Why Study The Shorter Catechism? -- A Commentary

It is often observed that children can memorize a great deal of information. They can quote (at length) words to songs, quotes from their favorite movies, and recite, from memory, every single war ship and commander associated with “Zeno The Earth Destroyer” video game (I made that name up by the way). It is also observed that this “passive” memorization can influence our children’s behavior dramatically. As Christian parents, we should “actively” contribute to the education of our children by catechizing them in the principles and doctrine of our faith.

Surprisingly, there have been some objections to using confessions or catechisms as a tool to formulate biblical principles in the mind of a child. For example, some would submit that our children need to develop Christian principles by allowing them the opportunity to formulate ideas completely on their own. Some would say that biblical doctrine is not necessary for salvation and therefore is not profitable to teach to our children. The problem with almost all the arguments against “active” biblical instruction is the fact that there is this place in education called a “vacuum”; a place where children are not influenced by their surroundings and will therefore adopt favorable Christian knowledge. This is obviously not true. Children are always learning. They learn how to operate in a marriage by witnessing how their parents negotiate relational obstacles. They learn how to deal with stress, develop a work ethic, manage money, and apply stewardship principles. Most Christian parents (and non Christian for that matter) will agree that these are significant principles that should be taught to young children at the earliest stage possible. Every parent wants their child to grow up to be productive in these areas. But when it comes to matters of faith, we have a tendency to shy away from the responsibility to provide them this important information. As a matter of fact, the favorable areas mentioned above can not be taught effectively without a solid biblical foundation. We must teach our children why they must be good stewards, why they should manage money, or why they need to have a good work ethic. The answer is found in the first question to the Westminster Shorter Catechism. What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

So, what is a catechism? Simply stated, a catechism is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present. A catechism is a method of instruction. It utilizes a question and answer format to instruct children and adults in biblical doctrine. The use of catechism as an instructional tool is not a new design. Indeed, we have actually moved away from it’s utilization in the instruction of our children in the past century. So, how do you get started? For families that have very young children, I would recommend using the Catechism for Young Children which is designed as an introduction to the Westminster Shorter Catechism. For families that have children in the middle age range (7 to 13), I would recommend the Westminster Shorter Catechism. For teenagers and adults, I would recommend the Westminster Larger Catechism. It’s interesting to note that all these catechisms have been formulated to coincide with the Westminster Confession of Faith (our church confessional standard). All the catechism mentioned above can be found in HTML format at www.reformed.org in the “Historic Church Documents” section. They can also be ordered in book format through various resources and limited copies are available through the church. If you desire a copy, please see one of the Elders and we would be glad to provide you a copy.

It is imperative that we actively instruct our children in the doctrines of our faith. The command to instruct our children in the way they should go comes with a promise…when they are old; they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). There is no greater joy than to hear the recitation of biblical doctrine through the mouths of our children. I pray that God would grant us all the desire and diligence to continually instruct our children. One of the best methods to accomplish this is through catechism.