CATECHISM (Fr. catechisme, Lat. eatechis mus, from Gk. hartixigew, kaffehizein, to cate chise, from KaruEir, kaffchcin, to instruct orally, from Kar6, kata, down + frhcia, to sound, from ;ail, sound). system of teaching by means of question and answer, employed for popular instruction in the truths and duties of the Christian religion. The composition of the first catechisms was, in all probability, suggested by the ordinary oral instruction of catechumens, and was intended for the help both of teachers and pupils. it appears to have been in the Eighth and Ninth centuries that the first regular catechisms were compiled, of which that by Kern, a monk of Saint Gall, and that ascribed to Otfried of Weissenburg, are among the most roted. At later periods the use of cateehisms prevailed chiefly among the opponents of the hierarehy, as among the Waldenses, the Albi genses, the Wiclifites, and, above all. among the Bohemian Brethren. (See the articles on these sects in this The term catechism appears to hate been first employed in its present sense among the last-named. At an early period in the history of the Reformation, the reformers began to avail themselves of this method of popular instruction, and their eatechisms became important instruments in that great religions movement. In 1520 Luther published his first short eateehism. In 1525 Justus Jonas and John Ag,ricola were intrusted with the preparation of a catechism. in 1529 Luther published his larger and smaller catechisms, which found a place among the symbolical books or standards of the Lutheran churches. A number of eate ebb-ms were published also by the Swiss re formers, and by those of England and other countries. The Geneva catechisms, larger and smaller, were the work of Calvin. They were published in 1536, were speedily translated into various languages. and became acknowledged standards of the Reformed churches. not only in :switzerland. but in the Netherlands, in France, and in Hungary. The Church of Geneva has set aside the authority of these catechisms. The Zurich Catechism is received as a standard in the Church of Zurich. The Heidelberg or Palatinate Catechism is of greater importance, however, than any other as a standard of the German re formed churches. it was compiled by the Heidel berg theologians, Caspar Olcvian and Zacharias rrsinus, at the request of the Elector Frederick III. of the Palatinate: it was published in 1563, was approved by several synods. and was sub jected to a revision by the Synod of Dort. In the Church of Rome the Tridentine Catechism is of high authority. It was prepared in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent, by rchhishops Leonardo :Marino and :Mitzi° Calini, Bishop Egidio Foscarini, and the Portuguese Dominican, Francesco Fureiro: revised by Cardinals lbir•omeo and Sirlet, and sanctioned by Pope Pius V. It was published in Rome in 1566. The catechism of the Orthodox Greek Church was prepared by Peter Alogilas, metro politan in Kiev, and published in 1642. it re ceived authority as a standard or symbolical book from a synod in Jerusalem in 1672. It is often called the Larger Catechism, to dis timmish it from the Smaller Catechism prepared by order of Peter the Great. Besides these eate enisms, which have a historic interest, or are of importance from their symbolical character, there have appeared at all periods since the Reformation many others. both Protestant and
1Zoman Catholic, some doctrinal. some eOntro vvrr;:ol, some devoted to particular subjects, as the sacraments, or to particular purposes, as the preparation of candidates for admission to the Lord's Supper, some adapted to the mental ca pacity of very young children, etc The Catechism of the Church of England is published in the Book of C Prayer. It is in two parts: the first contains and explains the baptismal covenant, the creed, the ten com mandments. and the lord's Prayer; the second explains the two sacraments. baptism and the Lord's Supper. It is not known with certainly who was the author of the first part ; probably Thomas Cranmer and Nicholas Ridley had the principal hand in framing the questions and answers. It was originally plat forth with the 4• articles in tile reign of Edward VI., and condemned as heretical in the reign oflarr. It must not be confounded with ehism, which was a larger work. differently ar ranged, and translated chiefly from the German catechism used in Nuremberg. Thib first part of the Church Catechism is spoken of as the Nhorter Catechism. There was a hirger Church Catechism compiled also in the reign of Edward VI.. by John Ponct, as is supposed. and it cor responds in some degree with the smaller work above described. It appeared in 1553. but was afterwards revised and enlarged by Laurence Nowell, Dean of Saint Paul's, and published in 1579: and though never Oriel:ill• promulgated by the Church, it has some authority from having been approved by the Lower House of Convoca tion. At the Hampton Court Conference (16(14) at the beginning of the reign of dailies I., the Aurt er Catechism tvas considered too short. and the larger one of Nowell'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 Rev. Dr. John Overall. The rubrics in the Com mon Prayer Book enjoin the teaching of the Cate chism in the church on Sundays and holy days after the second lesson at evening prayer; the 59th canon contains a like injunction. imposing penalties on the clergy who neglect this.
The Larger and the ',shorter Catechisms, which, with the %\ estminster Confession of Faith, consti tute the standards or symbolical books of the Eng lish-speaking Presbyterian churches, were com piled by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster; the Shorter Catechism "to be a directory for cate chising such as are of weaker capacity:" the Larger, "for catechising such as have made some proficiency in the knowledge of the Christian religion.'' The Shorter Catechism was presented to the English House of Commons on November 5, 1647: the Larger on April 14, 164S; and in July, 164S, both received the sanction of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. which, in the :let of approving of the Larger Catechism, declared it to be 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 Catechism 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 he employed as a catechism.