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''This article is for information about the catechism, for the text of the catechism see: [[Heidelberg Catechism (1563)]].''

[[File:Heidelberger Katechismus 1563 (2).jpg|thumb|1563 edition]]{{Sister project|project=wikisource|text=[[Wikisource]] has an [[Wikisource:The Heidelberg Catechism|English translation of the Heidelberg Catechism]]}}
The '''Heidelberg Catechism''' (1563), one of the [[Three Forms of Unity]], is a [[Reformed Christianity|Reformed]] [[catechism]] taking the form of a series of questions and answers for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine. It was published in 1563 in [[Heidelberg]], [[Germany]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Curtis |first=William A. |title=A History of Creeds and Confessions of Faith in Christendom and Beyond |publisher=T. & T. Clark |year=1911 |location=Edinburgh |pages=}}</ref>{{Rp|page=230|pages=}} Its original title translates to '''''Catechism, or Christian Instruction, according to the Usages of the Churches and Schools of the Electoral Palatinate'''''. Commissioned by the [[prince-elector]] of the [[Electoral Palatinate]], it is sometimes referred to as the 'Palatinate Catechism.' It has been translated into many languages and is regarded as one of the most influential of the Reformed catechisms. Today, the Catechism is "probably the most frequently read Reformed confessional text worldwide".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Bierma |first=Lyle D. |title=Profil und Wirkung des Heidelberger Katechismus |publisher=Hubert & Co |year=2015 |isbn=9783579059969 |editor-last=Strohm |editor-first=Christoph |location=Göttingen |language=de |trans-title=The Heidelberger Catechism: Origins, Characteristics, and Influences |chapter=The Theological Origins of the Heidelberg Catechism |editor-last2=Stievermann |editor-first2=Jan}}</ref>{{Rp|page=13}}

== History ==
[[Frederick III, Elector Palatine|Frederick III]], sovereign of the [[Electoral Palatinate]] from 1559 to 1576, was the first German prince who professed Reformed doctrine although he was officially Lutheran. The [[Peace of Augsburg]] of 1555 originally granted toleration only for Lutherans under Lutheran princes (due to the principle of [[Cuius regio, eius religio|c''uius regio, eius religio'']]). Frederick wanted to even out the religious situation of his highly Lutheran realm within the primarily Roman Catholic [[Holy Roman Empire]]. He commissioned the composition of a new catechism for his realm, which "was intended to do three things: 1) provide a 'fixed form and model' of Christian doctrine for his realm; 2) instruct the youth of the Palatinate in school and church; and 3) enable the pastors and schoolteachers of the Palatinate to preach/teach."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hyde |first=Daniel R. |title=Why I Love the Heidelberg Catechism |url=https://www.danielrhyde.com/articles/why-i-love-the-heidelberg-catechism |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260106195451/https://www.danielrhyde.com/articles/why-i-love-the-heidelberg-catechism |archive-date=January 6, 2026 |access-date=January 6, 2026 |website=www.danielrhyde.com}}</ref> One of the aims of the catechism was to counteract the teachings of the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]] as well as those of [[Anabaptists]] and 'strict' [[Gnesio-Lutherans]] like [[Tilemann Heshusius]] (recently elevated to general superintendent of the university)<ref name="EB1911">{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Heidelberg Catechism, The|volume=13|page=211}}</ref> and [[Matthias Flacius]], who were resisting Frederick's Reformed influences, particularly on the matter of the [[Eucharist]].

The Catechism based each of its statements on Biblical source texts (although some may call them '[[prooftext|proof-texts]]' which can have a negative connotation), but the 'strict' Lutherans continued to attack it, the assault being still led by Heshusius and Flacius. Frederick himself defended it at the 1566 [[Diet of Augsburg]] as based in Scripture rather than based in [[Reformed theology]] when he was called to answer to charges, brought by [[Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian II]], of violating the [[Peace of Augsburg]]. Afterwards, the Catechism quickly became widely accepted.<ref name="EB1911" />

