To
answer this question and to introduce you to this teaching instrument I am
reproducing my introduction to that catechism in this blog post with the prayer
that it will inspire you to check out the catechism, to utilize it for your own
growth, and also to make use of it in the instruction of your children.
One
final comment I will make before the introduction. A helpful companion tool to
the Evangelical Catechism is Starr Meade’s Training Hearts, Teaching Minds: Family
Devotions Based On The Shorter Catechism (P & R, 2000). I would strongly encourage you
to purchase and make use of this tool to help your family learn the Evangelical Catechism.
Now
the introduction…
Professing
Christians who have been in Evangelical churches any time at all will think it
odd that anyone is encouraging the use of a catechism. There is not only a prejudice against such
tools, but a great deal of misunderstanding.
Many conclude, “Catechetical instruction is one of those religious hoops
to jump through in cold, sterile congregations!”[1] Like any tool, a catechism can be misused and
sometimes is. However, this does not
negate their helpfulness if utilized properly—namely to ground a person in the
basics of the gospel and the Scriptures.
The
lack of biblical and theological understanding among the Church today is well
documented.[2] Part of this stems from a misunderstanding of
grace, one which suggests we exercise easy belief (mere mental assent) in Jesus
Christ as Savior and then try to stay away from study as far as we can, lest we
become legalistic and/or make our Christianity something less than a
relationship. It is almost as if the
less we know, the more we can claim, “Hey, it’s all about a relationship with
Jesus!”
The
lack of biblical literacy also stems from the fact that the contemporary Church
has made little use of theologically-substantive training materials that can
aid believers to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Catechisms are just such a tool, which were
designed to root and ground children, new saints, and inquiring unbelievers in
the basics of the faith and the gospel. In fact, since it was so common in the
early church for those who had professed faith in Jesus Christ eventually to
turn away from their profession, catechisms were developed to help the person
“decide if he still wanted to submit to Christian baptism and gave the church
opportunity to discern (as far as human observation can do this) the
genuineness of his, or her, conversion…. This use of catechisms served as a
safeguard for the purity of the church.”[3]
The
term catechism is taken from the Greek word katecheo,
which means “teach” or “instruct”. To catechize “simply means to teach biblical
truth in an orderly way. Generally this
is done with questions and answers accompanied by biblical support and
explanation.”[4] Catechetical instruction is not something
done only in Roman Catholic or cold liberal churches. In fact, it was one of the factors which
enabled the Reformation of the 16th-17th centuries to
remain on solid footing and to spread successfully.[5]
Because
the Westminster Shorter
Catechism (1647)
is the most well-known catechism among Evangelical believers, because it is so
biblically-sound, and because of its brevity in relation to some other options,
I have used it as the starting point. I
have kept the same order of questions, as well as the same number of questions
and answers. The changes I have made
include: (1) In those questions dealing
with baptism and the Lord’s Supper I have followed the original Baptist Catechism (sometimes called Keach’s Catechism), as well as the revision
of that catechism by John Piper. (2) I
have modernized some of the language to make it more accessible. (3) In a few places I have borrowed from John
Piper’s revision to increase accuracy and clarity. (4) I have put some of my
own choices (as well as Piper’s) for scriptural proofs with the answers.
I
have titled this revision An Evangelical
Catechism since it primarily sets forth the gospel (or evangel), that word
of truth (Ephesians 1:13), which forms the core of the Scriptures. It should also be known this revision is
Baptist in doctrine to match the convictions of our own congregation for whom
it is primarily written.
My
prayer is that God will use this instrument in your life, the life of your
children, and the lives of those whom you are discipling that he, his Word, and
the truth of the gospel, will be opened up in new and fresh ways for your
delight in him and for his glory.
[1] Tom J. Nettles, Teaching
Truth, Training Hearts: The Study Of Catechisms In Baptist Life (Amityville, NY: Calvary Press, 1998), 15, draws
attention to the reality many evangelicals are suspicious of catechisms.
[2]For example, David Wells, No Place For
Truth (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993),
4, wrote: “I have watched with growing
disbelief as the evangelical Church has cheerfully plunged into astounding
theological illiteracy.”
[4] John Piper, A Baptism Catechism (Desiring God Ministries),
1. He lists Acts 18:25; 1 Corinthians 14:19; Galatians 6:6 which all use the
verb katecheo to speak of biblical
instruction.
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