The catechism contributes to Christian instruction.
The term catechism comes from the late Latin catechismus , which in turn derives from the Byzantine Greek katēchismós , coming from katēcheîn (which translates as “instruct” ). The concept is used in different ways, especially in the field of Christianity .
One of the meanings mentioned by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary refers to the book that details Christian doctrine and that functions as basic instruction for the faithful.
Origins of the catechism
The first catechism was written in Latin by Saint Peter Canisius in 1555 . This work , which was soon translated into the German language and then into other languages, is considered a presentation of Catholicism .
Divided into two sections (the Doctrine of Reasonableness and the Doctrine of Justice ), this catechism includes quotations from the Bible . Its contents are organized into five chapters ( Faith , Hope , Charity , Sacraments and Justice ), which in total add up to more than two hundred “questions” (simple questions that are answered in about two pages each).
Over time , many other catechisms emerged, generally developed in the question-answer format. One of the best known is the so-called Catechism of the Catholic Church (known as CIC , or CEC by the Latin title Catechismus Catholicæ Ecclesiæ ), which exposes the doctrine, faith and morals of Catholicism based on the Bible , the teaching and the Sacred Tradition .
The books of Protestantism
The Protestant branches of Christianity also have their own catechisms. Martin Luther is the author of the Large Catechism , presented in 1529 . This work is divided into five sections: baptism , communion , the Ten Commandments , the Lord's Prayer , and the Apostles' Creed .
The teachings of Jesus Christ appear in the catechism.
Just as he created the Larger Catechism , Luther is also responsible for the Smaller Catechism . Its intention was to support heads of families and pastors in Christian instruction.
The Heidelberg Catechism and the Westminster Catechism are other Protestant catechisms that achieved great impact.
Catechism as a synonym for catechesis
The RAE accepts the use of catechism as equivalent to catechesis . In this sense, the concept is used to refer to the place or meeting where the doctrine of Christianity is taught.
The catechism, in this way, includes practices that aim to transmit Christian traditions and values, helping new faithful to integrate into the community and follow the mandates of the Catholic Church.
The catechism can be associated with evangelization , since it allows the teachings of Jesus Christ to be propagated. In any case, the notion is more linked to the formation of believers.
Use of the term beyond religion
It is important to indicate that the RAE also accepts the idea of a catechism as a work that exposes an art or a science . These texts are usually written as questions and answers to facilitate the summary of the contents.
The concept is even used to refer to the summary , real or symbolic, of the main precepts of a dogma, an ideology or a movement: the revolutionary catechism , the feminist catechism , the cinematographic catechism , etc.