The Westminster Shorter Catechism [a reading]

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:

What is the chief end of man?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
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.”

[End video narrative]

This video is being posted for those new to Christianity who want to learn foundational aspects of the faith that most skip over to their own harm later on in their walk. Foundational building blocks are necessary for higher knowledge to rest upon. Something like the video I recently posted by Ken Ham, those were his words about Genesis 1-11.

Regarding skipping foundational things, in The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian, the pilgrim, met a person on his journey to the celestial city who climbed over the fence, not starting at the beginning [I assume that Bunyan meant that this person did not begin by reading the word, experiencing his own depravity and repenting…being born again; like those who ‘sign a card’ and profess Christ in our day]. I believe that person went to hell from a portal at the gate of heaven.

The reading is 1 hour and 30 minutes long. It is available in booklet form at Reformation Heritage Books, Amazon (they have it on kindle for $0.99 and $5 paperback). See links at end of post.

Link to purchase at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Westminster-Shorter-Catechism-English-Scripture/dp/B0BW2GDN84/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1L28RF4RKGPSB&keywords=westminster+shorter+catechism&qid=1691608121&s=books&sprefix=westminster+short%2Cstripbooks%2C297&sr=1-1

Reformation Heritage Books offers a variety of Westminster Shorter Catechisms from $1.50 to $18.

https://www.heritagebooks.org/Search.html#/Search.html?search=Westminster+shorter+catechism

Westminster also offers a Confession of Faith and a Larger Catechism. But the shorter one will introduce you to their methods of presenting Bible doctrine to aid you in Bible study and comprehension.

Narrative and links that accompanied the above video at YouTube:

The above video is from the YouTube site, Christian Sermons and Audio Books. The following link is to their video page: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristisLord/videos

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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