Protestant Catechism, is there such a thing?

[His student]

So..... where do Protestant's go to get the official teaching on faith and morals. (i.e,
catechism?) or is there such a thing?

As others have correctly pointed out - the 66 books of the Bible is the larger catechism. It was given to us by God Himself.

Different groups have shorter catechisms (statements of faith) based on their understanding of the official larger catechism. Those shorter catechism obviously vary according to the understanding of those who identify with a particular group.

If the people in a particular group are willing to and are really hearing from the Holy Spirit - their shorter statements of faith will be added to or amended from time to time - just as Rome does.

Rome, of course, is bound by tradition and therefore it is usually just additions and very few amendments, if any, that we see.

IMO - any amendments coming out of Rome are purposefully left a bit hazy so as to not violate the idea of infallibility and or tradition.

 

[anna ~ grace]

What does this have to do with anything the OP was asking? I am certain a thread could be about the weather and a Sola Scriptura post would inevitably appear.

Well, this is CF.

 

[Tree of Life]

Reason I ask, a few day's ago, a co-worker of mine that is a Protestant was asking me on various topics of the Catholic Church (doctrines/dogmas) and how am I to know the official Catholic Church's teaching on such topics. My answer........ The Catechism of the Catholic Church. (CCC) He was unaware that there was even such a thing, so I told him I would bring my copy of the the Catechism the following day.

After thumbing through it on our lunch break, he asked me if there is such a thing that a Protestant could turn to for official teaching in Protestantism, such as a Protestant Catechism, for he has never heard of such a thing. I told him I didn't know, and I too never heard of such a thing when I was Protestant before my converting to the Catholic Church.

So..... where do Protestant's go to get the official teaching on faith and morals. (i.e,
catechism?) or is there such a thing? I have yet to tell my co-worker, but I have come to believe there is not, or could not be due to the fact of the various denominations teaching "different doctrine" as in Baptism, the Rapture, once saved always saved, ect. for examples

Thoughts?

Rome is not the only empire to produce a catechism. Many other cities and countries have produced their own catechisms such as the Genevan Catechism, Heidelberg, Westminster, Belgic Confession, Augsburg, Dordt, etc.

 

[Jonaitis]

Scripture both old and new is the only form of catechizing for those who do not follow traditions of men.
2 Timothy 3
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I never understood why people have a problem with catechisms. It is a great tool to teach doctrine to children and new believers, using a series of questions and answers regarding theology.

Q. 40 - Why was it necessary for Christ to suffer "death"?

A. 40 - Because the justice and truth of God required that satisfaction for our sins could be made in no other way than by the death of the Son of God.

When my younger brother came to Christ a few years ago, I began catechizing him through the Heidelberg Catechism to help him grasp concepts of the faith and what they are. It really strengthened his faith and knowledge of Scripture, and drew him closer to God.

 

[Tree of Life]

IIRC Rome was not the first to produce a catechism. I believe they began producing theirs in response to other countries producing catechisms.

 

[Redwingfan9]

Reason I ask, a few day's ago, a co-worker of mine that is a Protestant was asking me on various topics of the Catholic Church (doctrines/dogmas) and how am I to know the official Catholic Church's teaching on such topics. My answer........ The Catechism of the Catholic Church. (CCC) He was unaware that there was even such a thing, so I told him I would bring my copy of the the Catechism the following day.

After thumbing through it on our lunch break, he asked me if there is such a thing that a Protestant could turn to for official teaching in Protestantism, such as a Protestant Catechism, for he has never heard of such a thing. I told him I didn't know, and I too never heard of such a thing when I was Protestant before my converting to the Catholic Church.

So..... where do Protestant's go to get the official teaching on faith and morals. (i.e,
catechism?) or is there such a thing? I have yet to tell my co-worker, but I have come to believe there is not, or could not be due to the fact of the various denominations teaching "different doctrine" as in Baptism, the Rapture, once saved always saved, ect. for examples

Thoughts?

In the reformed world there is the Westminster Confession (as well as the larger and shorter catechisms) and the Dutch three forms of unity (cannons of dort, Heidelberg Catechism and Belgic Confession). All of them are adequate statements of faith based on what scripture teaches.

