You may have noticed that I try to frequently quote from the Baptist Catechism during the study of our confession in Sunday School. The reason is that catechisms were written with a question/answer format to give the church bite-sized pieces of sound theology that are easily digestible to nourish the church into greater godliness and communion with God. Catechisms played a prominent role in the propagation of Reformed theology across Europe and into the American Colonies. The catechisms of the Reformation helped disciple Christians in the fundamentals of the Christian faith and the pivotal points of Reformed theology. Historically, in the Reformed churches, catechisms were used for family worship and the discipleship of Christians in the church. Some Reformed churches would have a weekly catechism class and/or would preach through a catechism in the Sunday evening sermon.
The Baptist Catechism gives us an even more concise summation and explanation of the Reformed faith than our confession. In the 1693 London General Assembly, the churches decided that an adaptation of the Westminster Shorter Catechism was needed for family worship in Baptist homes. There was a delay that required the Bristol Assembly in 1694 to request the catechism again. “The earliest known extant version” of this catechism was in 1695, though it claimed to be the fifth edition. By 1703, the catechism would be in its tenth edition. The catechism is frequently referred to as Keach’s Catechism but is likely the work of William Collins of Petty Church France. Collins was specifically commissioned to do the work. There are no documents that indicate it was transferred to Keach. James Renihan notes that it is likely that the catechism was associated with Keach due to his prominence among the Baptists and the possibility that he played a role in revising later additions of the catechism.
Many families in Particular Baptist churches were already using the Westminster Shorter. Therefore, the London Assembly decided to amend the Westminster Shorter to align with their Baptist convictions rather than create a new catechism. This would further show their essential agreement with the Westminster Assembly and Savoy, as they already had done in the Second London Confession. This would also aid Baptist families in memorizing the Baptist Catechism since it would be largely identical to the language of the Westminster Shorter which they were already familiar with. While the first few questions of the Baptist Catechism are different from the Westminster Shorter, much of the catechism is identical. James Renihan writes, “Certainly there have been revisions [in the Baptist Catechism], especially at the beginning and in the questions of the sacraments, but in the main the structure and contents are identical [to the Westminster Shorter].”
Let me give several practical uses of a catechism to encourage you to avail yourself of this rich tool (linked below):
1. First, catechisms give us theological hooks to hang the doctrines of Scripture on. Just as the hangers in a closet organize the various items of clothing, catechisms arrange the variety of doctrinal truths in Scripture. Catechisms help us understand the system of doctrine contained in Scripture and how those doctrines connect.
2. Second, catechisms teach us the doctrinal language of the church and prepare us to receive the preaching of the Word in corporate worship.
3. Third, they equip us against the novelty of theological error. In the days of conspiracy theories, new revelations, and anxiety about God’s will, the catechism moors our faith to the eternal doctrines of Scripture that the church has confessed throughout the centuries so that we are not tossed here and there by every new wind of doctrine.
4. Fourth, they inoculate us against the errors of excess or deficiency in contemporary theology. Theological discussions are constantly swinging like a pendulum between two extremes.
5. Fifth, catechisms are helpful in the discipleship of new converts and children because of their brevity and question/answer format.
6. Last, and most importantly, catechisms can guide us into greater communion with God as we study the rich Scriptural truths contained in them.