The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

to depart from these in things or words, but by the grace of the Holy Spirit,
with one accord, to abide in this pious Consent, and to regulate all
decisions in controversies on religion, in accordance therewith." 202 "And
because this matter of religion pertains also to the laity, as they call them,
and bears upon their eternal salvation," says the Formula of Concord, "we
publicly profess that we also embrace the SMALLER AND LARGER
CATECHISMS of Luther, regarding them as a sort of Bible of the laity,
wherein all those things are briefly comprehended which in the Holy
Scripture are more largely treated, and the knowledge of which is of need
to a Christian man unto his salvation." "These CATECHISMS have been
received and approved by all the churches of the Augsburg Confession,
and are everywhere used in the churches and schools publicly, and in
private houses - and in them the Christian doctrine, taken from God's
Word, is set forth with the utmost clearness and simplicity for the use of the
unlearned and of the laity.” 203
In chronological order, as writings, the Catechisms, which appeared
in 1529, would have preceded the Augsburg Confession, and this is the
order in the Thuringian Corpus of 1561: but the chronology,so far as the
Book of Concord preserves it in its arrangement, is that of acceptance as
Confessions.
Opinions of eminent men, in regard to.
It would seem as if by preeminent necessity the Catechism of a
Church should have an unmistakable indorsement as official and
confessional. It is the Catechism by which her future ministers and her
people are trained in the faith, in early life. If the Church puts into the
hands of her children statements of doctrine in any respect false, she is the
betrayer of their souls, not their guardian. A Catechism which embodies
the pure faith in the form best adapted to preserve and diffuse it among the
people is of inestimable value. Such a Catechism, if we may accept the
judgment of the wisest and best men, our Church possesses. "It may be
bought for sixpence," said Jonas, "but six thousand worlds would not pay
for it." "Luther," says Polycarp Lyser, 204 "has written a short Catechism,
more precious than
202 Müller. 21: 299: 518.5.
203 Do. 570.8.
204 In the Dedication of Chemnitzii Loci.