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Catechisms have a long and noble history. From the beginning, the Lord’s concern has been not only to record the sacred deposit of doctrine for posterity, but also to explain it in such a way that his people can learn it and own it.

Throughout the Scriptures the people of God are told to pass on the great truths of the faith to the succeeding generations. From the beginning, the plan was for humanity to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Gen. 1:28). The earth was not only to be filled with people, but with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, “as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14). So, it is not putting things too strongly to say that catechism is a creation ordinance.

The need to teach the succeeding generations becomes even more imperative after the fall, as the Lord builds his church. Just after the powerful Shema (“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deut. 6:4-5), God commands two things to his people—first, to put these words into their heart (6:6), and second, to teach them diligently to their children (6:7). So as not to miss the point, the Lord explains that these words should be discussed both at home and when they walked, even placing them on their persons and their buildings (6:7-9). Later in the chapter a provision is made to train the youth. Israel’s sons will ask their fathers what is the meaning of all the statutes and commandments (6:20). This becomes the occasion for a catechism!

Down through the centuries provision has been made for teaching the next generation what to believe. In the early church, such catechisms were used to prepare candidates for baptism. For example, the Didache (the “Teaching”) is a set of treatises containing a catechism from the late first century or the early second century. It contains the “Two Ways,” one, the way of life, the other, the way of death, no doubt a set of instructions on Christian beliefs and practices for entrants to the church. In addition to catechisms proper, various creeds were developed in the early church. The great classics include the Apostle’s Creed, so named because of the belief that the twelve apostles had a part in composing it. While its origins are highly disputed, it does appear to have been used quite early, at least as early as the fifth century, and today enjoys wide usage in worship and in catechisms. They also include Nicaea-Constantinople, dating back to 381, following the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, which included the results of the Nicean Council of 325.

The Protestant Reformation saw a great flowering of catechisms. Martin Luther published his Shorter Catechism in 1529, followed by the Larger Catechism in 1530. In the preface to the latter, he writes: “A Christian, Profitable, and Necessary Preface and Faithful, Earnest Exhortation of Dr. Martin Luther to All Christians, but Especially to All Pastors and Preachers, that They Should Daily Exercise Themselves in the Catechism, which is a Short Summary and Epitome of the Entire Holy Scriptures, and that They May Always Teach the Same.” The general order of both these catechisms is, the ten commandments, the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, baptism, confession, the Lord’s Supper, and an appendix on daily devotions.

John Calvin composed a catechism for the church in Geneva, published in French in 1541, then, hoping for wide distribution, in Latin in 1545. Organized around 55 Sundays, it contained 373 questions and answers for the Minister and the Child. It begins with the question, “What is the chief end of human life?” The answer, “It is to know God.” Then follow fairly detailed considerations on Christian doctrine, the ten commandments, prayer and the sacraments. The Heidelberg Catechism of 1563, penned by Reformed theologians for the German Palatinate, opens similarly, though more poignantly, with the question, “What is your only comfort in life and in death?” The answer begins, “That I belong, body and soul, in life and in death, not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ . . .” The French translation of the word “comfort” is consolation. It organizes the rest of the material under three rubrics: Of Man’s Misery, Of Man’s Redemption, and Thankfulness.

Almost a century later, and under different circumstances, the Westminster Assembly composed the documents known as the Westminster Standards, which included the great Confession of Faith as well as the Shorter and Larger Catechisms, 1647 and 1648 respectively. Drawing on previous catechisms, but adding the insights of the Puritan Divines, the famous beginning of the Shorter Catechism has become widely known and used: “What is the chief end of man?” “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Both catechisms are organized into two major sections, what we are to believe and what are our duties. Various catechisms continued to be developed down through the centuries up until the twentieth. Particularly important are the formulations of the post-Reformation orthodox Protestants, since their great concern was to make the established doctrines understandable for the use of the church. They used elements of the scholastic method in order to teach the people of God the great truths rediscovered at the Reformation.

After the eighteenth century we find a smattering of creeds and catechisms, but none on the order of grandeur of what we have seen before. The present volume is an attempt to fill a much-needed space. It is clear that Dr. Marcel’s In God’s School draws on all of the aforementioned creeds and catechisms. It opens with the question, “What is the highest goal of human life?” The answer, “To know God,” is followed by a more detailed unfolding of the meaning of our covenant relationship with the Lord God. This catechism follows the general pattern of expounding the Apostle’s Creed, the ten commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer. However, it does so within the three rubrics of the Heidelberg Catechism.

In addition to clear and forthright doctrinal content, Dr Marcel provides clarification for various teachings, and Bible study materials for follow-up. Thus it is marvelously profitable. Also, if it can be put this way, it is a deeply spiritual work. Catechisms can be dry and bare-bones. This one is suffused with Reformed piety. It could only have been composed by a man who was a profound Christian, a magnificent theologian, and a dedicated pastor. The founder of La Société Calviniste, with its Revue Réformée (still very much alive, now published with the Faculté Libre de Théologie Réformée, with Professor Paul R. Wells as editor), Pierre Charles Marcel had a life-long burden for the church. Denied a position at the official Reformed Seminary in Paris because of his orthodoxy, he found himself the pastor of a jewel of a church just outside Paris, where he spent most of his career.

This translation into English by Dr. Howard Griffith is most welcomed. My friend Howard combines gifts not unlike his mentor, Pasteur Marcel. It is a labor of love and deserves wide usage in the many churches worldwide who care about doctrinal faithfulness and integrity of faith. In a contemporary culture notorious for its disdain of truth and commitment to revealed religion, many people resist any approach that tells them what to believe. They resist to their peril. In a world where “everyone does what is right in his own eyes” (Jdg. 21:25) this catechism directs us to look to God for what is right and to ask him for the power to do it. In a dark place, it is a bright light. May it be used significantly to show Christians how they may be lights in this world, moving them away from under any basket and on to the lamp stand for all to see (Mt. 5:15).

William Edgar

Professor of Apologetics

Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia