Catechism
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
8:02 PM
Catechism--is a topically organized summary of a the content of the Christian faith for a particular religious denominational or denominational family. A catechism may be question and answer form and was originally used as a mode of baptismal preparation instruction but developed to refer to the definitive expression of the Christian Faith  usually built around the Creeds, Decalogue, and Lord's Prayer. (1) Several references in the Hebrew Bible suggest that parental instruction of the content of Hebrew faith was common.  The Shema (Dt. 6:4-9) emphasizes the recitation of the words to children; similar themes are repeated in wisdom literature (Pr. 4:1-2). It is unclear if Ancient Hebrews had a set of propositions to which believers must ascent as the admonitions in the Hebrew Bible tend to take the form of sharing narratives rather than propositions (see Joshua 4:5-7; Ps. 105:1).  The possible exception is the declaration of the Lord's compassion, patience and justice introduced in Exodus 34:5-7 and repeated in part throughout the Hebrew Bible (Nm. 14:17-19; NH 9:15; Is 54:9-10).  (2) Similarly, the New Testament lacks specific clarity about the content of doctrine which a person must ascent in order to be baptized; however, verbalizing a confession of faith was clearly important to the earliest Christians (Mt. 10:32-33; Rm. 10:9-11; Hb. 10:23). 3. During the Reformation both Luther and Calvin developed catechisms  It is used as an introduction to the Christian faith or as the definitive expression of theological concepts.  4. While Catechisms had been used in the West by Catholic Bishops to instruct priests, the Catechism of the Council of Trent also called the Roman Catechism was offered as a means of responding to the developing Protestant catechisms.  It serves as the basis for the current Catechism of the Catholic Church.  However, several other Christian traditions and even individual pastors have composed formal and informal catechisms.  