the Weekend build up a picture, the picture of Christian life as it is presented in the Gospel. It is a picture of a God-centered life, a life which is only made possible by the redemptive work of Christ, a life which is lived in a community, in the Church, a life which works to bring others to Christ and to transform the world. Each period of Church history finds the need to stress certain aspects of the Christian life, and these four (God-centered, redemptive, communitarian (ecclesial), and apostolic) seem to be four of the characteristics needing most stress in our time.

This picture to which the talks converge can be described in a number of ways. It is the picture of the God who loves men and women working through history to bring each man and woman to a union with Him and a new life with Him through His son. It is the picture of the individual Christian's life in union with God through Christ; his service a member of the body of Christ in bringing the world to the new life in Christ. It is a picture of the Church, the community of God and man in Christ, which has been sent by Christ into the world to bring the world to the Father. Because of the talks, each person who makes the weekend should have a new awareness of the nature of the Church.

To understand the progression of the talks more clearly, the message of the talks can be considered from two angles: the presentation of the fact, and the presentation of the response. By the presentation of the fact is meant the presentation of God and what he has done. It is the presentation of the doctrinal basis of the Christian life. This begins on Friday night in the first talk and meditation when the reality of God as a person who loves us and is interested in us is explained. It is a description of the fatherhood of the all-powerful creator God. On Saturday, the reality of God's becoming man in Christ is presented. The first talk on Saturday explains who Christ is, what he came for, and what He did to accomplish His mission. The second talk explains how He lives among his followers. The third and forth talks explain His personal presence in the lives of those who are committed to him. On Sunday the reality of God's presence and work in the world through the Holy Spirit is described. The first talk explains how the Holy Spirit is present in the Church and works through the Church to overcome sin in the world. The rest of the talks explain the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the individual Christian and His operation through Christians to build up the body of Christ in the world.

By the presentation of the response is meant the presentation of what the Christian is called upon to do by God in response to what God has done for him/her. It begins with the introductory talk when he/she is made aware of the need to reconsider his/her life. In God's Call he/she is presented with the fact that God has something in mind for him/her, and the need to respond with trust, love and full commitment. In the Meditation on Prayer, he begins to see that the central part of the response is a loving personal relationship with God. Saturday in the Work of Christ it becomes clearer that the response to God is a response to Christ and that the Christian must turn to Christ for new life. In Christian Community he/she sees that his/her life in Christ has to be a life in the Church, in the community of other Christians in the world. He has to love them and form with them centers of new life. In Being a Christian, he sees that the basis of his life is putting God first and turning His life over to Christ. In Growth he/she is introduced to practical ways of living in union with God. Sunday, in the Church and the World he/she begins to see that his/her living in Christ in the Church implies taking part in the mission of the Church: to overcome sin through the power of the Holy Spirit and to transform the world. In Mission he/she becomes aware of the possibilities of things he/she can do in his/her own situation as Christ's apostle. In Following Christ, he/she is confronted with the need to develop his whole life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit if he/she is to be a true follower of Christ, a true apostle. Finally, in Working for Christ, he/she is introduced to practical ways of living in a community and of working to bring his/her campus to a full Christian life.

THE PROGRESSION OF THE DAYS

Center	The Fact	The Response
*Friday Cycle* God the Father Personal Relationship with God God's People	God the person the creator the father God's plan Call Revelation	Total commitment Faith Love Prayer (worship) personal liturgical
*Saturday Cycle* Christ, the Son Union with Christ The Church, the community of Christians	Holiness Fall and incarnation Redemption crucifixion resurrection ascension New life in Christ The Body of Christ Work and sacrament	Love and worship of God Accepting Christ as Lord love of other Christians as brothers formation of communities of Christians trust, forgiveness, communication Introducing Christ to others Plan of life, regular prayer, scripture reading, study regular apostolic action Self-giving and sacrifice
*Sunday Cycle* God, the Holy Spirit Mission in the Holy Spirit The Church, community on mission	Redemption the world sin pentecost The Church's mission its structure incorporation transformation Indwelling of the Holy Spirit guidance strengthening	Apostolic work bringing others to Christ changing every situation forming apostolic teams Re-evaluating campus involvement Re-evaluating career plans Participation in the follow-up program

The Progression Within a Day

The first talk of the day: a theological talk which explains the doctrinal framework for the message of the day.

