Read the section in the Small Catechism on the Sacrament of the Altar This sacrament goes by many names; the Sacrament of the Altar, the Sacrament of the Table, Holy Communion, Communion, Eucharist (the Greek word for thanksgiving). Each refers to the sharing of bread and wine, which is the Body and Blood of Jesus… Read More »
Baptism and Confession
Read the section in the Small Catechism on the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. What is a Sacrament? A sacrament is a means for God’s grace to be delivered to us. Now, God can bestow grace in any way God wants. However, because God knows that we need tangible things God has promised to be present… Read More »
Lord’s Prayer
Read the section in the Small Catechism on the Lord’s Prayer. Before we go any farther with the Lord’s Prayer it might be instructive to see what Martin Luther understood about prayer itself. For Luther, prayer is something the second commandment teaches (remember that one? You shall not make wrongful use of the name of… Read More »
Apostle’s Creed
Read the section in the Small Catechism on the Apostles’ Creed. A creed is a basic statement of faith. The Apostles’ Creed, as we now have it, dates from the eighth century. However, its roots are in the “Old Roman Creed” which was used in some parts of the ancient church as early as the… Read More »
10 Commandments
Read the Small Catechism section on The Ten Commandments. Luther understood the Ten Commandments to be Moses’ meditation on the natural law of God that is written on all human hearts. In this way he focused more on the spirit of the texts rather than the specifics as they might be applied to Israelites of… Read More »
Introduction
Read the History of the Small Catechism and Luther’s preface to the Small Catechism. In the early church the word chatecheo, meaning to inform or instruct, was the Greek term used to denote Christian instruction for anyone. By the second century this word was used for the pre-baptismal instruction of the catechumens, those who desired baptism… Read More »
