Rachel Evans
A catechism is a text that summarises the fundamental truths of Christianity in a way that is easy to understand. It is a learning introduction to the sacraments, traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult converts. There are thousands of catechisms in the Catholic tradition, with texts appearing in print for the instruction of lay people by the early medieval period. However, only two universal catechisms have been promulgated by the popes of the Catholic Church: The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic Catechisms | There are thousands of catechisms in the Catholic tradition. Only two "universal" catechisms have been promulgated by the popes of the Catholic Church. |
| Examples of "Universal" Catechisms | The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566), written for priests, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), written for bishops. |
| Other Examples of Catechisms | The Catechism for Filipino Catholics, The Penny Catechism, The Baltimore Catechism, The Catechism in a Year, Youcat, The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Compendium), The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1st Edition in English, 2006), The Didache |
| Definition of Catechism | A text which contains the fundamental Christian truths formulated in a way that facilitates their understanding. |
| Definition of Catechumen | The designated recipient of the catechetical work or instruction. |
| Examples of Catechetical Works | The Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, "The Morals" of St. Basil of Caesarea, the Enchiridion on Faith, Hope and Love by St. Augustine of Hippo, "The Orthodox Church" by Kallistos Ware, the Philaret Catechism, "A new-style catechism on the Eastern Orthodox faith for adults" |
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What You'll Learn
There are thousands of Catholic catechisms
There are thousands of catechisms in the Catholic tradition, with texts appearing in print for the instruction of laypeople by the early medieval period. A catechism is a summary or exposition of doctrine, serving as a learning introduction to the sacraments. They are doctrinal manuals, often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorised. The term catechumen refers to the designated recipient of the catechetical work or instruction. In the Catholic Church, catechumens are those preparing to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992, is a major catechism. It is a reference work that summarises the Catholic Church's doctrine and is directed primarily to those responsible for catechesis. It is offered as "useful reading for all other Christian faithful". The CCC has been translated and published in more than twenty languages worldwide.
The CCC is divided into four major parts, referred to as the "four pillars" on which the Catechism is built: 1) the Creed (what the Church believes), 2) the Sacraments (what the Church celebrates), 3) the Commandments (what the Church lives), and 4) the Our Father (what the Church prays). The CCC is a universal catechism, intended as a resource for the development of national or local catechisms.
Local catechisms, such as the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, complement the reading and study of the CCC. These local catechisms are important as they can provide a more contemporary statement of what the Church believes and teaches, in a way that is more accessible to modern Catholics.
There have been two "universal" catechisms promulgated by the popes of the Catholic Church: The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566), written chiefly for priests, and the CCC, written chiefly for bishops. These remain the most widespread among Catholics today.
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Two are considered universal
A catechism is a summary of doctrine and a learning introduction to the sacraments used in Christian religious teaching. In the Catholic Church, catechumens are those preparing to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. Catechisms are often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorised.
There are thousands of catechisms in the Catholic tradition, with texts appearing in print for the instruction of lay people by the early medieval period. However, only two "universal" catechisms have been promulgated by the popes of the Catholic Church: The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566), written chiefly for priests, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), written chiefly for bishops.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent, also known as the Roman Catechism, was the standard catechetical text in Great Britain in the early 20th century. It was ordered by the Council of Trent and written for parish priests and all teachers of religion. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, also known as the CCC, was promulgated by Pope John Paul II as a reference for the development of local catechisms. It is a reference work that summarises the Catholic Church's doctrine and has been translated into and published in more than twenty languages worldwide.
Both catechisms are divided into four major parts, referred to as the "four pillars" on which the catechism is built: 1) the Creed (what the Church believes), 2) the Sacraments (what the Church celebrates), 3) the Commandments (what the Church lives), and 4) the Our Father (what the Church prays). These universal catechisms remain among the most widespread among Catholics today, although the Catechism of the Catholic Church has been met with some controversy.
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Catechisms are doctrinal manuals
The Catholic Church has a rich history of catechisms, which are doctrinal manuals that serve as a learning introduction to the Sacraments. These texts provide a summary of Catholic doctrine and are designed to facilitate understanding of fundamental Christian truths. The term catechism originates from the Ancient Greek word "katēchéō", meaning "to teach orally". Catechisms are often presented in a question-and-answer format, making them easily memorable and accessible to both children and adult converts.
There are thousands of catechisms in the Catholic tradition, with a vast array of texts available for instruction. However, only two "universal" catechisms have been promulgated by the popes of the Catholic Church: The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992). These catechisms were written primarily for priests and bishops, respectively, and remain widely used by Catholics today.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, also known as the CCC, is a comprehensive reference work that summarizes the Catholic Church's doctrine. It serves as a "point of reference" for local catechisms and catechetical materials worldwide. This catechism is unique in that it presents Catholic doctrine within the context of the Church's history and tradition, including frequent references to Sacred Scripture, the writings of the Fathers, the lives of saints, and liturgical texts. With contributions from Catholic bishops and universities worldwide, the CCC is a harmonious symphony of voices articulating the Catholic Faith.
