|
Living in the Joy of Faith
by Clarence Stam
The Christian Faith as outlined in the Heidelberg Catechism
Catechism preaching—as we know it today—dates back to the time of the great Reformation. The
Reformers wrote various “catechisms” which were to be used especially in the instruction of the
youth of the Church, but this instruction soon developed into a full-fledged afternoon service.
It should be noted, for example, that John Calvin in Geneva had the custom of teaching catechism
classes at noon and that parents were required to bring their children and also to attend this
instruction themselves! The Genevan Church Order stipulated that catechism instruction shall take
place “in the presence of the Church”. In this way catechism instruction became catechism
preaching. Similar practices developed in London and Heidelberg.
In our time there is again growing opposition to catechism preaching, based mostly on the same
old argument that a creed is not God’s Word and should not be used as text for preaching. The
Reformed Churches, however, have responded to this charge by stressing that the catechism gives a
faithful summary of God’s Word and that therefore a catechism sermon is also fully the preaching of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a true exposition of the doctrine of the Scriptures.
Catechism preaching has never impoverished the Church of Christ but instead has enriched the
Church. This is so because this preaching provided a regular and systematic explanation of all the
key points of doctrine contained in Scripture. The congregations were not subject to the insights
and schemes of individual ministers but every year again heard a systematic proclamation of the
“full doctrine”. History has shown that in times when catechism preaching was lacking, there was a
general deformation and growing rejection of the Reformed confessions, while in times when
catechism preaching was appreciated and diligently maintained there was growth in the knowledge and
fruits of faith.
Rev. Clarence Stam is pastor emeritus of Cornerstone Canadian Reformed Church at Hamilton,
Ontario. He has served in various Reformed Churches in The Netherlands and Canada. He has
previously written None Like Thee, a meditative excursion into the prophesies of Micah and
Everything in Christ, the Christian Faith outlined according to the Belgic Confession.
|
