The Heidelberg Catechism (1563), one of the
Three Forms of Unity, is a
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching
Calvinist
Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John C ...
Christian doctrine. It was published in 1563 in
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German: ') is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
. Its original title translates to ''Catechism, or Christian Instruction, according to the Usages of the Churches and Schools of the Electoral Palatinate''. Commissioned by the
prince-elector
The prince-electors (german: Kurfürst pl. , cz, Kurfiřt, la, Princeps Elector), or electors for short, were the members of the electoral college that elected the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
From the 13th century onwards, the princ ...
of the
Electoral Palatinate, it is sometimes referred to as the "Palatinate Catechism." It has been translated into many languages and is regarded as one of the most influential of the Reformed
catechisms.
History
Elector Frederick III
Frederick III of Simmern, the Pious, Elector Palatine of the Rhine (14 February 1515 – 16 October 1576) was a ruler from the house of Wittelsbach, branch Palatinate-Simmern- Sponheim. He was a son of John II of Simmern and inherited the Pa ...
, sovereign of the
Electoral Palatinate from 1559 to 1576, commissioned the composition of a new Catechism for his territory. While the catechism's introduction credits the "entire theological faculty here" (at the
University of Heidelberg
}
Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...
) and "all the superintendents and prominent servants of the church"
[Emil Sehling, ed., ''Die evangelischen Kirchenordnungen des XVI. Jahrhunderts,'' Band 14, Kurpfalz (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1969), 343: "Und demnach mit rhat und zuthun unserer gantzen theologischen facultet allhie, auch allen superintendenten und fürnemsten kirchendienern einen summarischen underricht oder catechismum unserer christlichen religion auß dem wort Gottes beides, in deutscher und lateinisher sprach, verfassen und stellen lassen, damit fürbaß nicht allein die jugendt in kirchen und schulen in solcher christlicher lehre gottseliglichen underwiesen und darzu einhelliglichen angehalten, sonder auch die prediger und schulmeister selbs ein gewisse und bestendige form und maß haben mögen, wie sie sich in underweisung der jugendt verhalten sollen und nicht ires gefallens tegliche enderungen fürnemen oder widerwertige lehre einfüren."] for the composition of the catechism,
Zacharius Ursinus (1534–83) is commonly regarded as the catechism's principal author.
Caspar Olevianus
Caspar Olevian (or Kaspar Olevianus; 10 August 1536 – 15 March 1587) was a significant German Reformed theologian during the Protestant Reformation and along with Zacharius Ursinus was said to be co-author of the Heidelberg Catechism. That the ...
(1536–87) was formerly asserted as a co-author of the document, though this theory has been largely discarded by modern scholarship.
[Lyle Bierma, "The Purpose and Authorship of the Heidelberg Catechism," in ''An Introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism: Sources, History, and Theology'' (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005), 67.][.] Johann Sylvan,
Adam Neuser
Adam Neuser (c. 153012 October 1576) was a Protestant pastor of Heidelberg who held Antitrinitarian views.
Neuser was born in Gunzenhausen and was a popular pastor and theologian in Heidelberg in the 1560s, serving at the ''Peterskirche'' and ...
, Johannes Willing,
Thomas Erastus
Thomas Erastus (original surname Lüber, Lieber, or Liebler; 7 September 152431 December 1583) was a Swiss physician and Calvinist theologian. He wrote 100 theses (later reduced to 75) in which he argued that the sins committed by Christians sh ...
, Michael Diller, Johannes Brunner, Tilemann Mumius, Petrus Macheropoeus, Johannes Eisenmenger,
Immanuel Tremellius and
Pierre Boquin
Pierre Boquin (also known as Bouquin, Boucquin, or Petrus Boquinus; post 1518 –1582 in Lausanne) was a French Reformed Theologian who played a critical role in the Reformation of the Electoral Palatinate.
