The Catechism

A reflection on the Small catechism as “The Shape and Pattern of Christian Doctrine,” and an outline on the Catechism as a handbook for prayer, by John T. Pless.

The Small Catechism: Pattern & Shape of Christian Doctrine

On October 31st, the anniversary of the posting of the Ninety-Five Theses, the Lutheran Church celebrates Reformation Day as a festival of thanksgiving for the gifts God has bestowed on His church through the life and work of Martin Luther. The American Evangelical theologian Mark Noll comments, “For whatever reason, in the ineffable wisdom of God, the speech of Martin Luther rang clear where others merely mumbled.” Having listened to the voice of God in the Scriptures, Martin Luther’s lips were opened to confess the truth of the Gospel with clarity. Luther didn’t mumble!

Among the many contributions of Martin Luther to the legacy of our church is the Small Catechism. Beginning in 1518, Luther frequently preached a sermon series on “the catechism,” that is, the basic components of Christian doctrine (Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, and the Ten Commandments) as they had been arranged and handed down from earlier generations of Christians. Eventually these catechetical sermons would become the basis for the Large Catechism and would be crystalized in the Small Catechism. Written in 1529, the Small Catechism would quickly become “the Layman’s Bible,” as the Formula of Concord would call it, because “it contains everything that Holy Scripture discusses at greater length and which a Christian must know for his salvation.”

The Small Catechism is the handbook for the Royal Priesthood of Believers. As such, the Small Catechism fulfills at least three functions for the Christian. First. the Small Catechism is a “user’s guide to the Bible.” In other words, the Small Catechism is that “pattern of sound words” that the Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to follow in II Timothy 1:13. The Small Catechism is not only a collection of essential doctrines, but the very pattern and shape of Christian doctrine. The Ten Commandments come first as the Law shows us our sin. The Apostles’ Creed follows the Ten Commandments as the Gospel follows the Law. The Creed confesses the one true God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Both the Father and His gifts in creation and the Spirit and His gifts that create and sustain faith are confessed in their relationship to the Son and His gift of redemption. The Our Father comes next-it is prayed in response to the Creed for it is the prayer of faith. The gifts confessed in the Second and Third Articles of the Creed are concretely given in Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and the Sacrament of the Altar. The daily prayers and table of duties form appendices to the six chief parts of Christian doctrine.

Second, the Small Catechism is our prayer book. Not only does the Small Catechism teach us what Christian prayer is by unfolding for us the prayer which our Lord gave His disciples, the Small Catechism provides us with a structure for our prayers within the rhythm of the day (morning, evening, and at meals). Pastor Wilhelm Loehe has commented that of all the catechisms in Christendom, only the Small Catechism can be prayed. The Catechism has a liturgical function, as it gives doxological focus to Christian doctrine in prayer and praise. This is essentially what Martin Luther does in his “catechism hymn” (see hymns “Here Is the Tenfold Sure Command,” LW, 331; “We All Believe in One True God,” LW, 213; “Our Father, Who from Heaven Above,” LW, 431; “To Jordan Came the Christ, Our Lord,” LW, 233; “From Depths of Woe I Cry to You,” LW, 230; and “0 Lord, We Praise You,” LW, 238).

Third, the Small Catechism is a handbook for the baptismal life. Writing in his treatise on The Freedom of a Christian, Luther notes that a Christian “lives not in himself but in Christ and in his neighbor . . . He lives in Christ through faith, in his neighbor through love. By faith, he is caught up beyond himself into God. By love he descends beneath himself into his neighbor” (American Edition of Luther’s Works[AE], 31:371). Just as the six chief parts of the Catechism draw us into Christ, so the Table of Duties draws us into the life of the neighbor in the concretion of the neighbor’s life in the congregation, government, family, and workplace. Living by faith in Christ, the Christian now gives himself in love to the neighbor according to his various callings in the world. “As (Christ) gives himself for us with his body and blood in order to redeem us from all misery, so we, too, are to give ourselves with might and main for our neighbor” (AE, 36:352).

Luther prepared his Catechism as an act of pastoral care for God’s people. The Saxon Visitation of 1528 revealed how deeply both the pastors and people were in need of catechesis. Luther alludes to these deplorable conditions in the Preface to the Small Catechism: “Good God, what wretchedness I beheld! The common people, especially those who live in the country, have no knowledge whatever of Christian teaching, and unfortunately many pastors are quite incompetent and unfitted for teaching. Although they are supposed to be Christian, are baptized, and receive the holy sacrament, they do not know the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments, they live as though they were pigs and irrational beasts, and now that the Gospel has been restored they have mastered the fine art of abusing liberty” (Book of Concord, Tappert, 338).

