Catechisms and Contending for the Faith

As we were reminded at the FIEC Leaders’ Conference in 2022, Christian leaders are “to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). And this is no less important today than it ever has been.

Indeed, for Jude, this was a matter of urgency. There were some who had “crept in unnoticed” to the Church, and were trying to “pervert the grace of our God” (Jude 4).

To contend for the faith, we must both know and teach it thoroughly. The Apostle Paul, it seems, did this systematically to both individuals (2 Timothy 1:13-14) and whole churches (1 Corinthians 15:1-7). In fact, it is from one of the Greek words for teach that we get our word catechise (or the nouns, catechesis and catechism).

Catechesis is the act of systematic teaching and instructing in the truth.

Catechising on the shoulders of giants

Historically, pastors have often catechised their congregations through questions and answers, perhaps using a catechism like the Heidelberg or the Westminster, or by writing their own.

It was common practice in the early church to use catechisms to teach the fundamentals of the faith to non-Jews especially who were interested in the Christian gospel.

J.I. Packer wrote: “It seems that every congregation of any size in the second and third centuries had its ongoing instructional classes”, which “always climaxed with confession of faith and solemn baptism on Easter eve”.¹

Centuries later, Martin Luther (1483-1546) wrote of “the deplorable, miserable” levels of spiritual understanding of most people: “the common man, especially in the villages, knows practically nothing of Christian doctrine.”² In response, he wrote a catechism.

Richard Baxter (1615-91) similarly saw the need for this kind of systematic teaching in his parish in Kidderminster. He trained two fellow workers and between them they spent two days a week, morning until evening, going house to house, teaching a catechism.³

Advantages of catechesis

There are many advantages of such an approach, even in an independent church context.

Loving the truth

A good catechism not only systemises the core truths of the faith, but applies them to the heart.

Think of the Heidelberg catechism, which asks throughout, of what benefit is each doctrine to the believer. Learning a catechism warms the heart to love the truth more deeply.

Guarding against error

A good catechism also trains the mind to spot falsehood.

When you read or hear something new, a memorised catechism acts like your nose does when you open the fridge; it instinctively alerts you if something smells a bit funky behind everything else.

Establishing the new

We are often looking for new systematic ways to teach the faith to new Christians.

Catechisms have long been used for this exact purpose, either for individuals, groups, or a whole church. Have we been missing a trick in independent churches?

Being ready with an answer

Christians often say that they feel a lack of confidence answering tricky questions from non-Christians. How different this can be if they have learned answers to questions like “what is faith?” or “why did Jesus die?”

This is also true of parenting. From time to time, my children come home from school with something their friends or teachers have said about marriage and relationships. But the catechism we learn has a statement about God’s design for marriage, which is invaluable in framing the conversation.

Catechisms put clear answers within easy reach.

Uniting the flock

Independent churches have often been suspicious of anything that smells of traditionalism. But the reality is that we are constantly systematising truth, whether we realise it or not. Having a confession or catechism learned and repeated together, bit by bit, Sunday by Sunday, is a wonderful way of building unity around common ground.

The truth is best enjoyed all together.

Introducing: the ‘All Together Catechism’

Having said all this, catechisms can be daunting. Some are aimed at specific denominations that we aren’t part of, perhaps making us feel a bit like imposters. Some use archaic language that require more explaining than they themselves clarify, or lack a feeling of warmth. Others are just plain long.

With these things in mind, the All Together Catechism, a new and simple catechism that I have written, is aimed at filling a gap for independent churches in particular.

The All Together Catechism is 52 questions and answers. Like many before, it takes cues from the Apostles’ Creed and the Westminster and Heidelberg Catechisms. However, it is structured around the calendar, so the truth learned fits with what else is going on at the time of year, for example Christmas, Easter, and the school year.

Catechisms have also always made space for important contemporary questions. In the past these might have been iconography or praying to saints. In the same way, the All Together Catechism has questions on marriage and other contemporary issues.

A church leader can introduce and explain one new question and answer each Sunday, and then the website (elegantly created by Pomegranate7) makes it easy for individuals or families to learn the answer through the week. It can then be recapped when the church is back all together the following Sunday. Each answer is no more than 16 words long and uses language and ideas that are rich, but also accessible.

¹ Packer, J.I., Affirming the Apostles’ Creed, Crossway, (2008), p.17

² Luther, M., Luther’s Small Catechism, Concordia Publishing House, (2019), catechism.cph.org

³ Witmer, Timothy Z., The Shepherd Leader, P&R Publishing, (2010), p.62

Header image: Alekjds (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons