Trinity OPC in Franklin, PA has provided a complete set of lessons from the Westminster Shorter Catechism. These lessons are helpful resources for catechetical instruction in the home and at church.
Archive for the ‘Catechesis’ Category
Archibald Alexander on Catechizing
The word “catechizing” seems to elicit a multitude of reactions ranging from scorn to confusion. Whether someone envisages a family whose definition of fun is sitting around quizzing one another on their knowledge of 17th century cultural norms, or whether hearing this word leads them to say, “Cate-what?” there is no doubt that this practice of catechizing is at an all time low due to the ignorance of its nature and importance. Catechetical training is something that everyone does! The questions that should be asked are, ‘What are you catechizing your children in,” and “How are you catechizing them?” The failure to understand the importance of this discipline compelled Archibald Alexander–the first professor of theology at Princeton Theological Seminary–to author the small pamphlet titled, “The Duty of Catechetical Instruction.” In this pamphlet Alexander persuasively explains what catechizing is and why we must be serious about doing it in our homes and churches. “Catechetical instruction,” wrote Alexander, “must have been coeval with the human family. At first all knowledge was communicated orally, and handed down by tradition. The first man delivered a stock of important ideas to his children; and they again to theirs, with different degrees of ability and fidelity.” Read the rest of this entry »
The Importance of Catechesis
Several years before arriving at reformed convictions, I thought catechetical instruction was some peculiar phenomenon that only Roman Catholics and Lutherans did. It seemed to me like a strange pseudo-brainwashing activity that was a holdover from years past. But after becoming reformed I started to see the absolute importance of catechetical instruction. It became evident to me after reflecting upon my college experience.
During my college years I encountered Christians from a wide variety of backgrounds. This experience eventually sent me into doctrinal disarray. I was hearing all sorts of ideas about eschatology, worship, views of Scripture, etc. and was having difficulty squaring each of these claims with what I was taught as a child. Lost in the process of weighing competing claims I did not know where to go in Scripture or my church’s teaching to determine the truth. It was only after college that I saw how catechetical instruction would have prepared me for such an experience. Read the rest of this entry »