Origins and early career
Pier ...
are all likely to have contributed to the Catechism in some way. Frederick himself wrote the preface to the Catechism and closely oversaw its composition and publication.
Frederick, who was officially Lutheran but had strong Calvinist leanings, wanted to even out the religious situation of his highly Lutheran territory within the primarily Catholic
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...
. The
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described a ...
had just finished its work with its conclusions and decrees against the Protestant faiths, and the
Peace of Augsburg had only granted toleration for Lutheranism within the empire where the ruler was Lutheran. One of the aims of the catechism was to counteract the teachings of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
as well as
Anabaptists and "strict"
Gnesio-Lutherans
Gnesio-Lutherans (from Greek γνήσιος nesios genuine, authentic) is a modern name for a theological party in the Lutheran churches, in opposition to the Philippists after the death of Martin Luther and before the Formula of Concord. In t ...
like
Tilemann Heshusius
Tilemann Heshusius (also ''Hesshus, Heßhusen, Hess Husen, Heshusen'') (3 November 1527 in Wesel — 25 September 1588 in Helmstedt) was a Gnesio-Lutheran theologian and Protestant reformer.
Life
Heshusius came from an influential family in W ...
(recently elevated to general superintendent of the university)
and
Matthias Flacius, who were resisting Frederick's Reformed influences, particularly on the matter of the
Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was institu ...
.
The Catechism based each of its statements on Biblical source texts (although some may call them "
proof-texts" which can have a negative connotation), but the "strict" Lutherans continued to attack it, the assault being still led by Heshusius and Flacius. Frederick himself defended it at the 1566
Diet of Augsburg as based in scripture rather than based in
Calvinism
Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John C ...
when he was called to answer to charges, brought by
Maximilian II, of violating the
Peace of Augsburg. Afterwards, the catechism quickly became widely accepted.
The Catechism is divided into fifty-two sections, called "Lord's Days," which were designed to be taught on each of the 52 Sundays of the year. A synod in Heidelberg approved the catechism in 1563. In the Netherlands, the Catechism was approved by the Synods of Wesel (1568), Emden (1571), Dort (1578), the Hague (1586), as well as the great
Synod of Dort
The Synod of Dort (also known as the Synod of Dordt or the Synod of Dordrecht) was an international Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618–1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy caused by the rise of Arminianism. The ...
of 1618–19, which adopted it as one of the
Three Forms of Unity, together with the
Belgic Confession and the
Canons of Dort.
[.] Elders and deacons were required to subscribe and adhere to it, and ministers were required to preach on a section of the Catechism each Sunday so as to increase the often poor theological knowledge of the church members.
In many Reformed denominations originating from the Netherlands, this practice is still continued.
Structure
In its current form, the Heidelberg Catechism consists of 129 questions and answers. These are divided into three main parts:
I. The Misery of Man
This part consists of the Lord's Day 2, 3, and 4. It discusses:
*
The Fall,
* The natural condition of man,
* God's demands on him in
His law.
II. The Redemption (or Deliverance) of Man
This part consists of Lord's Day 5 through to Lord's Day 31. It discusses:
* The need for a
Redeemer
* The importance of
faith
Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion".
Religious people ofte ...
, the content of which is explained by an exposition of the 12 Articles of the Christian faith, known as the
Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed ( Latin: ''Symbolum Apostolorum'' or ''Symbolum Apostolicum''), sometimes titled the Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles, is a Christian creed or "symbol of faith".
The creed most likely originated in 5th-century ...
. The discussion of these articles is further divided into sections on:
** God the Father and our creation (Lord's Days 9–10)
** God the Son and our salvation (Lord's Days 11–19)
** God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification (Lord's Days 20–22)
*
Justification
* The
Sacraments of
Baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
and
the Lord's Supper
* And the keys of the kingdom of heaven
The Preaching of the Gospel and
Church Discipline
III. The Gratitude Due from Man (for such a deliverance)
This part consists of the Lord's Day 32 through to Lord's Day 52. It discusses:
*
Conversion
Conversion or convert may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* "Conversion" (''Doctor Who'' audio), an episode of the audio drama ''Cyberman''
* "Conversion" (''Stargate Atlantis''), an episode of the television series
* "The Conversion" ...
