What is in the Small Catechism? – What Does This Mean?

Encore Post: When a young confirmation student first gets his copy of the Small Catechism, his first thought is that it doesn’t look all that small! His shiny new book is hundreds of pages long, with hundreds of questions in it. He panics at the thought of memorizing it all — until he realizes that he only has to memorize the first two dozen or so pages. It still seems impossible — but a little less so!

So, what is in the Catechism? When Luther began his work, just three pieces — the Ten Commandments, The Apostles’s Creed and the Lord’s prayer. These three main parts are still the heart of the catechism. The Ten Commandments or Ten Words, tell us what we should do to be like God. God intended it exactly backwards from the way we learn it. It is at its base a guide book — the third use of the Law. When original sin comes into the picture, the first and second uses we first think of comes into play. The Apostles’ Creed tells us what God did to make us, redeem us and make us holy so that we can keep God’s law. The Lord’s Prayer tells us about our life of fellowship with God. Luther wrote simple explanations of these in everyday German.

Soon questions about Baptism and the Lord’s Supper were added along with simple answers to them and the main Scriptures that teach them. These helped the students come to understand the treasures awaiting them in the divine service. A brief form of confession was also added to prepare students for confession and absolution before a pastor in private. After Luther’s death, information about the Office of the Keys rounded out the six main parts of the catechism.

In Luther’s day, when you bought a book, you bought just the pages — like you copied a whole book on a photocopier. You would go to a bookbinder, who would put a cover on it. The book was still so small that people added small tracts to fill it out a bit. Several have remained in most editions — Luther’s chart of duties — scriptures that talk about people with different roles in life should do, a marriage service, a baptism service, Christian questions and answers.

Over the centuries, the catechism became so popular teachers wanted more questions and answers that addressed the theological issues of the day. Thus many catechisms have explanation sections with bible stories, scriptures that support the points of these questions and many other things. That is how the book grew to what we know it today.

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana