 
New catechisms approved by General Assembly An analysis By Michael Armistead Layman Correspondent |
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CHARLOTTE – The 210th General Assembly approved without major modification three new catechisms drafted by the Special Committee to Write a New Presbyterian Catechism. The documents are Belonging To God: A First Catechism which is written for third- and fourth-graders, The Study Catechism for adults and older youth, and The Study Catechism: Confirmation Version for younger adolescents. The catechisms are submitted to the denomination for a five-year period for study and refinement. The General Assembly action follows the recommendation of the Committee on Catechisms and Confessions that worked through all sections of each document. An alternate catechism written by a member of the committee was submitted as a substitute motion but was rejected by a nearly unanimous vote of the committee. Catechisms reviewed Comments for and against the new catechisms were offered in open hearings before the committee. Those speaking against the catechisms argued that they represent a return to an outdated style of teaching and that they reflect a narrow interpretation of Christian faith that is centered too much in the New Testament. Those who spoke in favor of the catechisms, including seminary presidents Thomas Gillespie and Douglas Oldenburg, argued that they are necessary to instruct new generations in the basic convictions of Christian faith and are good launching pads for further theological discussion and reflection. Richard Osmer of Princeton Theological Seminary, chair of the special committee that wrote the catechisms, commented later in the debate that “for so long we have focused on educational process that we have forgotten content.” Osmer stated that the catechisms are not final answers to the questions they raise but are intended to introduce new audiences to the basic theological and biblical vocabulary for Christian thought. He stressed that members of the special committee would not agree with everything in each of them. Rather, they trust those who teach them to supplement the answers with additional content as they guide their students. Amendments to the catechisms centered on minor editorial changes and switching of synonyms. In Belonging To God, the biblical phrase, “God created heaven and earth and all that is in them,” in Question 7 was replaced with the phrase, “God created all that is, seen and unseen,” borrowing language from the Nicene Creed. In Question 10, sin was redefined from, “we have turned against God,” to a softer, “we have turned away from God.” Broader questions about the theological focus of the catechisms were not addressed either by the committee or the Assembly as a whole.
The catechisms represent a major effort to reintroduce the basic Christian doctrine to children and adults who are biblically and theologically illiterate. “Belonging To God: A First Catechism” was originally titled The First Catechism but another published document had already used that name. It begins with a brief prologue and then follows the biblical pattern of creation, the fall, election of a covenant people, Jesus Christ and the church, and a review of the Lord’s Prayer. Its strength is that it provides a good overview of the biblical picture and presents good content about the nature and work of Jesus Christ. Its weakness is that it says little about a response of faith to God’s grace or the need for continued growth or sanctification. The Study Catechism comes in two forms. The full version is intended for confirmation classes with older adolescents, new member training, officer training, use in the home, and general teaching for adults. A briefer Confirmation Version is also available for use in confirmation classes with younger adolescents. The Study Catechism follows the standard pattern for many other catechisms: the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer. It is strong in reflecting the content of these essential components of the Christian faith. Its main weakness is that it fails to capture the majesty and authority of God, and it has a weak view of the mission of the church. It is universalistic in tone and seems to go to great lengths to avoid saying some people may be excluded from judgment or inclusion in God’s kingdom. George Hunsinger, a member of the special committee, pointed out that the accompanying Scripture references should help offset this impression. The Study Catechism likewise defines the mission of the church in Question 63 as “to bear witness to God’s love for the world in Jesus Christ,” a statement that omits the commands to call the world to repentance, faith, and discipleship in Christ. Nicene Creed revised The Assembly also approved a recommendation from the committee to replace the translation of the Nicene Creed currently in the Book of Confessions with the contemporary (ecumenical) version that is already used in the Presbyterian Hymnal and the Book of Common Worship. The only change made to the text is the removal of the parentheses around the phrase “and the Son” (the filioque clause) in the final section on the Holy Spirit. |
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The Presbyterian Layman, July/August 1998 contents |
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