The Work of Christ - the redemption as Christ’s work of bridging the gap between God and man/woman.

The Church and the World - the redemption as the work of the Holy Spirit (and the Church) in overcoming sin and remaking the world.

Presentation: These talks are meant to be clear and explanatory.

The second talk of the day: a talk which describes the practical application of the doctrinal talks to campus life.

Christian community - presents a picture of Christ and his followers living together on a campus.

Mission - presents a picture of how the Holy Spirit works through Christians in the various situations of campus life.

Presentation: these talks are meant to contain many incidents and stories which give the students making the Weekend a concrete insight into how this life is being lived on campus.

The third talk of the day: a talk which presents how the individual can make a response to the message of the day.

Being a Christian - how a person responds to Christ, letting him be the Lord of his life.

Following Christ - how a person changes his life, under the guidance of the Holy spirit, to follow Christ’s call to him/her.

Presentation: these talks center on the personal testimony of the speakers.

The fourth talk of the day: a talk which presents a concrete program so that each person can realize (in day-by-day living) the commitment he/she has made.

Growth - explains a regular life of prayer, study, and apostolic action as a means to maintaining a deepening personal relationship with Christ.

Working for Christ - explains the follow-up program for each campus which provides the necessary support for real growth.

Presentation: these talks explain the approach to the program for continuation and give practical instructions on how it works.

The Sequence of Talks

The Introductory Talks:

Open the Weekend by explaining its purpose and giving practical instructions. Urges students to re-evaluate their lives by clarifying the kinds of decisions they are now making.

God’s Call:

States that God has said something about the decisions which the students are making. Tells what he is like and, in general terms, what He is calling each student to (His plan for His people). Explains how to hear His call and what the response should be (faith, love, commitment).

The Meditation on Prayer:

Continues presenting our relationship with God. Emphasizes particularly a personal relationship with God as our Father. Explains prayer as a means of developing a friendship with God.

Saturday

The Sermon on the Liturgy - 1

Talks about worship of God as another aspect of our relationship to Him and our prayer life. Explains the mass from the aspect of worship and offering.

The Work of Christ:

Sums up all the talks to this point by considering God’s call as a call to holiness, a close personal union with God. Considers the separation between God and man and the impossibility of man’s fulfilling God’s call to holiness by himself. Explains Christ’s coming and his work as a means of overcoming the separation and bringing men to a new life.

Christian Community:

Shows the communitarian dimension of the new life in Christ. Describes what the Church as a Christian community should be, and explains the importance of Christians loving one another and building strong Christian communities.

Being a Christian

Explains how the individual Christian finds the new life in Christ. Centers on the basic step - putting God first in life and making a personal commitment to Christ. Describes what the Christian life is like.

Growth:

Explains how to live a personal relationship with Christ and how to grow in a deep relationship with Him. Presents the importance for growth of a plan of life and describes the various elements that make it up (prayer, study and action).

Meditation on Life as Giving:

Presents Christ as a model for our lives, centering especially on His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Stresses the importance of self-giving and sacrifice and explains the Christian life as a process of growth through sacrifice to new life.

Sunday

The Church and The World (The Work of the Holy Spirit):

Begins Sunday by explaining the condition of the world in sin and therefore the need of redemption. Presents the coming of the holy Spirit, the result of the work of Christ, as the solution to the problem; explains how he transforms human life. Describes the mission of the Church to bring the world to Christ and transform it as the outcome of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ.

Mission

Describes what a Christian in his own situation should do to take part in the mission of the Church. Explains how to bring a college situation to Christ.

The Sermon on the Liturgy -II

Explains the mass, this time from the aspect of being a meal, a spiritual food. Centers on communion as the source of community, and of strength in the Holy Spirit.

Following Christ

Explains how the individual Christian finds his place in the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. Presents the need for a total dedication to following Christ and the way to find the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Shows the student the importance of remaking his life and, therefore of re-evaluating his activities on campus and his occupation choice.

Working for Christ:

Considers the need for persevering and growing in what has been presented. Explains especially the need of community both for growth and for apostolic effectiveness. Describes the follow-up program as a practical means to insure growth.

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