 

[redleghunter]

If sola scriptura were true, why does ANYONE need a catechism?

For teaching purposes.

 

[redleghunter]

The questions you need to answer are all one step beyond that.

- If sola scriptura were true, why does ANYONE need a catechism? - Which by the way is the meaning of "tradition" - paradosis, the entire faith handed down. It is not the colloquial usage now. Like it or not ALL view scripture through a lens of tradition, whether they recognise it or not. The catechisms etc are that lens.

- The catechisms and confessions mandate specific interpretation of scripture. How can you know that that version is true?
- By what power and authority are catechisms written and decisions taken?
- How can that power be traced back to pre new testament christianity. And where is the continuity?
Hint. Consider the power to "bind and loose". Who has it, and when was it used.

Take a simple example. Either the only reference to "keys of the kingdom" is the OT , herald the same office of steward, when Jesus referred to it in respect of Peter, or it does not. By what authority do you say that is true or not?

The power given to peter "bind and loose" which means give definitive judgement on doctrineand later (jointly) to other apostles gives the ability to resolve matters then "bound in heaven or not". Where is the power to give definitive judgement now?

When scripture refers to the church as the "foundation of truth" what does it mean.

When yet another branch of yet another denomination fractures into two , because of a point of doctrine or teaching, by what authority do they say the "other lot" are wrong?

The question of authority is what divides christians.

The catechisms confessions, statements of faith, call them what you wil, prove tradition
And the believe in veracity of a catechism, is also declaring authority to say it is true.
But how do you know?

When at a council the fatherspresent at Chalcedon and the "Tome of Leo" said "there speaks peter" what did they mean? When those from Iraneus, to Augustine list popes, (in augustines case as a auhtority against donatism) why did they do that?

Your choice. But those are the questions.
Christianity did not start at the reformation.

Because they all disagree, Only one of those catechisms can be truth. The rest are partially false. How so if they have authority?

Those are the questions. All must decide answers for themselves.
What underpins their belief in veracity of a catechism, confession, statement of faith , call it what you will.

What did you use before the CCC was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992?

 

[PaulCyp1]

How could there be? The teaching of each denomination contradicts the teaching of the others. Which is why Jesus Christ founded one Church, said it was to remain one, and promised that one Church the fullness of God's truth.

 

[redleghunter]

IIRC Rome was not the first to produce a catechism. I believe they began producing theirs in response to other countries producing catechisms.

There was not a centralized Roman Catholic Catechism until 1992. Before that each episcopate and even dioses. Sometimes you get the answer "The Baltimore catechism is what we used before the CCC" but that was the catechism used for that episcopate which became popular among others.

Up thread I laid this out.

#21

#22

#23

 

[redleghunter]

How could there be? The teaching of each denomination contradicts the teaching of the others. Which is why Jesus Christ founded one Church, said it was to remain one, and promised that one Church the fullness of God's truth.

Why did it take until 1992 to have a centralized Roman Catholic catechism?

Answer: There was not a centralized Roman Catholic Catechism until 1992. Before that each episcopate and even dioses had their own. Sometimes you get the answer "The Baltimore catechism is what we used before the CCC" but that was the catechism used for that episcopate which became popular among others.

Up thread I laid this out.

#21

#22

#23

 

[redleghunter]

Scripture both old and new is the only form of catechizing for those who do not follow traditions of men.
2 Timothy 3
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Catechisms of the Wesleyan Methodist

 

[redleghunter]

Then of course there is the Shai Linne 'catechism.'

Jesus Kids | shai linne

 

[redleghunter]

Just a sample:

 

[Albion]

Thanks to all that have responded, and by these responses, it seems that I may have been correct in my conclusion.

1. If any non-Catholic wanted to learn about the Catholic Church and her teachings (as my co-worker did) all they need to do is get a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and read it for themselves.

2. The very fact that I am being referred to several different confessions of faith (or catechisms) by the different posters of this thread backs what I stated in my OP, that my belief there is no Protestant equivalent to the CCC, being there is no "one source" within Protestantism that a Catholic can consult to find out what Protestants believe on any given article of faith or morals. Would you all agree?

