Catechism

A catechism is an outline of the beliefs or operating principles of a group, organization, or entity. The term catechism is most commonly applied to works of religious doctrine that offer a summary of the tenets of a particular faith. A catechism is a useful tool for providing approved information about the doctrine to others.

The word catechism is derived from a Greek word meaning "to teach orally." A catechism is commonly written in a question-and-answer format so that a catechumen, or student of the catechism, can memorize the material and respond to questions from a teacher. In many cases, the student is expected to repeat the material verbatim (exactly as written).

Historically, catechisms were written because they ensured that all who studied a faith received the same answers to their questions, and that those answers contained the approved, authorized doctrine for the church. Catechisms could be learned by rote (memory), so were especially useful resources when books or other written materials were unavailable, or when those studying them were not able to read. Even in modern times with almost unlimited access to information, catechisms still provide an easy way to share consistent, official information about the beliefs and doctrines of a particular faith.

History

While it can be argued that the books of the Old Testament and other religious texts that developed orally before being recorded in writing are forms of catechisms intended to teach new generations about their faith, catechisms as they are commonly known date back to the first century. Both the growing Christian churches and the Greek and Roman cult religions that were common at the time used catechisms.

The individual creeds (formal statements of beliefs) utilized by many faiths are in some ways catechisms. Creeds are generally shorter than full catechisms and deal with generalities rather than specifics. However, creeds such as the Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed of Christianity and the Muslim shahada, contain basic outlines of faith in a repeatable formula that helps believers learn and remember the basic tenets of the faith.

The first time the word catechism appears specifically tied to a formulaic text of beliefs is in 1502, when Bishop Luke of Prague (1458-1528) wrote a catechism for children. Luke was interested in the work of the Protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483-1556) and corresponded with him for a time. The relationship ended before Luther produced his famous Small Catechism in 1529. The Small Catechism included basic prayers and doctrines for the Reformed church movement. Luther wrote the Small Catechism for the people, and meant for them to memorize it and use it as a religious teaching. The Small Catechism included the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, and the Ten Commandments, broken down into sections with explanations of each. It also explained the principle sacraments of baptism, communion, and confession in a question-and-answer format, enabling a pastor or other teacher to help the faithful learn the material.

Examples

While the Small Catechism was the best known of the earliest Christian catechisms, it was not the only one to be written. Luther also wrote a Large Catechism for pastors and teachers that offered more expansive information on key aspects of the new Protestant doctrine. The Large Catechism enabled these individuals to teach about the new doctrine with authority.

Other examples of Protestant catechisms include the following:

The Genevan Catechism, which was written by influential Reformer John Calvin (1509-1564) in 1541 and revised in 1545 and 1560. It provided a basic outline of key tenets such as faith, law, prayer, and church sacraments to be taught in the home and church.

The Heidelberg Catechism, which was written collaboratively by Zacharias Ursinus (1534-1583) and Caspar Olevianus (1536-1587) in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1563 to resolve points of differences between Lutheran and Reformed church beliefs. It is the most used and highly regarded of the Reformed catechisms.

The Westminster Catechisms, known as the Larger and the Shorter Catechisms, are two 1647 summaries that outline the teachings of the Bible. They are produced in question-and-answer format for use by Presbyterian and other Reformed churches.

The Anglican Catechism is included in the Book of Common Prayer used in Anglican and Episcopal denominations. It is in question-and-answer format and outlines the beliefs, responsibilities, and teachings of the Anglican faith.

In addition to these well-known catechisms, other catechisms include those used by the Baptists (written by the General Assembly of 1677) and the Racovian Catechism (1605) used by the Socinians (non-orthodox, non-trinitarian Protestants) of Poland.

The Roman Catholic Church has also published a number of catechisms, beginning with one written by the Council of Trent in 1566 as a reference for clergy. Nearly all Catholic children from 1885 through the 1960s learned the basics of their faith from the Baltimore Catechism, an illustrated question-and-answer format text with a quiz at the end of each section. During much of this time, adult Catholics could also use the Catechism of Pope Pius X, published at the beginning of the twentieth century in Italy, as well as the so-called Penny Catechism in England and the Dutch Catechism in the Netherlands.

Several revised Roman Catholic catechisms were published between 1992 and 2006, including the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1997), Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2005), and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (2006).

Although less common, some non-Christian faiths use catechisms as well. Judaism does not have a formal catechism, but Buddhism and Hinduism each have documents that fulfill the same teaching purpose.

Other Applications

While the term catechism most often refers to the beliefs of a religious group, the term has other uses, as well. For example, Freemasonry includes catechisms of beliefs that are utilized as members advance through the ranks of masonry. Political catechisms have also been compiled, including the Elementary Catechism of the Constitution of the United States (1828) and the Catechism of the Constitution of the United States of America (1863), which were used to teach schoolchildren about the Constitution.

Other countries have also used published catechisms to outline their political beliefs, including Newfoundland, parts of South America, and parts of Europe.

Bibliography

MacCulloch, Diarmaid. Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. New York: Viking Press/Penguin Books, 2009. Print.

Noll, Mark. Confessions and Catechisms of the Reformation. Vancouver, Canada: Regent College Publishing, 2004. Print.

Roper, Lyndall. "Martin Luther." The Oxford Illustrated History of the Reformation. Peter Marshall, ed. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2015. Print.

United States Catholic Conference, Inc. "Frequently Asked Questions about the Catholic Catechism." United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Web. 31 Aug. 2015. http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-catechism-of-the-catholic-church.cfm