Heidelberg Catechism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Heidelberg Catechism is a document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine. It has been translated into many languages and is regarded as one of the most influential of the Reformed catechisms.

Elector Frederick III, sovereign of the Palatinate from 1559 to 1576, appointed Zacharius Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus to write a Reformed catechism based on input from leading Reformed scholars of the time. One of its aims was to counteract the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church basing each of its statements on the text of the Bible. Another one was to find common ground between the Lutherans and the Reformed.

Commissioned by the sovereign of Palatinate, it is sometimes referred to as the Palatinate Catechism.

The Catechism is divided into fifty-two sections, each to be taught on one Sunday of the year. The Synod of Heidelberg approved the catechism in 1563. In the Netherlands, the Synod of Dordt of 1618-1619 adopted it as one of the Three Forms of Unity, together with the Belgic Confession and the Canons of Dordt. As such, ministers, elders and deacons were required to subscribe to it. Moreover, ministers were required to preach on a section of the Catechism each Sunday, so as to increase the often poor theological knowledge of the church members. In many Dutch reformed denominations, this practice is still continued.

In its current form the Heidelberg Catechism consists of 129 questions and answers. These are divided into three main parts:

I Of the misery of man

This part consists of the 2nd till 4th Sunday sections and discusses the Fall, the natural condition of man and Gods demands on him in His law.

II Of the redemption of man

This part consists of the 5th till 30th Sunday sections and discusses:

The need for a Redeemer
The importance of faith, the content of which is explained by an exposition of the 12 Articles of the Christian faith
The discussion of these articles is further divided into sections on 'God the Father and our creation' (Sundays 9-10), 'God the Son and our salvation' (Sundays 11-19, 'God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification' (Sundays 20 - 22)
Justification
The Sacraments of baptism and last supper

III Of the gratitude due from man

This part consists of the 31st till 52nd Sundays sections and discusses:

Conversion
The ten commandments (Sundays 34 - 44)
The Lord's prayer (Sundays 45 -52)

The first Sunday section should should be read as a summary of the catechism as a whole. As such, it beautifully illustrates the character of this work, which is devotional rather than dogmatic. This can be seen in the first question, which is "What is your only comfort in life and death?", on which the answer is: "That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.".

The fact that this booklet was also meant to form bridges between Lutheran and Reformed Protestants in Germany can for example be seen from the role the Law takes as both the source of knowledge of man's depravity and misery (first part of the Catechism) and the 'rule for gratitude', the source of knowledge of God's will for a holy life.

The influence of the Catechism extended to the Westminster Assembly of Divines who, in part, used it as the basis for their Shorter Catechism.

Main articles: Catechism and Reformed Christian confessions of faith