IOW, which catechism can Catholics read that gives them the official teachings of each and every Protestant? Is the Reformed catechism the official teaching of the Baptists? Is the Baptist catechism the official teaching of the Methodist church? And what about all of those non-denominational denominations out there? Where are the catechisms with their official teachings? Which of the Protestant catechisms can a Catholic go as to know which represents the official teaching of all of Protestantism?

In the mean time, I will do some comparing of the teachings of the Protestant catechisms and confessions,ect. provided by posters with each other and see what I come up with. Again, thanks to all that gave their input

The catechisms used in the various Protestant churches are not as detailed as is the Catholic catechism, but every Protestant denomination that I am aware of has a statement of faith which seems to me to be what your friend was interested in. If it is not one of the historic churches which have confessions of faith that are pretty well known by name, then they still have something. Even the typical non-denominational church will post a list of the beliefs it considers basic and essential; and these are normally to be found online.

 

[Not David]

I never understood why people have a problem with catechisms. It is a great tool to teach doctrine to children and new believers, using a series of questions and answers regarding theology.

Q. 40 - Why was it necessary for Christ to suffer "death"?

A. 40 - Because the justice and truth of God required that satisfaction for our sins could be made in no other way than by the death of the Son of God.

When my younger brother came to Christ a few years ago, I began catechizing him through the Heidelberg Catechism to help him grasp concepts of the faith and what they are. It really strengthened his faith and knowledge of Scripture, and drew him closer to God.

I agree with my friend Jonaitis, even if you are Protestant, a lot of people can say they teach from the Bible when they don't.

 

[Pádraigín Ní Saorlaith]

There's not really a singular Protestant Catechism, but you can find ones for individual denominations. Luther's Small Catechism is one example. The Book of Common Prayer contains another.

The Five Solae and the Creeds (Apostles, Nicene, etc.) should help your friend understand Protestantism more generally. If your friend wants a slightly deeper overview of Protestantism, Christian Confessions: A Historical Introduction by Ted A. Campbell gives a pretty good theological breakdown of Reformed/Union churches (defined in the book broadly as Lutherans, Anglicans, and various Calvinist denominations) and Evangelical/Free churches (defined broadly in the book as ranging from Anabaptists to Methodists to Pentecostals). It also goes into Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

 

[Strong in Him]

I don't think they are, even in intent.

The 39 Articles set out some boundaries; all clergy were (and in many places, still are) required to assent to them. But assent doesn't mean "I wholeheartedly affirm this is an accurate statement of what I believe." It means keeping your public ministry within the limitations described by the Articles. (Ie. don't preach against them or do something in public worship which defies them).

Thank you.
Lay Preachers in the Methodist church also have to agree to preach nothing "at variance with Methodist doctrines". But not publicly speaking against them doesn't mean we privately agree with them - I guess that's the same thing.

 

[Anguspure]

Reason I ask, a few day's ago, a co-worker of mine that is a Protestant was asking me on various topics of the Catholic Church (doctrines/dogmas) and how am I to know the official Catholic Church's teaching on such topics. My answer........ The Catechism of the Catholic Church. (CCC) He was unaware that there was even such a thing, so I told him I would bring my copy of the the Catechism the following day.

After thumbing through it on our lunch break, he asked me if there is such a thing that a Protestant could turn to for official teaching in Protestantism, such as a Protestant Catechism, for he has never heard of such a thing. I told him I didn't know, and I too never heard of such a thing when I was Protestant before my converting to the Catholic Church.

So..... where do Protestant's go to get the official teaching on faith and morals. (i.e,
catechism?) or is there such a thing? I have yet to tell my co-worker, but I have come to believe there is not, or could not be due to the fact of the various denominations teaching "different doctrine" as in Baptism, the Rapture, once saved always saved, ect. for examples

Thoughts?

The Bible is the Protestant Book.

 

[Redwingfan9]

The Bible is the Protestant Book.

While protestants adhere to sola scriptura, we have never been opposed to the concept of connecting distant verses together in catechisms or confessions of faith. We've never been opposed to basic statements of what scripture teaches so long as those statements don't serve as a substitute for scripture.