Matthew Vogan
A review article on The Heidelberg Catechism, published by the Banner of Truth Trust in their Pocket Puritans series, soft cover, 88 pages, £10.00.
A book of true comfort.
It is unusual to contemplate a doctrinal catechism from 450 years ago as uniquely offering true spiritual comfort, but the Heidelberg Catechism, so beloved of our Dutch friends, is a unique document. A number of factors underline its importance.
Its continuing value.
No other catechism from the sixteenth century has the same status and continuity of use, and enjoys such widespread affection. It continues to be used for catechising and for public instruction in Dutch churches every Sabbath. It has been translated into a vast array of languages across the globe. What is it in this document that enables so many to draw so much benefit out of it?
Its clear teaching structure.
The Heidelberg opens with a clear statement of the three things that it is necessary for us to know in order to live and die happily: “the first, how great my sins and miseries are; the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries; the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance”.
These three have been well summarised as: guilt, grace and gratitude. William Vandoodewaard, who contributes an introduction, notes that, in this, “the Heidelberg Catechism follows the pattern of the Epistle to the Romans. It opens with the question ‘What is your only comfort in life and in death?’, and then examines the realities of human sin and misery (Rom 1:1-3:20); salvation in Christ, including faith and repentance (Rom 3:21-11:36); and the Christian life of thankful obedience in response to God’s grace in Christ (Rom 12-16).” In this God’s Word and law are emphasised in the exercises of faith, repentance and prayer.
Zacharias Ursinus wrote: “A knowledge of our misery is necessary for our comfort, not that it of itself administers any consolation, or is any part of it, (for of itself it rather alarms than comforts,) but it is necessary because it excites in us the desire of deliverance, just as a knowledge of disease awakens a desire of medicine on the part of the sick”.
After outlining the truths of salvation in a vital and earnest way, the Catechism takes a clear path through further areas of biblical doctrine, with its exposition and application of the Apostles’ Creed, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer.
Its Reformation origin.
As its name suggests, it originated in the German city of Heidelberg during the Reformation period. Lutheran doctrine and practice generally were in the ascendancy in Protestant areas of Germany. Frederick III (1516-76), who was Elector Palatine, expressed the desire that his subjects might be brought to a “devout knowledge and fear of the Almighty and His holy Word of salvation”. He commissioned a group of theologians and ministers to compose a summary of biblical truth that could be taught and memorised.
His stated objectives are very noteworthy: “This was done so that in the future, not only will our young people be instructed in the Christian doctrine in a godly manner and admonished in unanimity, but also so that pastors and schoolteachers themselves will have a reliable model and a solid standard as to how to approach the instruction of our young people, and so that they will not change one thing or another on a daily basis or introduce a contrary doctrine”. He went on to give a robust defence of its doctrine as “irrefutable” before the Roman Catholic Emperor Maximilian II, at the Imperial Diet of Augsburg in 1566. The final version was approved by the Synod in Heidelberg (1563).
Its wide acceptance.
The Heidelberg is said to have been the most ecumenical of the Protestant confessions. This refers to the fact that it was influenced by the thinking of the Lutheran Philip Melanchthon even though it expresses the Reformed doctrine on Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and Christ’s human nature in heaven. The Catechism was produced following a period of controversy in Heidelberg in relation to the Lord’s Supper. Philip Melanchthon was involved in this and, before he died in 1560, produced an irenic statement that had much common ground with the Reformed position. It is now believed that the principal author of the Catechism was Zacharius Ursinus (1534-1583) who had studied under Melanchthon in Wittenberg. Comparisons have shown that the Heidelberg has a close connection with, and in some cases dependence upon, Luther’s catechisms.
Reformed theologians were not able to put together an overarching confession which would be accepted by all the different national strands of Reformed Churches in the way that the Lutherans achieved. It is often said, however, that the Heidelberg came nearest to this and was very widely received. It was certainly meant to be a statement of confession as much as a manual of instruction. Zurich Reformer Heinrich Bullinger highly praised the Heidelberg Catechism as the “best catechism”. Some have argued that Bullinger in fact exerted a stronger influence than Calvin on the document. King James VI gave his approval for it to be printed in Edinburgh and used in Scotland. Robert Rollock lectured on it, and the British delegates to the Synod of Dort expressed their approval of it. Within decades after its publication, it had travelled far and had been translated into Latin, Dutch, English, Hungarian, French, Greek, Romansh, Czech, and Spanish.
Its experiential tone.
