Praying the catechism

Reviewed Book: Johnson, Donald W. Praying the catechism. Winnipeg: Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, 1995

The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012

This article focuses on the reception and the status of the Heidelberg Catechism in the Church of the Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Nkhoma Synod in Malawi between 1889 and 2012. The constitution, the church order and the liturgical formularies of the CCAP Nkhoma Synod equally mention that the Heidelberg Catechism is one of the church’s doctrinal standards. The Catechism had never been translated into the official language of this Church, implying that the content of the catechism has been withheld from its members. This leads to the following questions: Was the Heidelberg Catechism really received in the Nkhoma Synod? Why did the Nkhoma fail to make the content of the catechism available to its members? Did this Church realize the implication of a failure to translate the catechism into its official language? Therefore, this article argues that the Catechism had very little or no influence on the Church’s theological discourse and practice

’n Vergelyking van Calvyn se 1545-Kategismus en die Heidelbergse Kategismus oor die Onse Vadergebed

A comparison between Calvin’s Catechism of 1545 and the Heidelberg Catechism on their exposition of the Lord’s Prayer Several studies on the relationship between Calvin’s Catechism (1545) and the Heidelberg Catechism have already been conducted. However, the need for a study of a comparison between the two catechisms on the Lord’s Prayer was emphasised at the South African Calvin Research Conference in 2004. In the sixteenth century Reformation the Lord’s Prayer was a subject of considerable importance. Calvin wrote no less than eight different expositions of the Lord’s Prayer in his commentaries, catechisms of 1538 and 1545 and the different editions of his “Institutes”. In both the Geneva Catechism of 1542/1545 and the Heidelberg Catechism the exposition of the Lord’s Prayer forms an important part. A comparison of these expositions leads to the conclusion that the theological insights of John Calvin played a major role in the formulation of the Heidelberg Catechism. The Heidelberg Catechism is part of our Calvinist heritage and should still be used in the instruction of our children and confessed as our true and living faith

Die Ãœbersetzung des Genfer Katechismus (1542/1545) ins Deutsche durch Zacharias Ursinus im Jahr 1563

The translation of the Genevan Catechism (1542/1545) into German by Zacharias Ursinus in 1563 It is with considerable surprise that one finds in the “Opera Selecta Calvini” vol. 2 a German translation of Calvin’s Geneva Catechism (1542/1545). The translation dates from 1563, and originated in Heidelberg. Even more surprising is the translator – none other than Zacharias Ursinus, one of the chief com-posers of the Heidelberg Catechism, which was also penned in 1563. The impression could be created that Calvin’s Catechism was intended at the outset to achieve the position later attained by the Heidelberg Catechism. The title of the German translation of Calvin’s Catechism is also interesting: “Catechism of the protestant churches in France”. Olevianus explained in a letter to Calvin that the translation was titled thus for fear that the Germans would otherwise not read the catechism. Comparing the German translation with the Geneva Catechism, it is evident that Ursinus made use of the French edition of 1542 as well as the Latin edition of 1545 as the source text. While his translation is literal, a few alterations in meaning occur, giving rise to decisive theological adjustments. A comparison with the Heidelberg Catechism is complicated by the fact that Ursinus was only one of a committee of composers who worked on the latter document. The theological corrections made to Calvin’s Catechism in the German edition reveal Ursinus’ tendency to emphasise the soteriological meaning in his translation. Beza would eventually be the one who would irreversibly modify Calvin’s theology in the direction of the reformed orthodoxy

Luther\u27s Enchiridion as Resource for Spiritual Formation

(Excerpt) My purpose in this essay is to consider Luther\u27s Small Catechism as a resource for the spiritual formation of the faithful. That aim brings with it a number of automatic consequences. First, it requires that I take into account also Luther\u27s Large Catechism--that book of advice to pastors in the spiritual formation of Christians. Second, it requires that I invite you to pay attention to the original setting and intention of Luther in writing and publishing his catechisms at the end of the first decade of reformatory activity in Germany. Third, it requires that we consider the catechisms in their ecclesial context, that is, as a part of the confessional writings of the churches of the Augsburg Confession. Fourth, it suggests that we make clear just what is included when we speak of Luther\u27s Small Catechism; that is, we must give some attention to the more or less official content of that often-revised document. Fifth, it suggests that we let Luther\u27s prose speak, as much as possible, for itself; accordingly, a portion of this essay will simply be an attempt to do so, composed of a catena of citations from the catechisms. Finally, it invites us to offer some practical suggestions for the implementation of what is gained from what I hope is a sensitive reading of Luther\u27s manuals

The structure and dynamics of Luther’s Catec

This contribution deals with the structure of Luther’s Catechism, one of Protestant basic texts. First an outline is given of the history of the composition of the text. Next some remarks are made on Luther’s purpose in bringing out this Catechism. The more as scholarly discussion about it raised attention is paid to the structure of Luther’s Catechism. Our conclusion is that the five parts of this Catechism are best understood in a circular form which challenges its users to go through the material time and again. Only then its specific dynamics will manifest itself which make Luther’s Catechism very suitable for instruction about the Christian Faith at several levels. Following this impetus this Catechism against a tradition of misuse as a confessional text book might be recaptured as life book which proves to be useful in handing down the relevancy of Protestant tradition in the entire faith community

Luther als protestantischer Katechet

Luther as protestant catechist Luther’s catechetical activity is based on the catechetic tradition already extant in the Early Church. He reverts to this tradition, and more especially to the catechetical instruction of the Middle Ages. Luther observed great negligence and deficiency with regard to the catechesis in the Roman Catholicism of his time. In Luther’s view, a catechism is a short summary of Holy Scrip-ture; it is a condensed and succinct expression of the teachings of the Christian faith. Along with his study on the unfree will (“De servo arbitrio”) Luther considered his two catechisms, which developed out of his preaching activity, as his most im-portant written work. His “Small catechism”, which was very well received, was reissued more than 60 times – and translated into a variety of languages – up until the time of his death. According to Luther, catechesis (catechetical instruction) is the means by which the catechism is to be learned. A vital part of this process is that the catechism must take root in the heart. The catechism is not a vehicle for objective, scientific faith, but rather defines a living, personal faith as trust in God. All Christians, including adults, must therefore know the catechism in such a way that it is engraved on their consciousness. This necessitates the attendance of catechetical sermons. There is much pneumatological profit to be had in the reading and discussion of the catechism, and in meditating on it, because the Holy Spirit is present in all these activities. All that is necessary for the Christian to know about his salvation is richly and thoroughly present in the catechism. In the light of this, the catechism is profoundly trinitarian and eschatological in orientation. The catechism teaches that the fulfilment of the Ten Commandments, the realisation of the good, is born out of true faith. Those who do not know the catechism are not allowed to partake in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

Die Heidelbergse Kategismus en die kategesemateriaal van die Ned Geref. Kerk: ’n kerkhistoriese oorsig

English Title: The Heidelberg Catechism and the catechesis material of the Dutch Reformed Church: a church history overviewEnglish AbstractIn the year which we commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism, this article follows the historical tracks of the catechism through the history of the Dutch Reformed Church with special focus on the role it played in the catechesis of the church. It starts with a short introduction about the origin of the Heidelberg Catechism. Secondly it gives an overview of the material used by the church through its early history before it compares the different books which were used later on. This is done in order to establish what role the Heidelberg Catechism played in the learning material of the church. The article concludes with the finding that the Heidelberg Catechism indeed played and still plays a huge role in the catechesis of the Dutch Reformed Church

'"De schapen zijn de huid niet schuldig". De plichten van onderdanen en overheden in zeventiende- en achttiende-eeuwse verklaringen van de Heidelbergse Catechismus

Lord’s Day 39 (question and answer 104) of the Heidelberg Catechism offers an interpretation of the fifth commandment. It states that – beside our parents – we should honour, love and be loyal to all those in authority over us. When treating question and answer 104, explanations of the Heidelberg Catechism usually digress upon the duties of subjects and authorities. This article discusses a number of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century explanations of the Catechism published by Dutch Reformed ministers and focuses especially on statements concerning duty and authority. It tries among other things to demonstrate that the theological differences between Cocceians and Voetians, which of course also affected Dutch Reformed Pietists, did not leave their mark on the explanations of Lord’s Day 39. As a whole, seventeenth- and eighteenth-century statements on duty and authority do not seem to differ much, partly because the genre of Catechism explanations is highly influenced by the explanation of the man who compiled the Heidelberg Catechism, Zacharias Ursinu

Catechism

Biennial report of the WKU Board of Regents to the governor and state legislature written by Henry Cherry. It is a discourse on the duties of the commonwealth in relation to education.https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/exhibit_2015/1010/thumbnail.jp