Road Trippin With Rachael

In many ways the western church has taken the public school approach to our faith and spiritual formation – in other words, societally we hand the education of our children over to someone else. This doesn’t mean that all parents are uninvolved – my parents were very involved in my education both at school and in church. But it does mean that we have mentally shifted from thinking “I need to teach my kids about Jesus” to “I need to take my kids to church so they can learn about Jesus.”

The catechism is an interesting subject, that the western church, by and large, doesn’t give a lot of thought to, although it has traditionally been a tool to help teach the foundational principles of faith, it has in the last century become associated with different denominations, and less associated with Christianity as a whole. This is sad indeed, as it is an excellent tool for parents to use, not only to be involved in their child’s spiritual and faith development, but also because its a great reminder of foundations for parents. Even though the catechism has been around since the early church, it still has its place in the church today, with many different iterations, making finding one for your family all the easier! But I think we need to make this just a little easier.

History of the Catechism

The Catechism has been around since the early church. Early converts were referred to as the Catechuminate – where they would go through a class, or “right of passage” which included baptistm as a way of joining the local congregation. It was a way that the churches could clearly articulate the foundational beliefs of Christianity, and these were further clarified after each successive Church Council.

After the Reformation in 1517, as more denominations developed, catechisms were developed for these various denominations. Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, as well as various other denominations developed their own catechism, following the same general format – some being longer or shorter (hence the Westminster Shorter Catechism). Catechisms are a series of questions and answers meant to be concise theological statements, and also have support text with them for reference. Some notable Catechisms are: The Westminster Longer/Shorter Catechism, The Lutheran Catechism, C.H. Spurgeon’s Catechism, Baptist Catechism of 1678,  Heidelberg Catechism, and a much more modern one, The New City Catechism. 

How Does This Work?

When we are holding the conversation about whether catechisms should be used, the big questions become: “Do I have to?” “Are they really that helpful?” “How can I work this into my day?” All of these are valid questions to ask. Let’s take them one at a time and explore them.

Do I Have To?

No, you don’t. Like any tool, it is there for you to use, but that doesn’t mean you have to use it. Consider opening up a can of paint. You can buy a paint opener, or you can use a flathead screwdriver. Both will work to get the job done, but the paint opener is designed to do that job. Working with your family through a series of questions and answers takes some of the planning off you, but you could just as easily do the same in naturally occurring teachable moments during the day. Similar to a curriculum in a classroom setting, it adds some organization to learning.

Are They Really That Helpful?

That depends. If you are consistent and build on the questions as you go through it, then it is. The unstated purpose of a catechism is to get young (and old) minds thinking about the question and why the answer is what it is. Rather than developing only head knowledge, catechisms are meant to be a jumping off point to help that head knowledge migrate to the heart. Thus creating a solid foundation that stays with children and Christians of all ages as they go through life and encounter both joy and sorrow. Had you been one of my former student workers, you would  have heard me say that education is about playing the long game; you are continuously building on what you previously learned to get an anticipated end result. The Catechism is a part of that foundation – the final result will be years down the road to determine if it was truly helpful for your family.  

How Do I Work This Into My Day?

Unfortunately, I can only give you suggestions – ultimately, if this is something you determine to be what you want to do, you’ll find a way to do it. A few ways this could be done is before your kids go to sleep as a part of the getting ready for bed routine. You could also do it before kids head off to school. A pastor of a church I attended several years ago would have his family all together before walking out the door during the week and his wife would lead a devotional – they called it “Word From Your Mother.” You could do it as a weekly thing; no one said it had to be done everyday. Basically, as with most things, find what is going to work the best for you and for your family. If you can figure that out, then after a few times it will be a natural part of the day/week. 

I hope that this was helpful for you and you’ve been able to take some time to understand what a catechism is, and how it can be used by you and your family. I have a deep love for them after being introduced to the concept in college, and it was really what sparked my love for education in the church. Hopefully, it will spark that same joy in you