The famous first question is: “What is thy only comfort in life and death?” The answer given is: “That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with His precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil . . .”.
Another precious portion is in the response given to Question 58: “What comfort taketh thou from the article of ‘life everlasting’?” “That since I now feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, after this life I shall inherit perfect salvation, which ‘eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man’ to conceive, and that to praise God therein for ever”. These expressions were of incalculable value to the martyrs and persecuted Christians of the Reformation.
In a commentary written on the Catechism by Zacharius Ursinus, he explains something of the experiential emphasis that pervades it: “No man, however, truly knows what justifying faith is, except he who believes, or possesses it; as he, who never saw or tasted honey, knows nothing of its quality or taste, although you may tell him many things of the sweetness of honey. But the man who truly believes, experiences these things in himself, and is able, also, to explain them to others.” The emphasis upon experience makes it very suitable for devotional reading and the division of the material into 52 Lord’s Days suggests profitable material for reading and meditation on the Sabbath day.
Throughout the Catechism, “I”, “me”, “my” and “mine” are continually used in the answers. This is a strength in challenging those who give the answers as to whether it is personally and really true. This strength is also a potential weakness, for it does not seem safe to put words such as the following into the mouths of those that are not converted: “My Lord Jesus Christ, by His inexpressible anguish, pains, terrors, and hellish agonies, in which He was plunged during all His sufferings, but especially on the cross, hath delivered me from the anguish and torments of hell”. This answer relates to the part of the Creed which states that Christ “descended into hell”, which the Westminster Assembly concluded was the state of being buried, but the Heidelberg relates it to Christ’s suffering the torments of hell upon the cross.
Its covenantal teaching.
Although the word covenant does not appear frequently in the Catechism, its teaching is undergirded by the covenantal doctrine that Ursinus developed. In relation to Baptism, the Catechism makes it clear that infants born within the visible Church “are included in the covenant and belong to the people of God”. Baptism is administered to infants “as a sign of the covenant”, in that they also have the benefits of redemption held out to them in promise. We also hear the echoes of covenantal doctrine in the language of belonging and divine care that is so prominent within the Catechism. One would expect that a covenantal framework would lead to a strong affirmation that Christ died for His people alone. The language of the Catechism is less than clear, however, in Question 37: “He, all the time that He lived on earth, but especially at the end of His life, sustained in body and soul the wrath of God against the sins of all mankind”.
In the edition that we have been given to review (see further below), this is rendered as “the sins of the whole human race” with a note “or the sins of all mankind”. Reference to the Commentary written by Ursinus does not help to clarify greatly since he distinguishes between satisfaction made as sufficient for all and satisfaction applied. Those who use the Catechism are, however, primarily committed to the doctrine that Christ died only for His people and explain this in terms of Christ dying for men from all nations.
Its robust Protestantism.
When it comes to resisting the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation and the blasphemy of the mass, the Heidelberg Catechism does not draw back. Answer 80 rejects the “popish mass” as not only “a denial of the one sacrifice and sufferings of Jesus Christ” but “accursed idolatry”. In its exposition of the first three of the Ten Commandments, it is made clear that the first and third commandments forbid praying to, and swearing by, “saints” (Q & A 94,102). It also emphasises, against Rome’s idolatry, the Second Commandment’s prohibition of images: “God forbids to make, or have any resemblance of them, either in order to worship them or to serve God by them”.
This Edition.
This edition has a tan leather-type cover with a durable binding and a modern, very readable font. It would be beneficial to have a faithful version of the Heidelberg Catechism in such an attractive and portable format. Unfortunately, for several reasons we do not regard this edition to be a faithful version.
It is peculiar that on Question 56, it speaks of the righteousness of Christ being imparted rather than imputed, which is the word commonly used in other English translations. There is a footnote stating that the original German means to give as a free gift. The idea of imparted righteousness is more akin to the way Roman Catholics think about justification.
The editors of this volume have decided to try to update the language and remove all reference to thee and thou. This has the serious effect of changing the language of the Lord’s Prayer to “you”. On Question 119 it changes the language to “Our Father who are in heaven”; given that this is the plural (as opposed to is or art), the grammatical problem is overshadowed by a theological one. The updating of the language is inconsistent and uneven throughout, with some rather less familiar words being retained. It reduces the appeal of this edition for those who would rather have an earlier translation. We think that the Heidelberg Catechism is very worthy of our attention but, regrettably, we cannot recommend this particular edition.