Luther's Large Catechism () is a

catechism A catechism (; from , "to teach orally") is a summary or exposition of Catholic theology, doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult co ...

Martin Luther Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...

. It consists of works written by Luther and compiled

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

canonical texts, published in April 1529. This book was addressed particularly to clergymen to aid them in teaching their congregations, and to fathers for instructing their families. Luther's Large Catechism is divided into five parts: The Ten Commandments, The Apostles' Creed,

The Lord's Prayer The Lord's Prayer, also known by its incipit Our Father (, ), is a central Christian prayer attributed to Jesus. It contains petitions to God focused on God’s holiness, will, and kingdom, as well as human needs, with variations across manusc ...

, Holy Baptism, and The Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Large Catechism, along with related documents, was published in the ''

Book of Concord ''The Book of Concord'' (1580) or ''Concordia'' (often referred to as the ''Lutheran Confessions'') is the historic doctrinal standard recognized as authoritative by many Lutheran church bodies since the 16th century. It consists of ten creeda ...

'' in 1580. The author stipulates in the preface:

Therefore it is the duty of every father of a family to question and examine his children and servants at least once a week and to ascertain what they know of his catechism or are learning, and, if they do not know it, to keep them faithfully at it.

Luther adds:

However, it is not enough for them to comprehend and recite these parts according to the words only, but the young people should also be made to attend the preaching, especially during the time which is devoted to the Catechism, that they may hear it explained and may learn to understand what every part contains, so as to be able to recite it as they have heard it, and, when asked, may give a correct answer, so that the preaching may not be without profit and fruit.

References

External links

Luther's Large Catechism, translated by Bente and Dau
(Project Gutenberg)

* {{Authority control 1529 books 16th-century Christian texts Book of Concord Catechisms Works by Martin Luther 1529 in Christianity Lutheran education

See also

References

External links