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Westminster Shorter Catechism (1648) – The Westminster Assembly Of Covenanted Divines

Luke 1:4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Assembly at EDINBURGH, July 28, 1648. Sess. 19.
Act approving the SHORTER CATECHISM
The General Assembly having seriously considered the SHORTER
CATECHISM agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines sitting at
Westminster, with assistance of Commissioners from this Kirk; do
find, upon due examination thereof, that the said Catechism is
agreeable to the word of God, and in nothing contrary to the received
doctrine, worship, discipline, and government of this Kirk: And
therefore approve the said Shorter Catechism, as a part of the
intended uniformity, to be a Directory for catechising such as are of
weaker capacity.

The purpose of the Shorter Catechism is to educate children and others “of weaker capacity” (according to a preface written by the Church of Scotland) in the Reformed faith. It is based on the Larger Catechism, which was intended for use by ministers as they taught the faith to their congregations in preaching. The Catechism is in a question and answer format, which had been popularized by Martin Luther as a way to help children learn the meaning of the material, rather than simply memorizing the Lord’s Prayer, Ten Commandments, and Apostles’ Creed as had been the practice prior to the Reformation.

The catechism is composed of 107 questions and answers. The first 12 questions concern God as Creator. Questions 13–20 deal with original sin and the fallen state of man’s nature. Questions 21–38 concern Christ the Redeemer and the benefits that flow from redemption. The next set of questions, 39–84, discuss the Ten Commandments. Questions 85–97 teach concerning the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. The final set of questions, 98–107, teach and explain the Lord’s prayer. This organization mimics the earlier Heidelberg Catechism used by many Continental Reformed churches.

The most famous of the questions (known to a great many Presbyterian children) is the first:

Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
A. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.

“Sanctified theological learning has never been brought to bear with greater effect upon the formulation of the Christian Faith. While it would be dishonoring to the Holy Spirit to accord to these documents a place in any way equal to the Word of God either in principle or in practical effect, yet it would also be dishonoring to the Holy Spirit, who has promised to be with His church to the end, to undervalue or neglect what is the product of His illumination and direction in the hearts and minds of His faithful servants. Other men laboured and we have entered into their labours.”

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