The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published in 2005, is a concise and illustrated version of the Catechism. It is available in multiple languages on the Vatican website, making it accessible to a global audience. Additionally, supplementary resources such as the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults complement the reading and study of the Catechism, providing a more localized perspective on Catholic doctrine.
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The Catechism of the Catholic Church was published in 1992
A catechism is a summary of the doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the sacraments used in Christian religious teaching for children and adult converts. In the Catholic Church, catechumens are those preparing to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (commonly called the Catechism or the CCC) is a reference work that summarises the Catholic Church's doctrine. It was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992 and served as a reference for the development of local catechisms, directed primarily to those responsible for catechesis. It has been translated and published in more than twenty languages worldwide.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is divided into four parts of unequal length: the profession of faith, the celebration of the Christian mystery, life in Christ, and Christian prayer. The first part introduces the reader to God's revelation and is organised around the tenets of the Creed. The second part explains how God's plan for salvation is made present in the sacred actions of the Church's liturgy, especially in the sacraments. The third part presents Catholic tradition on law and grace and the principles of Christian morality found in the Commandments. The fourth part, Christian prayer, includes teachings on moral life, the precepts of the Church, missionary witness, and the desire for God.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church was approved by Pope John Paul II on 25 June 1992, and its publication was ordered by virtue of his Apostolic Authority. On 11 October 1992, the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, it was promulgated with his apostolic constitution Fidei depositum (The Deposit of Faith). The formal promulgation of the Catechism came later, on 8 December 1992, with the publication of the apostolic constitution Fidei depositum. The English language text was approved in February 1994.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is not the first catechism. There are thousands of catechisms in the Catholic tradition, with texts appearing in print for the instruction of lay people by the early medieval period. The word "catechism" for a manual for this instruction appeared in the Late Middle Ages. The earliest known catechism is the Didache, written between 60 and 85 AD. Before the Protestant Reformation, Christian catechesis took the form of instruction in and memorisation of the prayers and texts needed to participate in Christian liturgies. There were also more comprehensive documents that outlined the theology of the Christian faith, such as the Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, "The Morals" of St. Basil of Caesarea, and the Enchiridion on Faith, Hope and Love by St. Augustine of Hippo.
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Catechisms are also used in the Orthodox Church
The Catholic Church has two "universal" catechisms: The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992). However, catechisms are also used in the Orthodox Church.
Unlike the Catholic Church, there is no teaching Magisterium in the Orthodox world. Catechumens are typically instructed orally by a deacon or priest at the church. There is an emphasis on being taught by simply attending church and listening to the services. Orthodox catechumens are often encouraged to refer to the original writings of the Church Fathers, such as the Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem and The Ladder of Divine Ascent.
In recent times, the Eastern Orthodox Church has seen the emergence of several catechisms, including the Philaret Catechism, also known as "The Longer Catechism of The Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern Church." This catechism was printed in 1901 with the blessing of St. Tikhon and is structured in a question-and-answer format. Another example is "A new-style catechism on the Eastern Orthodox faith for adults" by Rev. Constas, approved by the Holy Synod in 1929.
In addition to these, there are other Orthodox catechisms in English, such as "The Faith: Understanding Orthodox Christianity, An Orthodox Catechism" by Carlton Clark, endorsed by several bishops, and "A Holy Catechism, or Explanation of the Divine and Holy Liturgy" by Nicolas Bulgaris, first printed in 1681.
While the Orthodox Church does not have a single, standardized catechism like the Roman Catholic Church, it utilizes a collection of catechisms written by the Church Fathers, including the Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, and the Exact Exposition of the Faith.
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Frequently asked questions
There are thousands of catechisms in the Catholic tradition, with texts appearing in print for laypeople by the early medieval period. However, only two "universal" catechisms have been promulgated by the popes of the Catholic Church: The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992).
A catechism is a summary of doctrine, serving as a learning introduction to the sacraments used in catechesis or Christian religious teaching. Catechisms are often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorised.
The two "universal" catechisms are The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566), written primarily for priests, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), written mainly for bishops.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is a reference work that summarises the Catholic Church's doctrine. It was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992 as a reference for the development of local catechisms. It has been translated and published in over 20 languages worldwide.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent, also known as the Roman Catechism, was ordered to be written by the Council of Trent for parish priests and teachers of religion. It is a question-and-answer format catechism that served as the standard catechetical text in Great Britain in the early 20th century.
