Luther on the Catechism

"In the catechism, we have a very exact, direct, and short way to the whole Christian religion. For God himself gave the ten commandments, Christ himself penned and taught the Lord's Prayer, the Holy Ghost brought together the articles of faith"

-Martin Luther

Having being exposed to a mainstream Church when I was growing up, I never appreciated the strength, clarity and completeness of doctrine that was preached. We were given old looking little books - Catechisms - for confirmation that really held a wonderful distillation of core Christian beliefs.

Against the contents of the catechism which contain the 10 commandments and the core creeds Nicene, Apostolic etc. it becomes much easier to distinguish truth from error and also place a clear boundary between core and perpheral beliefs that should be regarded (or even celebrated) as part of the diversity of the whole Christian church (such as Creation etc).

Pity it took so long to realise this myself...but sometimes truth isnt truth until you've done the hard digging and discovered it for yourself. (I am also aware that mindless reciting or relying the catechisim in itself could lead to religiosity or dead works - but that is not its intention.)

The mainstream Churches really have given us so much. Schools, hospitals, Bible translations, missionary work, good doctrine...but I really wish that they would also learn not to compromise their core beliefs in order to become "relevant" - but also would change in those area's that should change (such as style of music, buildings, sermons, the Pastors outfit, service delivery model, liturgy ie. modernise) in order to connect with their congrgations and grow. I think then the sleeping giant would awaken.

I guess change is more diffficult in denominations with a long legacy of doing things in a particular way.