A synod in Heidelberg approved the catechism in 1563. In the [[Netherlands]], the Catechism was approved by the Synods of Wesel (1568), Emden (1571), Dort (1578), the Hague (1586), as well as the great [[Synod of Dort]] of 1618–19, which adopted it as one of the [[Three Forms of Unity]], together with the [[Belgic Confession]] and the [[Canons of Dort]].<ref name="background">{{Citation | url = http://www.frcna.org/Creeds/Heidelberg/background.ASP | publisher = FRC | work = Heidelberg Catechism | title = Historical Background | access-date = 2008-01-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080512082303/http://www.frcna.org/Creeds/Heidelberg/background.ASP | archive-date = 2008-05-12 | url-status = dead }}.</ref> Elders and deacons were required to subscribe and adhere to it, and ministers were required to preach on a section of the Catechism each Sunday so as to increase the often poor theological knowledge of the church members.<ref name="background" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hyde |first=Daniel R. |title=The Principle and Practice of Preaching in the Heidelberg Catechism |url=https://www.danielrhyde.com/articles/the-principle-and-practice-of-preaching-in-the-heidelberg-catechism |journal=Puritan Reformed Journal |volume=1 |pages=97–117}}</ref> In many Reformed denominations originating from the Netherlands, such as the [[United Reformed Churches in North America]], this practice is still continued.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hyde |first=Daniel R. |title=A Catechism on Catechetical Preaching |url=https://www.danielrhyde.com/articles/a-catechism-on-catechetical-preaching |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260106201919/https://www.danielrhyde.com/articles/a-catechism-on-catechetical-preaching |archive-date=January 6, 2026 |access-date=January 6, 2026 |website=www.danielrhyde.com}}</ref>

== Authorship and influences ==
[[File:Zacharias Ursinus.png|left|thumb|246x246px|[[Zacharias Ursinus]], 16th-century German [[Reformed Christianity|Reformed]] theologian who led the [[Reformation]] in the [[Electoral Palatinate]], and primary author of the Heidelberg Catechism]]
While the catechism's introduction credits the "entire theological faculty here" (at the [[University of Heidelberg]]) and "all the superintendents and prominent servants of the church"<ref name="Sehling">Emil Sehling, ed., ''Die evangelischen Kirchenordnungen des XVI. Jahrhunderts,'' Band 14, Kurpfalz (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1969), 343: "Und demnach mit rhat und zuthun unserer gantzen theologischen facultet allhie, auch allen superintendenten und fürnemsten kirchendienern einen summarischen underricht oder catechismum unserer christlichen religion auß dem wort Gottes beides, in deutscher und lateinisher sprach, verfassen und stellen lassen, damit fürbaß nicht allein die jugendt in kirchen und schulen in solcher christlicher lehre gottseliglichen underwiesen und darzu einhelliglichen angehalten, sonder auch die prediger und schulmeister selbs ein gewisse und bestendige form und maß haben mögen, wie sie sich in underweisung der jugendt verhalten sollen und nicht ires gefallens tegliche enderungen fürnemen oder widerwertige lehre einfüren."</ref> for the composition of the Catechism, [[Zacharius Ursinus]] (1534–1583) is commonly regarded as the catechism's principal author. [[Caspar Olevianus]] (1536–1587) was formerly asserted as a co-author of the document, though this theory has been largely discarded by modern scholarship.<ref name="Bierma">Lyle Bierma, "The Purpose and Authorship of the Heidelberg Catechism," in ''An Introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism: Sources, History, and Theology'' (Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States: Baker, 2005), p. 67.</ref><ref name="Goeters">{{Citation |last=Goeters |first=J.F. Gerhard |title=Heidelberger Katechismus: Revidierte Ausgabe 1997 |page=89 |year=2006 |contribution=Zur Geschichte des Katechismus |edition=3rd |place=Neukirchen-Vluyn |publisher=Neukirchener Verlag}}.</ref> [[Johann Sylvan]], [[Adam Neuser]], Johannes Willing, [[Thomas Erastus]], Michael Diller, Johannes Brunner, Tilemann Mumius, Petrus Macheropoeus, Johannes Eisenmenger, [[Immanuel Tremellius]] and [[Pierre Boquin]] are all likely to have contributed to the Catechism in some way.<ref>{{Citation |title=History |work=Heidelberg catechism |url=http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/history/?s=15}}.</ref> Frederick III himself wrote the preface to the Catechism<ref>{{Citation |title=Heidelberg catechism |chapter=Preface |chapter-url=http://heidelberg-catechism.s3.amazonaws.com/Original%20Preface%20of%20Heidelberg%20Catechism%20%281563%29.pdf |publisher=Amazon}}.</ref> and closely oversaw its composition and publication.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=|pages=230–231}}

Ursinus was familiar with the catechisms of [[Martin Luther]], [[John Calvin]], [[Jan Łaski]] and [[Leo Jud]] and was therefore likely influenced by them, however the Catechism does not betray a patchwork nature but a unity of style.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=233|pages=}} There are three major scholarly traditions identifying the primary theological origin or influences of the Catechism: the first as 'thoroughly Calvinistic' or associated with the [[Geneva]]n Reformation, the second as Reformed in the spirit of the [[Zurich]] Reformation and [[Heinrich Bullinger]] and the third as equally Reformed and Lutheran (especially [[Philip Melanchthon|Melanchthonian]]).<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=14}} The third tradition is justified by the fact that Frederick III himself was not thoroughly Reformed, but in his life represented a shift from a "[[Philippists|Philippist]]/Gnesio-Lutheran theological axis to a Philippist-Reformed theological axis", which was especially evident in his attraction to the Reformed position on the Eucharist during a formal debate of 1560 between Lutheran and Reformed theologians in Heidelberg,<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=17}} as well as by the fact that the theological faculty which prepared the Catechism consisted of both Reformed and Philippist Lutheran figures.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=|pages=18–19}} A proponent of this tradition, Lyle D. Bierma, also argues for this by pointing out that the theme of 'comfort' (evident in the famous first Question), is also present in works of Luther and Melanchthon which were significant in the Reformation of the Palatinate.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=21}}

