wfn.org | Two New Catechisms Proposed for Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

25-February-1998 
98071 
 
    Two New Catechisms Proposed 
    for Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
 
    by Theo Gill 
    Office of the General Assembly 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.-Two new catechisms are being recommended for educational 
use in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).  These instructional aids address 
principal doctrines of the Christian faith in a format of questions and 
answers. 
 
    Drafts of the catechism texts, prepared by a special committee of the 
church, will be reviewed in June 1998 by the 210th General Assembly in 
Charlotte, N.C.  The General Assembly may approve the catechisms, amend 
them prior to approval, refer them for further editing or vote not to 
approve them. 
 
    The committee is not asking that the two new catechisms be included in 
"The Book of Confessions." 
 
    The Special Committee to Write a New Presbyterian Catechism was created 
by the General Assembly in 1994 and charged to "create a brief catechism of 
the Christian faith, useful in the instruction of young and old, adaptable 
for educational, home, and liturgical settings."   It was also asked to 
"design a process by which the whole church may be invited to critique, 
refine, and improve the document," and also to "submit the resultant 
catechism to governing bodies for consideration of its inclusion in `The 
Book of Confessions.'" 
 
    In its first year of service, the committee arranged the circulation of 
a survey that gauged the desire for a new catechism and allowed 
Presbyterians to indicate how such a catechism would be used in particular 
congregations. 
 
    There was widespread interest in a new catechism, but various 
respondents had in mind audiences ranging from small children to church 
officers.  The committee concluded that one catechism could not address the 
range of needs; as a result, the group set to work on a "first" catechism, 
appropriate for ages 10 and up, and a "study" catechism for late 
adolescents and adults. 
 
    As the committee developed their drafts, they consulted Presbyterians 
in several dozen congregations who had volunteered to "field test" 
questions and answers in classes and small groups.  A draft of the "first 
catechism" was released in September 1997 and comments on that text led to 
revisions in the draft being sent to the General Assembly in 1998. 
 
    It is not the intention of the committee that either catechism be 
memorized, as some catechisms were memorized in the past, but that they 
serve as a basis for discussion.  If approved by the General Assembly, the 
catechisms will be supplemented by study guides and teacher manuals. 
 
    The committee is currently working on a list of biblical citations to 
accompany the "first" catechism and an abbreviated version of the "study" 
catechism for use with middle adolescents. 
 
    The Rev. Richard Osmer, professor of Christian education at Princeton 
Theological Seminary and chair of the committee, explained in his report to 
the upcoming Assembly  that "the committee decided fairly early on in its 
work that it would not recommend that these two catechisms be considered 
immediately for inclusion in the confessional standards of the church." 
 
    He said it is the committee's judgment that these catechisms should be 
used in congregations for a period of time and "only if they enable the 
contemporary church to confess Jesus Christ today should they be considered 
for inclusion in `The Book of Confessions.'" 
 
    In addition to Osmer, the committee members are Dawn DeVries, Richmond, 
Va.; the Rev. George Hunsinger, Princeton, N.J.; the Rev. Laura B. Lewis, 
Austin, Texas; Bruce McCormack, Princeton, N.J.; William Placher, 
Crawfordsville, Ind.; the Rev. Marjorie J. Thompson, Goodlettsville, Tenn.; 
Leanne VanDyk, San Anselmo, Calif.; and David Yoo, Claremont, Calif. 
 
    The texts of the catechism drafts will be posted on the PC(USA) Web 
page and in the PresbyNet meetings "FIRST CATECHISM REVISED" and "STUDY 
CATECHISM FULL".  When the confirmation version of the "study" catechism 
becomes available in March 1998, it will appear in the meeting "STUDY 
CATECHISM CONFIRMATION".  Printed copies of the texts will become available 
once they have been approved by action of the General Assembly.  Comments 
on the drafts are welcome and may be submitted by subscribing to the 
PresbyNet meeting "CATECHISMS COMMENTS," by responding to the Web page 
posting, or by writing to  Catechism Committee, Room 4414, 100 Witherspoon 
Street, Louisville KY 40202-1396. 

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