(Lord's Days 32–33)
*
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ� ...
(Lord's Days 34–44)
* The
Lord's prayer
The Lord's Prayer, also called the Our Father or Pater Noster, is a central Christian prayer which Jesus taught as the way to pray. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gosp ...
(Lord's Days 45–52)
Lord's Day 1
The first Lord's Day should be read as a summary of the catechism as a whole. As such, it illustrates the character of this work, which is devotional as well as dogmatic or doctrinal. The first Question and Answer reads:
The answer is:
Lord's Day 30
The Catechism is most notoriously and explicitly anti-Catholic in the additions made in its second and third editions to Lord's Day 30 concerning "the popish mass," which is condemned as an "accursed idolatry."
Following the
War of Palatine Succession Heidelberg and the Palatinate were again in an unstable political situation with sectarian battle lines. In 1719 an edition of the Catechism was published in the Palatinate that included Lord's Day 30. The Catholic reaction was so strong, the Catechism was banned by
Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine. This provoked a reaction from Reformed countries, leading to a reversal of the ban.
In some Reformed denominations Q&A 80, the first of Lord's Day 30, have been removed, bracketed, and/or noted as not part of the original Catechism.
Use in various denominations and traditions
The influence of the Catechism extended to the
Westminster Assembly of Divines who, in part, used it as the basis for their
Shorter Catechism
The Westminster Shorter Catechism is a catechism written in 1646 and 1647 by the Westminster Assembly, a synod of English and Scottish theologians and laymen intended to bring the Church of England into greater conformity with the Church of S ...
.
The Heidelberg Catechism is one of the
three Reformed confessions that form the doctrinal basis of the original
Reformed church in The Netherlands, and is recognized as such also by the Dutch Calvinist churches that originated from that church during and since the 19th century.
Several Protestant denominations in North America presently honor the Catechism officially: the
Presbyterian Church in America, ECO (A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians), the
Christian Reformed Church, the
United Reformed Churches, the
Presbyterian Church (USA), the
Reformed Church in America, the
Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches
The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), formerly the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches, was founded in 1998 as a body of churches that hold to Reformed ( Calvinistic) theology. Member churches include those from Presbyt ...
, the
United Church of Christ (a successor to the German Reformed churches), the
Reformed Church in the United States
The Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. The present RCUS is a conservative, Calvinist denomination. It affirms the principles of the Reformation: '' Sola scriptura'' (Scrip ...
(also of German Reformed heritage),the
Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches,
the
Free Reformed Churches of North America, the
Heritage Reformed Congregations
Heritage may refer to:
History and society
* A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today
** Cultural heritage is created by humans
** Natural heritage is not
* Heritage language
Biology
* Heredity, biological inheritance of physica ...
, the
Canadian and American Reformed Churches,
Protestant Reformed Churches, the Reformed Protestant Churches, and several other Calvinist churches of Dutch origin around the world. Likewise, the Book of Discipline of
The United Methodist Church lists it as an influence on United Methodism.
A revision of the catechism was prepared by the Baptist minister, Hercules Collins. Published in 1680, under the title 'An Orthodox Catechism', it was identical in content to the Heidelberg catechism, with exception to questions regarding baptism, where adult
immersion was defended against infant baptism and the other modes of
affusion and
aspersion.
See also
*
Catechism
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
Heidelberg Catechism (modern English translation) From the
Reformed Church in the United States
The Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. The present RCUS is a conservative, Calvinist denomination. It affirms the principles of the Reformation: '' Sola scriptura'' (Scrip ...
Heidelberg Curriculum for Families (text and audio)Audio Recording of the Heidelberg Catechism (mp3)Heidelberg-Catechism.com*
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