You shall have no other gods. 1 What this means: You shall have Me alone as your God. What is the meaning of this, and how is it to be understood? What does it mean to have a god? Or, what is . . . Continue reading →
Catechism
The Catechism Was Meant To Be Heard More Than Read
This year on the Heidelcast the HRA has been releasing an audio version of one question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism daily 6 days a week. The first reason that we are doing this is to get the catechism into peoples ears, heads, and . . . Continue reading →
A Review Of The New Anglican Catechism And What It Says About The State Of Anglicanism
As I emerged out of Southern Baptist evangelicalism in 1980–81 John Stott and J. I. Packer were two of the most influential writers in my journey out of Baptist evangelicalism. Hitherto my theological staples had been things on the order of Navigators Bible study materials and Rosalind Rinker’s book on hearing voices from God. I am not entirely sure how I found Stott’s Basic Christianity and Packer’s Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. Back then we had a Christian bookstore downtown, where I mostly bought contemporary Christian records (e.g., Larry Norman and Barry McGuire). Perhaps the manager directed me to them? Those books were a Godsend. They were thoughtful, intelligent, gracious and thoroughly evangelical in the best sense of the word. They were gospel books. They pointed me away from myself and my experience and toward Christ. In the summer of 1981 Packer’s Knowing God was a major influence in my embrace of Reformed theology, piety, and practice. Continue reading →
If It Was True Then, How Much More Now?
…it should, I think, be made much harder than it now is to enter the Church: the confession of faith that is required should be a credible confession; and if it becomes evident upon examination that a candidate has no notion of . . . Continue reading →
Why We Memorize The Catechism
Both children and parents in Reformed congregations often ask, “Why must we (or our children) memorize the catechism? If they must memorize anything at all, should they not memorize Holy Scripture instead?” These are fair questions, but they rest on dubious premises. Continue reading →
4,251 Hours To Become A Christian
In the wake of the publication of Malcolm Gladwell’s 2008 book, Outliers, there was much discussion of his 10,000 hours rule, i.e., his claim that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master something. Since that time, however, there’s been reaction and . . . Continue reading →
Unexpected Problems In Catechesis
Santa Claus is not part of the Christmas celebration in our family, but since it is part of the broader culture, we have told our kids that Santa is a fun pretend person. A problem arose when our literal-minded eldest daughter went . . . Continue reading →
Candychism
Years ago Leonard Coppes wrote an essay in the OPC magazine, New Horizons, on catechizing children. He called it “candychism.” In it he advocated rewarding children who memorize a catechism question and answer. To anticipate a frequent objection: No this isn’t crass . . . Continue reading →
Divorcing Doctrine From Scripture
Dear Pithius, Our dear boy, you quite misunderstand the problem. So long as Christians continue to understand the Book to contain truths, claims about the way things really are, about the enemy, about Him-who-ought-not-be-named, about His Paraclete, about humans as contracting with . . . Continue reading →
Or We Could Catechize Them
I ask nothing of you in the way of a declared position on religion. Your mother may have demanded more of you here,—entreated more; I cannot. I ask but this: that you will give earnest, serious consideration to the fact that we . . . Continue reading →
Ursinus On The Instruction Of Covenant Children
Touching the catechesis of children in the Jewish church, the Old Testament abounds in many explicit commands. In the 12th and 13th chapters of Exodus, God commands the Jews to give particular instruction to their children and families in relation to the . . . Continue reading →
A Simple Curriculum for Parrots, Perts, and Poets
I get occasional questions about a curriculum for Christian education programs. It’s probably more complicated than it seems—things usually are. Typically I agree to a project on the premise that, “Well, this seems straightforward” and then, of course, it isn’t. Nevertheless, I . . . Continue reading →
Ursinus On Catechesis
The Greek word κατηχησις (catechesis) is derived from κατηχεω (catecheo), as κατχισμος (catechismos) is from κατχιζω (catechizo). Both words, according to their common signification, mean to sound, to resound, to instruct by word of mouth, and to repeat the sayings of another. . . . Continue reading →
Candychism
Years ago Leonard Coppes wrote an essay in the OPC magazine, New Horizons, on catechizing children. He called it “candychism.” In it he advocated rewarding children who memorize a catechism question and answer. To anticipate a frequent objection: No this isn’t crass . . . Continue reading →
Five Good Reasons to Memorize the Catechism
Martin explains. Here’s a related essay on “Why We Memorize the Catechism.”
Heidelberg Catechism 10 (4) Hell on Earth?
10. Will God suffer such disobedience and apostasy to go unpunished? By no means,1 but He is terribly displeased with our inborn as well as our actual sins, and will punish them in just judgment in time and eternity, as He has . . . Continue reading →
You Are What You Read
This axiom, of course, explains so much about Bob Godfrey, but I digress before I begin. Don’t worry, somewhere, in a coffee shop in Escondido, Bob is insulting me to some bewildered stranger. Merry Christmas Bob! Kevin Efflandt has an excellent reminder . . . Continue reading →