Protestant Catechism, is there such a thing?

redleghunter

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What is a brief history of the Catechism?


The Catechism of the Catholic Church originated with a recommendation made at the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in 1985. In 1986 Pope John Paul II appointed a Commission of Cardinals and Bishops to develop a compendium of Catholic doctrine. In 1989 the Commission sent the text to all the Bishops of the world for consultation. In 1990 the Commission examined and evaluated over 24,000 amendments suggested by the world's bishops. The final draft is considerably different from the one that was circulated in 1989. In 1991 the Commission prepared the text for the Holy Father's official approval. On June 25, 1992 Pope John Paul II officially approved the definitive version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. On December 8, 1992 Pope John Paul II promulgated the Catechism with an apostolic constitution.


Frequently Asked Questions about the Catechism of the Catholic Church
 
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redleghunter

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Dear Reader: Thank you for your question. The Baltimore Catechism and the Catechism of the Catholic Church are not the same thing. The Baltimore Catechism was a Catechism of Christian Doctrine prepared as a result of Third Council of Baltimore. Following the Council of Trent, St. Robert Bellarmine, SJ, published a Small Catechism, which was translated into many languages. However, as early as 1829, the American bishops expressed a desire (not realized until 1885) for a catechism suited to the people of America. The Baltimore Catechism was the de facto text for Catholic instruction in the United States from 1885 until the late-1960s.

There were four “versions” of the Baltimore Catechism; Number 0 was for first Communion; Number 1 was the basic catechism; Number 2 was the confirmation Catechism; Number 3 was a course of study to be used after confirmation; and Number 4 was directed toward teachers of doctrine. The Baltimore Catechism utilized a question and answer format and had illustrations to help explain complex ideas. I still have and cherish my “New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism, No. 2”, published in 1969. Despite the great love for the Baltimore Catechism of many Catholics, it needed to be updated following Vatican II.

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) brought many changes to church life and to the approach to theology and catechesis. Following the Council, there was a great crisis in catechesis, which Blessed Pope John Paul II addressed in his Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae (1979). Twenty years after the conclusion of the Council, Blessed John Paul II asked that a universal catechism be prepared incorporating the teachings of Vatican II within the living tradition of the church. This project was overseen largely by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) and Dominican Father Christoph von Schonborn (currently the Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna). The French edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church was issued in 1992, and a second edition was published in 1997. Later the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2005) and YouCat (for young people) were issued in the familiar question and answer format similar to that of the Baltimore Catechism.


Are the Baltimore Catechism and Catechism of the Catholic Church the same?
 
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redleghunter

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Since there was not a universal Catholic catechism until 1992 and revised in 1997 and amended by Pope Francis last year 2018 (for philosophy of the death penalty), many if not all of the various Protestant catechisms are older and rooted on Holy Scriptures as the supreme authority to test truth claims.
 
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Rescued One

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If he asks the pastors of different denominations they probably have little books for potential members to borrow. The public library might have a book that gives an overview of various denominations; I bought a book like that when I left Mormonism.
 
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anna ~ grace

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Since there was not a universal Catholic catechism until 1992 and revised in 1997 and amended by Pope Francis last year 2018 (for philosophy of the death penalty), many if not all of the various Protestant catechisms are older and rooted on Holy Scriptures as the supreme authority to test truth claims.
True. Prior to the official Catechism, Papal declarations, dogmatic statements, Ecumenical Council decrees (like Nicea, Ephesus), later Catholic councils (Trent), the writings and works of the Saints, hymns, creeds, devotions, prayers, liturgies, and Sacred Scripture all made up how the Church taught and proclaimed Truth.

I kind of like the scattered system better. Frankly. Less easy to edit, reprint, and alter.
 
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miggles

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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.
 
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Jonaitis

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There are Baptist Catechisms too.

A Baptist Catechism: Of the General Baptist Assembly of 1693.
Keach's Catechism.
The Orthodox Catechism.
The Philadelphia Baptist Catechism.
A Puritan Catechism by Charles Spurgeon.

And many many more...
 
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St_Worm2

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........which catechism can Catholics read that gives them the official teachings of each and every Protestant [church/denomination]?
Hello again Fidelibus, if you want to know what the Roman Catholic Church teaches, you'd probably begin by using the CCC (as you just pointed out).

If you want to know what the Eastern Orthodox Church teaches, you'd look to their confessions, catechisms, creeds, statements of faith.

If you want to know what the Presbyterian Church teaches, you'd probably begin by looking at the Westminster Standards (as I pointed out earlier).

And so it would go for the rest of the Protestant Churches, just like it does for the Catholic Churches, the RCC, the EOC, the OOC, etc., church by church. Surely no one who is interested in knowing what the RCC teaches would look to the EOC to find out, and so it is with Protestant churches/denominations.

--David
 
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Daniel9v9

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As already mentioned, the Lutheran Church certainly value their Catechism(s), which is also included in the Lutheran Confessions; the Concordia. The Reformed churches vary in what they use. The different daughter bodies that came out of the Reformed generally viewed creeds with some suspicion and many opposed confessional writings, which also included catechisms. This is why you typically won't find the word "catechism" in charismatic and non-denominational bodies in our day. However, that doesn't mean the practice isn't there. Many have adopted the Alpha Course (Anglican produced, but popular in charismatic circles) and I know of a few non-denominational churches that have developed their own kind of catechism, only that's named something like "First Steps" or "Word Life".

In other words:
Lutheran: The Small Catechism (primary in use) and the Large Catechism (secondary in use). They've been the same since the reformation, though there are several commentaries available on them.

Reformed: I think originally the Heidelberg Catechism was widely used, but perhaps not so much anymore. At least historically, many also subscribed to the Geneva Catechism by Calvin, the Larger Catechism and the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Assembly. New catechisms have been produced along with new confessional writings almost up to our day.

Charismatic & non-denominational: Tends to develop their own or use something like the Alpha Course.
 
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Jonaitis

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I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Reformed Church and the Heidelberg Catechism.

I love the Heidelberg Catechism, except for questions/answers on infant baptism. The Orthodox Catechism written by Hercules Collins is a Baptist revision of it.
 
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Jonaitis

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Reformed: I think originally the Heidelberg Catechism was widely used, but perhaps not so much anymore. At least historically, many also subscribed to the Geneva Catechism by Calvin, the Larger Catechism and the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Assembly. New catechisms have been produced along with new confessional writings almost up to our day.

They are still widely used, and those churches are more than thriving.
 
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Strong in Him

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So..... where do Protestant's go to get the official teaching on faith and morals.

I would think, Scripture and the Nicene creed.
I would think that denominations have their own positions on topics such as abortion, gay marriages etc. But even with an official church statement, that doesn't mean that every member is bound to obey it.

The Anglican church has 39 articles of religion. I never read them, even when I was an Anglican, but they may be like a Catechism.
 
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Paidiske

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IThe Anglican church has 39 articles of religion. I never read them, even when I was an Anglican, but they may be like a Catechism.

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).
 
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Mountainmike

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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.

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?
 
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Athanasius377

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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 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. ;)
 
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Maria Billingsley

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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?
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.
 
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NW82

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

Yes, it's called the Bible, a.k.a. the Word of God.
 
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