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In the mid-1980s All Saints Reformed Presbyterian Church of Richmond, Virginia, the congregation I served as Pastor, needed a course of instruction for new believers. This translation of Dr. Pierre Marcel’s book A L’ Ecole de Dieu was the result. Dr. Pierre Charles Marcel was Pastor of the Reformed Church of St. Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, for many years. He was a scholar of the Reformation, and loved its confessions and catechisms.

Rooted in the catechisms of the Reformation, this book follows the Church’s ancient practice of crystallizing the faith for newcomers by expounding the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer. It provides an introduction to the Christian life in doctrine, practice, and experience. At the same time, In God’s School provides a daily Bible reading program that covers the waterfront of basic Christian doctrine and practice, a study manual introducing students to the rich heritage of the Protestant Reformation, and a guide for classes that may serve as a forum for new Christian and unbeliever alike. Significantly, the book also fills a hole in much discipleship training by including biblical teaching on the church and the sacraments.

We used the book in our church in a course lasting about a school year. The students read a chapter each week. Each day of that week has questions to study and corresponding Bible readings (optional Bible readings are in parentheses). The teacher then presents the material on the following Sunday. Not only does the book cover the essentials of Christian living, it gives students practice in daily Bible reading from every portion of the Word of God.

Dr. Marcel did not write his book assuming that every student is a Christian. In the spirit of the Reformed churches, however, it breathes confidence in God’s covenant. There is much patient instruction. To our joy God has blessed this material to bring students to new life and faith in Christ.

“In God’s School!” This manual on Christian foundations was first published in 1946, and again in a revised edition in 1962. I came to translate it by an unusual road. In 1987 I was laid up with a serious injury, and not a little discouraged about the nature of my calling as a gospel minister. During convalescence, I read Pierre Marcel’s book The Relevance of Preaching (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1963). Through careful exposition of Scripture and rich reference to the writings of the Protestant Reformers, Marcel taught me once again God’s glorious purpose for preaching. I wrote Dr. Marcel to thank him. To my delight, I was blessed with a friendship and correspondence with Dr. Marcel until his death in 1992. God gave me the gift of the encouragement and prayers of a seasoned pastor-theologian.

Looking for his other writings, I found the only other title in English, The Biblical Doctrine of Infant Baptism, Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace (Cambridge: James Clarke, 1953, reprinted, 1981). In it were a number of references to A L’Ecole De Dieu. Dr. William Edgar, then of Aix-en-Provence, France, kindly brought me the book.

This translation is the fruit of much blessing to my ministry and the need of our congregation. I hope I have done a fair job of it. I am confident that all the basic ideas are here. Dr. Marcel approved each chapter. I am grateful for his encouraging comments and corrections. Dr. William Edgar of Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, kindly corrected the manuscript at a number of points.

In his wonderful little book Marcel weaves together two great Reformation catechisms: John Calvin’s Geneva Catechism (1541) and the Heidelberg Catechism (1563).

Through a long pastoral ministry in France, Dr. Marcel showed a love for the Scriptures, courage and faith in defending them against unbelief, sensitivity to the needs of the new believer, and devotion to the free sovereign grace of God. All shine in these pages.

It has been my privilege to live with these words for some years. I wish to thank the members of All Saints Reformed Presbyterian Church for their example of faith in Christ and their encouragement in this work. I dedicate the labor of this translation to them. May our exalted Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and establish his Church with these studies.

Howard Griffith, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology

Reformed Theological Seminary

Washington D.C.

January 2009