Thursday, 13 September 2012

• Structure of the Westminster Shorter Catechism

  Westminster Shorter Catechism at www.reformed.org
  
  Catechizing has been an art in the history of the Church. The question is how to teach children basic doctrines in a meaningful way. Although the word "indoctrination" has a very negative connotation today, teaching the doctrines and the works of God has always been the duty of the family (Deuteronomy 6:7). It is the duty of ministers and head of household. The minister would check the progress of the catechumen during visitations. All catechisms have a certain organization. Traditionally, catechism has three key components: The Apostles' Creed, The Ten Commandments, and The Lord's Prayer. An example is Luther's Small Catechism. However, the Westminster Catechisms have replaced the Creed by Covenant Theology presented in a Trinitarian framework. The Divines had decided to replace the Creed because the Creed "though scriptural, was not Scripture." (cf. Question 2 on Sola Scriptura) It also allows the catechism to have a stronger christological thrust. (see Van Dixhoorn's article on the Westminster Larger Catechism) My take on the structure of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is as follow. After establishing the "chief end" of man and the authority of the Word of God, Question 3 comes the coordinating answer that structures the whole catechism. The answer has two parts: first, what man is to believe about God (the Indicatives), and, second, what duty God has given to man (the Imperatives). There are complaints that the Confession has no specific chapters for the Holy Spirit and the Trinity and I think the Shorter Catechism answers those complaints. The document is a guard for us and our children when we approach the Scripture and life.
  
  Introduction: Belief and Duty of Man (Q1-3)
  Part I: What man is to believe concerning God (Q4-38)
  

  Introduction: The Triune God (Q4-6)
  Works of God the Father (Q7-19)
  

  Introduction: God’s Plan (Q7-8)
  God’s Works in Creation and Providence (Q9-12)
  Man’s Fall: His Sins and Miseries (Q13-19)
  

  Works of the Son (Q20-28)
  

  Introduction: God and Man in One Person, Two Natures, Three Offices (Q20-23)
  Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King (Q24-26)
  Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ (Q27-28)
  

  Works of the Holy Spirit (Q29-38)
  

  Introduction: Redemption Applied by the Holy Spirit (Q29-30)
  Effectual Calling (Q31)
  Benefits of Our Calling: Justification, Adoption, and Sanctification (Q32-35)
  Accompanying Benefits of Our Calling (Q36-38)
  

  Part II: What Duty God Requires of Man (Q39-107)
  

  Duty: Ten Commandment (Q39-81)
  

  Introduction: The Commandments (Q39-42)
  Preface of the Ten Commandments (Q43-44)
  First Commandment (Q45-48)
  Second Commandment (Q49-52)
  Third Commandment (Q53-56)
  Fourth Commandment (Q57-62)
  Fifth Commandment (Q63-66)
  Sixth Commandment (Q67-69)
  Seventh Commandment (Q70-72)
  Eighth Commandment (Q73-75)
  Ninth Commandment (Q76-78)
  Tenth Commandment (Q79-81)
  

  Duty: How We Fall Short (Q82-84)
  Duty: God’s Solution for Our Failure (Q85-87)
  Duty: Christ’s Solution for Our Failure (Q88-107)
  

  Introduction: Three Means in Knowing the Benefits of Our Redemption (Q88)
  Mean I: The Word (Q89-90)
  Mean II: Sacraments (Q91-97)
  

  Introduction: Effectual Means of Salvation (Q91-93)
  Baptism (Q94-95)
  Lord’s Supper (Q96-97)
  

  Mean III: Prayer (Q98-107)
  

  Introduction to Prayer (Q98-99)
  Preface of the Lord’s Prayer (Q100)
  Six Petitions of the Lord’s Prayer (Q101-106)
  Conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer (Q107)

   

  [Started 1/5/2007, Updated 1/25/2008]

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