== Structure ==
In its current form, the Heidelberg Catechism consists of 52 sections, called 'Lord's Days', to be taught on each Sunday of the year, and 129 Questions and Answers. After two prefatory Questions (Lord's Day 1), the Catechism is divided into three main parts.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=231|pages=}}

=== I. The Misery of Man ===

This part consists of the Lord's Day 2, 3, and 4 (Questions 3-11), discussing the following doctrines.
* The knowledge of sin to [[Law and Gospel|God's Law]], with Christ's summary of the Law in the two great commandments.
* Man's creation after God's image "in righteousness and true holiness; that he might rightly know God his Creator, heartily love Him and live with Him in eternal blessedness, to praise and glorify Him".<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=232|pages=}}
* [[the Fall of Man|The Fall]] of Adam, leading to the present condition of man which provokes God's wrath.

=== II. Of Man's Redemption ===

This part consists of Lord's Day 5 through to Lord's Day 31 (Questions 12-85), discussing the following doctrines.
* [[Satisfaction theory of atonement]] or [[penal substitutionary atonement]], the necessity of redemption through Christ, and its foreshadowing in the Old Testament.
* The appropriation of the effects of the Atonement by [[Sola fide|faith]], which is "not only a certain knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word, but also a hearty trust which the Holy Ghost works in me by the Gospel that not only to others, but to me also, forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness and salvation are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits".
* The importance of the content of faith which is explained by an exposition of 12 articles of the Christian faith, known as the [[Apostles' Creed]]. The discussion of these articles is further divided into sections on the [[Trinity]] as revealed by God's Word.
** God the Father and our creation (Lord's Days 9-10).
** God the Son and our redemption (Lord's Days 11-19).
** God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification (Lord's Days 20-22).
* [[Divine providence]].
* The name of Christ and the term '[[Christian]]'.
* The [[Ascension of Christ]] and its benefits.
* The [[Invisible Church|Church]] and the [[communion of saints]].
* [[Justification (theology)|Justification]]
* The [[Sacraments]] of [[Baptism]] and [[Eucharist|the Lord's Supper]].
* The office of the [[Keys of the kingdom|Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven]].
* [[Evangelism#Protestantism|The preaching of the Gospel]] and [[Church discipline#Protestant church discipline|Church Discipline]].

=== III. Of Thankfulness ===

This part consists of the Lord's Day 32 through to Lord's Day 52 (Questions 86-129). It discusses:
* [[Religious conversion|Conversion]] (Lord's Days 32–33)
* Christian duty as the fruits of repentance and faith, to the glory of God and the help of our neighbours, according to [[the Ten Commandments]] (Lord's Days 34–44), which are expounded upon in positive and negative terms.
* Obedience to God's will and the necessity of [[Christian prayer|prayer]], with and exposition of the [[Lord's Prayer]] (Lord's Days 45–52).

== Lord's Day 1 ==
The first Lord's Day should be read as a summary of the catechism as a whole. As such, it illustrates the character of this work, which is devotional as well as dogmatic or doctrinal. The celebrated first Question and Answer read thus.<blockquote>What is thine only comfort in life and in death?
That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; yea, and that all things must work together for my salvation. Wherefore by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready henceforth to live unto Him.</blockquote>Bierma argues that the opening lines of this answer are remarkably similar to Luther's explanation of the second article of the Apostles' Creed in his ''[[Luther's Small Catechism|Small Catechism]]'' (1529), "that I may belong to him [...] [Jesus Christ] has set me free [...] He has purchased and freed me from all sins [...] from the tyranny of the devil [...] with his [...] precious blood". However, the end of the Answer appears to originate in a north German Reformed catechism which was a translation by [[Marten Micron]] of a work by Jan Łaski, which states that "the Holy Spirit assures me that I am a member of Christ's church in two ways: by testifying to my spirit that I am a child of God, and by moving me to obey the commandments".<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=22}}

== Lord's Day 30 ==
The Catechism is most notoriously and explicitly anti-Roman Catholic in the additions made in its second and third editions to Lord's Day 30 concerning "the popish mass", which is condemned as an "accursed idolatry".