Often overlooked in the Preface is Luther’s threefold outline for catechesis. Much to the chagrin of some contemporary educational theorists, Luther starts with the text. He makes three salient points: First, don’t be so quick to adapt new and improved translations. Luther writes: “In the first place, the preacher should take the utmost care to avoid changes or variations in the texts and wording of the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the sacraments, etc. On the contrary, he should adopt one form, adhere to it, and use it repeatedly year after year. Young and inexperienced people must be instructed on the basis of a uniform, fixed text and form” (Tappert, 338). Second, after the text has been learned by heart, then the catechist can teach the catechumen its meaning. “In the second place, after the people have become familiar with the text, teach them what it means” (Tappert, 339). Third, after the people have mastered the rudiments of the Small Catechism, go into greater depth. “In the third place, after you have taught this brief catechism, take up a larger catechism so that the people may have a richer and fuller understanding” (Tappert, 340). With these principles in place, Luther intended that pastors would catechize their people so that the head of the household would be equipped to teach his family.

The Catechism: Handbook for the Royal Priesthood

“The Small Catechism, in chart and pamphlet form, quickly became one of the most important documents of the Lutheran Reformation. It moved the village altar into the family kitchen, literally bringing instruction in the faith home to the intimacies of family life”- James Nestingen, Luther: A Life, 76.

“Much of the influence of Lutheranism around the world can be traced to the success of this catechism in expressing the profound truths of the faith in a language that all can understand” -Mark Noll

I. Teaching the Catechism

· A definition of catechesis:

To teach the Word of God and pass on the language of our holy faith so that the baptized learn how to receive God’s gifts in the Divine Service, how to pray, how to confess, and how to live where God has called them in the freedom of the forgiveness of sins, with faith in Christ and love to the neighbor (Peter Bender).

· Some key biblical texts: Deuteronomy 6:4-12; Colossians 3:16-17; II Timothy 1:13.

II. The Catechism- A Prayer Book?

· Luther: “I am also a doctor and a preacher, just as learned and experienced as all of them who are so high and mighty. Nevertheless, each morning and whenever else I have time, I do as a child who is being taught the catechism and I read and recite word for word the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Psalms etc. I must still read and study the catechism –and I also do so gladly” (Preface to the Large Catechism, Kolb/Wengert, 380).
· “The world has now become very sure of itself. It relies on books and thinks that if these are read it knows everything. The devil almost succeeded in getting me, too, to become lazy and secure and think: ‘Here you have the books. If you read them you’ll have the answers.’ So the fanatics and sacramentarians suppose that because they have read only one little book they know everything. Against such security I pray the catechism every day like my little Hans and ask God to keep me in his dear holy Word, lest I grow weary of it” (Luther in a “table Talk” of July or August 1532, AE 54:163).
· Luther’s letter to Peter Beskendorf in 1535 (Tappert, pp.124-130). In this open letter, Luther gives instructions to pray the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments: “Out of each Commandment I make a garland of four strands. First of all, I take each Commandment as a teaching which is what it really is, and reflect on what our Lord God earnestly demands of me here. Secondly, I make a thanksgiving of it. Thirdly, a confession. Fourthly, a prayer….These are the Ten Commandments treated in a fourfold way –as a doctrinal book, hymnbook, confessional book, and prayer book” (in Tappert, pp, 129-130).
· Of all the catechisms of Christendom, only Luther’s Small Catechism may be prayed (Loehe).

III. The Catechism Before the Small Catechism

· Early Church Catechesis: Creed and Lord’s Prayer
· Medieval Catechism: Creed, Lord’s Prayer, Ten Commandments

IV. Why Did Luther Prepare the Catechisms?

· The request of Pastor Nicholas Hausmann for a catechism to use with “the common folk” (1524)
· Controversy between Agricola and Melanchthon on the place of the law in the Christian life
· A remedy to the maladies diagnosed in the Saxon Visitation of 1528. In the Preface to the Small Catechism, Luther writes “The deplorable, wretched deprivation that I recently encountered while I was a visitor has constrained and compelled me to prepare this catechism, or Christian instruction, in such a brief, plain, and simple version. Dear God, what misery I beheld! The ordinary person, especially in the villages, knows absolutely nothing about the Christian faith, and unfortunately many pastors are completely unskilled and incompetent teachers. Yet supposedly they all bear the name Christian, are baptized, and receive the holy sacrament, even though they do not know the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments! As a result they live like simple cattle or irrational pigs and, despite the fact that the Gospel has returned, have mastered the fine art of misusing their freedom” (Kolb/Wengert, 347-348).

V. What Shaped the Catechism?

· Luther’s “catechism sermons” which began in 1516.
· Luther’s writings designed to replace the “confessional manuals” of the medieval church such as “A Discussion on How Confession Should be Made” in 1519 (Luther’s Works, Vol. 39, pp. 27-47)
· Luther’s devotional literature such as the 1522 “Personal Prayer Book” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 43, pp.3-45). Included here would also be four of Luther’s “catechism hymns” which actually pre-date the publication of the Catechisms: “Here is the Tenfold Sure Command” (1524; LW 331), “We All Believe in One True God” (1524; LW 213), “From Depths of Woe I Cry to You” (1523; LW 230); “O Lord, We Praise Thee” (1524; LW 238). The other two catechism hymns, “To Jordan Came the Christ, Our Lord” (1541; LW 223) and “Our Father, Who From Heaven above” (1539: LW 431) appeared after the publication of the Catechisms.

VI. How Luther Wanted the Catechism Used: The Preface

· Avoid changes or variations in the text
· After the people have learned the text, teach them what it means
· Once people have been taught the shorter catechism take up the longer catechism

VII. The Six Chief Parts

“Thus the commandments teach man to recognize his sickness, enabling him to perceive what he must do or refrain from doing, consent to or refuse, and so he will recognize himself a sinful and wicked person. The Creed will teach and show him where to find the medicine-grace-which will help him to become devout and keep the commandments. The Creed points him to God and his mercy, given and made plain to him in Christ. Finally, the Lord’s Prayer teaches all this namely, through the fulfillment of God’s commandments everything will be given him. In these three are the essentials of the entire Bible” (Luther’s Works Vol. 43, p.14).

Note how this insight of Luther shapes his ordering of the chief parts:
· Ten Commandments
· Creed
· Lord’s Prayer
· Holy Baptism
· Confession/Absolution
· Sacrament of the Altar

The Second Article of the Creed is the pivotal point of the catechism:

Ten Commandments/First Article
Second Article
Third Article/Lord’s Prayer
(Sacraments)

VIII. Appendices: Vocation of Faith and Love

· Morning, Evening, and Table Prayers
· Table of Duties
· Marriage Booklet
· Baptismal Booklet

VII. A Final Thought From Luther: “And finally, I strongly urge that the children be taught the catechism. Should they be taken captive in the invasion, they will at least take something of the Christian faith with them. Who knows what God might accomplish through them. Joseph as a seventeen year-old youth was sold into slavery into Egypt, but he had God’s word and knew what he believed” (1541) Appeal for Prayer Against the Turks AE 43:239.

IX. For Further Reading and Study

Bender, Peter. Lutheran Catechesis
Brokering, Herbert. Luther’s Prayers
Engelbrecht, Edward (editor). To All Eternity: The
Essential Teachings of Christianity
Engelbrecht, Edward (editor). The Lord Will Answer: A Daily Prayer
Catechism
Kittelson, James. Luther the Reformer
Kolb, Robert. Teaching God’s Children His Teaching
Kolb, Robert and Wengert, Timothy (editors). The Book of
Concord
Luther, Martin. Holy Week and Easter Sermons of 1529
Luther, Martin. “Personal Prayer Book” in Luther’s Works
Vol. 43, pp.3-45
Nestingen, James. “Justification by Faith in Luther’s Small Catechism” in
Logia (Reformation 2007), 15-20
Nestingen, James. “Luther on Marriage, Vocation, and the Cross”
Word & World (Winter 2003), 31-39
Nestingen, James. Martin Luther: A Life
Nestingen, James. “The Lord’s Prayer in Luther’s Catechism” in
Word & World (Winter 2002), 36-48
Paulson, Steven. Luther for the Armchair Theologian
Ozment, Steven. When Fathers Ruled: Family Life in Reformation
Europe
Pless. John T. “Catechesis for Life in the Royal Priesthood” in
A Reader in Pastoral Theology, pp.63-70
Pless, John T. Didache
Russell, William. “Prayer: The Practical Focus of Luther’s Theology”
In Let Christ Be Christ, pp. 293-298
Steinhaeuser, Albert T.W. “Luther’s Small Catechism as a Manual
Of Devotion” Lutheran Church Review (July 1926), 283
Steinmetz, David C. “Luther and Formation in Faith” in
Educating People of Faith: Exploring the History of Jewish
& Christian Communities.
Tappert, Theodore. Luther: Letters of Spiritual Counsel