To Commend and Encourage Use of Luther’s Catechisms
RESOLUTION 5-12
President’s Report Part 2 (TB, pp. 21–31)
WHEREAS, The importance of teaching the Christian faith and a godly life—catechesis—has been understood since the earliest days of the Christian church as an essential aspect of the church’s regular life and its missionary mandate (Matt. 2:20; John 13:13; Acts 2:42; 15:35; 28:30–31; Rom. 6:17; 1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Tim. 3:2; 4:11; Titus 2:1; 2 John 1:9–10); and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has a long heritage of preparing editions of Luther’s Small Catechism that include further explanations of and biblical support for the chief parts (e.g., the 1943 and 1991 editions of Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation); and
WHEREAS, 2013 Res. 3-13A directed the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) in concurrence with the Office of the President to propose revisions to the explanation portion of the 1991 Explanation of the Small Catechism and, “with the help of Concordia Publishing House, to field test the proposed revisions and make any further revisions necessary before publication”; and
WHEREAS, A drafting committee appointed by the CTCR and the Office of the President has prepared a revision of the Explanation that has been approved by the CTCR (working in concurrence with the Office of the President) for field-testing and feedback and that will be available to the Synod soon (electronically and in print form) for this purpose; and
WHEREAS, Luther published both the Small Catechism and the Large Catechism (in 1529) because many ordinary persons knew “absolutely nothing about the Christian faith” and many pastors were “completely unskilled and incompetent teachers” (SC Preface 2); and
WHEREAS, Some of our churches have come to limit new member instruction to a few hours, sometimes neglecting the Catechism and its critical teachings; and
WHEREAS, The catechisms remain invaluable tools for parents, pastors, and teachers and its contents are necessary affirmations in this time of great religious diversity, widespread spiritual confusion, and pervasive impatience with clear teaching (2 Tim. 4:3); therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS reaffirm the importance of the Small Catechism as a handbook and a rich resource for faith and life and a tool to be used for teaching baptized Christian children and also for teaching adults who are preparing for Baptism or desire to join the Lutheran church; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS reaffirm the necessity of faithful catechesis for the church’s mission; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention, encourage the use of both the Large and Small Catechisms in the continuing instruction and inclusion in the devotional life of its people; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS commend the drafting committee, the CTCR, the Office of the President, and CPH for working together to prepare and make available a draft revision of the Explanation 1 and urge widespread participation in field-testing the draft; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS encourage publication of the revised Explanation during 2017, the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, after appropriate attention to feedback from the field-test; and be it finally
Resolved, That the CTCR, in concurrence with the President of Synod and the seminary faculties, explore the creation of an annotated and expanded edition of the Large Catechism for widespread use and study in the church.