Using a Catechism to Instruct Christians in the Faith

Some might ask, why not just memorize Scripture instead?

Ultimately, Scripture must be interpreted. The thing I appreciate about catechesis is that it helps to provide a concise and organized teaching of what is taught in Scripture and thus initiates children and new Christians into the bibilcal tradition from which they can interpret Scripture rightly. It provides a starting point from which we can begin to read Scripture as it was intended to be read.

Catechisms are generally a product of systematic theology. They seek to speak in a concise and ordered way about the founational truths of the Christian faith. Scripture itself does not always do this. We will not find a concise statement in Scripture about the nature of the Trinity or the Hypostatic Union. And while Scripture memory serves a critical role in the educaton of Christians, it does not provide the kind of systematic and large-picture understanding of the faith one obtains through studying a catechism.

While a good catechism incorporates the words of men and does not hold the authority of God's Word, it is a secondary authority which will serve as a reliable indicator of what God's Word teaches. This kind of function is consistent with the call of Scripture upon church leaders (and parents) to teach sound doctrine (which presumes the use of extrabiblical constructions).