The C. of the church of England, with which we are most familiar, is the smaller one published in the book of Common Prayer. It is in two parts: the first contains and explains the baptismal covenant, the creed, the ten commandments, and the Lord's prayer; the second explains the two sacraments, baptism, and the Lord's supper. It is not known with absolute certainty who was the author of the first part; probably Cranmer and Ridley had the principal hand in framing the questions and answers. It was originally put forth with the 42 articles iu the reign of Edward VI., and condemned as heretical in the reign of Mary. It must not be confounded with). Cran nier's C., which was a larger work, differently arranged, and translated chiefly from the German C. used in Nuremberg. This first part of the church C. is spoken of as the shorter catechism.
There was a larger church C. compiled also in the reign of Edward VI., by Ponet, as is supposed, and it corresponds in some degree with the smaller work above described. It was afterwards revised and enlarged by Noel, dean of St. Paul's, and published in 1570; and though never officially promulgated by the church, it has some authority from having been approved by the lower house of convocation. At the Hampton court conference, in the reign of James I., the shorter C. was considered too short, and the larger one of Noel's too long; and accordingly, at the king's suggestion, an addition was made to the former of that explanation of the two sacraments which now forms the second part of the church catechism. This was drawn up by Dr. Overall. The whole 4s a work much esteemed by all sections of the church, as remarkable for its simplicity, truth, and catholicity. It, however, states the baptismal theory in a way that is not very acceptable to the extreme low church party. The rubrics in the Common Prayer book enjoin the teaching of the C. in the church on Sundays and holidays after the 2d lesson at evening prayer; and the 59th canon contains a like injunction, imposing pen alties on the clergy who neglect this. The custom of catechizing in the church had fallen into almost universal disuse, but in many parishes it has been revived with excel lent results.
The larger and shorter catechisms, which, with the Westminster confession of faith, constitute the standards or symbolical books of the Presbyterian churches throughout the British empire and the United States of America, were compiled by the assembly of divines at Westminster (q.v.): the shorter C. " to be a directory for catechizing such as
are of weaker capacity;" the larger, "for catechizing such as have made some profi ciency in the knowledge of the Christian religion." The shorter C. was presented to the English house of commons on 5th Nov., 1647; the larger on the 14th April, 164S; and in July, 1648, both received the sanction of the general assembly of the church of Scotland—the general assembly, in the act approving of the larger C. declaring it to be " a rich treasure for increasing knowledge among the people of God," and that " they bless the Lord that so excellent a catechism has been prepared." The shorter C. has, however, been far more generally used for the purpose of instruction than the larger, which has been generally felt to be too minute in its statements, and too burdensome to the memory to be employed as a catechism. Even the shorter C. is regarded by many, who substantially adhere to its doctrine, as carrying the statement of dogmatic theology beyond what is proper for elementary instruction, whilst it has been long felt to be unsuitable for the very young and the very ignorant, and its use is now almost always preceded by that of catechisms more adapted to their capacity. Its influence, however, has been very great in forming the religious opinions, and in exercising and training the intellectual faculties, wherever Presbyterianism has prevailed; for it has been, and still is, in almost universal use among Presbyterians speaking the English language. and to a. considerable extent among Independents or Congregationalists both iu Britain and America. In Holland also, a translation of it has been much used. It is very generally regarded, by those whose doctrinal views are in accordance with it, as an admirable compend of Christian doctrine and duty.—The authorship of the Westminster assem bly's catechisms has been the subject of much debate, or at least the authorship of the first drafts of them; it being, admitted that they were prepared with great care by committees of the assembly. But the probability appears to be, that their author ship is to be ascribed entirely to these committees; and that, like the Westminster confession of faith, they are thus the result of the joint labors of many. From dis coveries made by the late Dr. M'Crie, it seems probable that at least the plan or scheme of the shorter C. is to be ascribed to Mr. Palmer.