What is a Catechism?

A catechism (pronunciation: /ˈkætəˌkizəm/; from Greek: κατηχέω, "to teach orally")

Is a Catechism for me?

Catechism sounds like a word used by the Catholic Church or some other denomination but not Baptist.

I remember the first time I heard the word “Catechism,” a girl I worked with had grown up in the Catholic Church. She talked to me about her time in catechism classes. That was the extent of my understanding. It was something that kids in the Catholic school or Church did. In recent years I have come to understand it a little better. Catechism class and Bible doctrine classes have a lot in common.

I believe a catechism class might do us all some good. It for sure is a good place to start in learning some foundational truths of the Scriptures. Let me reiterate; this is a good starting point for building the foundation of spiritual truth in our lives.

Catechisms have been around for a long time, dating back to the middle ages. Martin Luther made the Question, answer format popular in 1529, in his “Small Catechism.” Catechisms have been used to teach leaders in the church and heads of families, so that that they could teach their families the foundational truths of the Scriptures.

Tim Keller gives three reasons why we should continue to teach catechism.

“Catechisms were written with at least three purposes. The first was to set forth a comprehensive exposition of the gospel—not only to explain clearly what the gospel is, but also to lay out the building blocks on which the gospel is based, such as the biblical doctrines of God, of human nature, of sin, and so forth. The second purpose was to do this exposition in such a way that the heresies, errors and false beliefs of the time and culture were addressed and counteracted. The third and more pastoral purpose was to form a distinct people, a counterculture that reflected the likeness of Christ not only in individual character but also in the church’s communal life.”

Here is a link to the “New City Catechism.” You may find this helpful in learning and teaching some of the biblical foundations of our faith!