Westminster Shorter Catechism
It required that a Sabbath afternoon session be set aside for examination of young children in catechism, and this practice eventually was adopted in the Kirk.Catechizing became a part of life in the Scottish Churches with itinerant catechists being employed to instruct the people—a practice that continued into the 19th century.When the Solemn League and Covenant was as a result signed between the English and Scots the Assembly's work also became the framing of "four points or parts of uniformity": a Confession of Faith, Form of Church Government, Directory for Worship, and Catechizing.[6] The purpose of the Shorter Catechism is to educate children and others "of weaker capacity" (according to a preface written by the Church of Scotland) in the Reformed faith.[6] The Catechism is in a question and answer format, which had been popularized by Martin Luther as a way to help children learn the meaning of the material, rather than simply memorizing the Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments, and Apostles' Creed as had been the practice prior to the Reformation.However, because a significant portion of the Scottish Highland population spoke only Gaelic, the Synod of Argyll in 1649 instructed seven of its ministers to translate the Westminster Shorter Catechism into that language.A revised version of the Shorter Catechism, authored to demonstrate the relationship between the Methodist movement and the Church of Scotland, was published in John Wesley's A Christian Library.
FacsimileWikisourcecatechismWestminster AssemblyChurch of EnglandChurch of ScotlandWestminster Confession of FaithWestminster Larger CatechismLong ParliamentCatechesisChristendomChristian humanistsProtestant ReformersReformedJohn CalvinGenevan CatechismJohn CraigJames UssherHerbert PalmerJohn BallAnthony TuckneyJohn KnoxFirst Book of DisciplineSabbathEnglish Civil WarSolemn League and CovenantConfession of FaithLarger CatechismCharles HerleThomas TempleJohn LightfootEdmund Calamy the ElderStanley GowerStephen MarshallSamuel RutherfordWilliam PerkinsScottish ParliamentMartin LutherLord's PrayerTen CommandmentsApostles' CreedCreatororiginal sinChristSacramentsBaptismHoly CommunionHeidelberg CatechismContinental ReformedGaelicFree Church of ScotlandThomas VincentKeach's CatechismMethodist movementJohn WesleyNathaniel HawthorneThe Scarlet LetterRobert Moffat (missionary)Sechuana languageClarendon PressLeith, John H.Reformed confessions of faithTetrapolitan ConfessionHelvetic ConfessionsConsensus TigurinusFrench Confession of FaithThree Forms of UnityBelgic ConfessionCanons of DortHarmony of the Confessions of FaithHelvetic ConsensusConclusions of UtrechtBarmen DeclarationBelhar ConfessionScots ConfessionNegative ConfessionWestminster StandardsConfession of 1967Book of ConfessionsThirty-nine ArticlesLambeth ArticlesIrish ArticlesChicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral1644 Baptist Confession of Faith1689 Baptist Confession of FaithNew Hampshire Confession of FaithBaptist Affirmation of Faith 1966Cambridge PlatformSavoy DeclarationSaybrook PlatformKansas City Statement of FaithSubordinate standardDocumentsDirectory for Public WorshipForm of Presbyterial Church GovernmentPeopleJohn ArrowsmithSimeon AsheRobert BaillieThomas BaylieRobert BlairSamuel BoltonJohn BondWilliam BridgeRalph BrownriggAnthony BurgesCornelius BurgesJeremiah BurroughsAdoniram ByfieldRichard ByfieldEdmund CalamyArchibald CampbellJohn CampbellRichard CapelJoseph CarylThomas CaseDaniel CawdryWilliam CecilFrancis CheynellJohn ClotworthyThomas ColemanJohn ConantEdward ConwayJohn CookEdward CorbetRobert Crosse