Following the late 17th-century [[Nine Years' War|War of Palatine Succession]], Heidelberg and the Palatinate were again in an unstable political situation with sectarian battle lines.<ref>[[Heidelberg#Modern history]].</ref> In 1719, an edition of the Catechism was published in the Palatinate that included Lord's Day 30. The Roman Catholic reaction was so strong, that the Catechism was banned by [[Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine]]. This provoked a reaction from Reformed countries, leading to a reversal of the ban.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Thompson |first1=Andrew C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SDV3VJdeXssC&pg=PA61 |title=Britain, Hanover and the Protestant Interest, 1688–1756 |year=2006 |isbn=9781843832416}}</ref>

In some Reformed denominations Question and Answer 80, the first of Lord's Day 30, have been removed or bracketed but noted as part of the original Catechism.<ref>{{cite web |title=CRC Releases Final Report on Catholic Eucharist |url=https://www.crcna.org/news-and-events/news/crc-releases-final-report-catholic-eucharist |publisher=[[Christian Reformed Church in North America]] |access-date=20 March 2021 |date=25 February 2008}}</ref>

== Significance ==
[[File:Heidelberger Schloss von Carl Rottmann 1815.jpg|thumb|275x275px|The Heidelberg Catechism is the most significant product of the [[Reformation]] in the [[Electoral Palatinate]], with an enduring and now global influence.]]
According to W. A. Curtis in his ''History of Creeds and Confessions of Faith'', "No praise is too great for the simplicity of language, the accord with Scripture, the natural order, the theological restraint and devout tone which characterize this Catechism".<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=|pages=232–233}}

The influence of the Catechism extended to the [[Westminster Assembly]] of Divines who (when restructuring the [[Church of England]] used it as the basis for their [[Shorter Catechism]].,<ref>{{Cite Americana|wstitle=Heidelberg Catechism}}</ref> which went on the influence the [[Presbyterian Church in the United States of America]]. The Catechism is one of the [[Three Forms of Unity|three Reformed confessions]] that form the doctrinal basis of the original [[Dutch Reformed Church|Reformed Church in The Netherlands]], and is recognized as such also by the Dutch Reformed churches that originated from that church during and since the 19th century.

Several Protestant denominations in North America have presently adopted the Catechism officially: the [[United Reformed Churches in North America]], [[Reformed Church in the United States]] (formerly the German Reformed Church), ECO (A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians), the [[Christian Reformed Church in North America|Christian Reformed Church]], the [[United Reformed Churches in North America|United Reformed Churches]], the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]], the [[Reformed Church in America]], the [[Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches]], the [[United Church of Christ]] (a successor to the German Reformed churches), the [[Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://evangelicalassociation.net/earccc/historic-resource-library/|website=Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches|access-date=June 23, 2015|title=Historic Resource Library|archive-date=October 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191003132415/http://evangelicalassociation.net/earccc/historic-resource-library/|url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[Free Reformed Churches of North America]], the [[Heritage Reformed Congregations]], the [[Canadian and American Reformed Churches]], [[Protestant Reformed Churches]], and several other Calvinist churches of Dutch origin around the world. Likewise, the Book of Discipline of [[The United Methodist Church]] lists it as an influence on United Methodism.

== Further reading ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Bierma|first=Lyle D.|title=Introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism: Sources, History, and Theology|isbn = 978-0-80103117-5 | year= 2005}}
* {{cite book |last=Ernst-Habib|first=Margit|title=But Why Are You Called a Christian? An Introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism|year = 2013 | publisher=Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht|location=Göttingen| isbn = 978-352558041-7}}
* {{cite book |editor-last1=Strohm|editor-first1=Christoph|editor-last2=Stievermann|editor-first2=Jan|title=Profil und Wirkung des Heidelberger Katechismus|trans-title=The Heidelberger Catechism: Origins, Characteristics, and Influences|language=de|year=2015|publisher=Hubert & Co|location=Göttingen|isbn=978-3-579-05996-9}}
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
*[https://rcus.org/confessions-2/ Heidelberg Catechism (modern English translation)]: From the [[Reformed Church in the United States]]
*[https://urclearning.org/families/ Heidelberg Curriculum for Families (text and audio)]
*[https://urclearning.org/creeds-and-confessions-audio/ Audio Recording of the Heidelberg Catechism (mp3)]
*[http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/ Heidelberg-Catechism.com]
*{{librivox book | title=Heidelberg Catechism| author=Ursinus}}

== References ==

[[Category:1563 books]]
[[Category:Dutch Reformed Church]]
[[Category:Three Forms of Unity]]
[[Category:Catechisms]]
[[Category:History of Heidelberg|Catechism]]
[[Category:1563 in Christianity]]
[[Category:Protestant education]]
[[Category:16th-century Christian texts]]
[[Category:1563 in Europe]]

Heidelberg Catechism (article) - Revision history