DOCTRINE
76
DOCTRINE
my iinderstanding, that I may instruct [KariixT^cio, in-
struam] others also " (I Cor., xiv, 19); and "Let him
that is instructed [6 Karrixovixtvo^, is qui calechizatur]
in the word, communicate to him that instructeth [ti^
Karrixoii'Ti, ei qui calechizal] him, in all good things"
(Gal., vi, 6). Hence the wortl, with its technical mean-
ing of oral religious instruction, passed into ecclesias-
tical use, and is applied both to the act of instructing
and the subject-matter of the instruction. The word
catechism was also formerly used for the act of in-
structing C' To say ay, and no, to these particulars, is
more than to answer in a catechism" — As You Like
It, act iii, sc. 2), as catichisme is still used in French;
but it is now more properly applied to the little printed
book in which the questions and answers are contained.
The subject will be treated in this article imder the
three heads; I. History of Catechetics; IL Prac-
tical Catechetics; IH. Modern Catechisms.
I. Hktory OF Catechetics. — (1) Oral instruction by means of questions and answers has occupied a promi- nent place in the scholastic methoils of the moral and religious teachers of all countries and of all ages. The Socratic dialogues will occur to every one as brilliant examples. But many centuries before Socrates' day this method was practised among the Hebrews (Exod., xii, 20; Deut., vi, 7, 20, etc.). They had three forms of catechizing: domestic, conducted by the head of the family for the benefit of his children and servants; scholastic, by teachers in schools; and ecclesiastical, by priests and Levites in the Temple and the syna- gogues. Proselytes were carefully instructed before being admitted to become members of the Jewish faith. The regular instruction of children began when they were twelve years old. Thus we read of Christ " in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors [ikSadKoKoiv], hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers" (Luke, ii, 40, 47). During His public life He frequently made use of the catechetical method to impart instruction: "What think ye of Christ? WTiose son is he?" '" Wliom do men say that the son of man is? . . . Whom do you say that I am?" etc. In His final charge to His Apostles He said: " Teach ye [ixa8riTcij(TaTe, "make disciples, or scholars"] all nations; .... Teaching [SiSdffKom-fs, "instructing"] them to observe all things whatsoever I have com- manded you" (Matt., xxviii, 19). And after this instruction they were to initiate them into the Church, " baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (ibid.).
(2) In obedience to C'hrist's command, St. Peter, "standing up with the eleven", declared to the Jews on Pentecost day, and proved to them from the Scrip- tures that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was " Lord and Christ". WTien they had been convinced of this truth, and had compimction in their heart for their crime, they asked, "What shall we do?" And Peter answered, " Do penance, and be baptized .... in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins." "And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them" (Acts, ii). We have here an abridgment of the first catechetical instruction given by the .Apos- tles. It is both doctrinal and moral — the hearers are to believe and to repent. Tliis twofold element is also contained in St. Peter's .second discourse after healing the lame man in the Temple (.\cts, iii). St. Stephen goes further, and brings out that belief in Jesus as the Christ (Messias) meant the ending of the Old Covenant and the coming in of a New (Acts, vi, vii). St. Philip the Deacon preached "of the kingdf)m of God, in the name of Jesus Christ"; and the Samaritans "were baptized, both men and women" (."Vets, viii). Fur- thermore, St. Peter and St. John came from Jerusalem and "prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost"; and doubtless declared to them the doctrine of that Holy Spirit (ibid.). The same deacon's discourse to the eunuch deals with the proof from Scrip-
ture, and notably Isaias (liii, 7), that "Jesus Christ
is the Son of God", and the necessity of baptism. No
mention is made of penance or repentance, as the
eunuch was a just man anxious to do God's will. So,
too, Cornelius, " a religious man, and fearing God with
all his house, giving much alms to the people, and
always praying to God", did not need much moral
instruction; accordingly St. Peter speaks to him of
Jesus Christ who " is lord of all . . . Jesus of Nazareth :
how God anointed him with the Holy Ghost, and with
power, who went about doing good, and healing all
that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with
him. And we are witnesses of all things that he did
in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they
killed, hanging him upon a tree. Him God raised up
the third day, and gave him to be made manifest . . .
even to us who did eat and drink with him after he
arose again from the dead ; and he commanded us to
preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who
was appointed by God, to be judge of the living and of
the dead. To him all the prophets give testimony, that
by his name all receive remission of sins, who believe
in him" (.Acts, x). In this discourse we have the chief
articles of the Creed: the Trinity (God, Jesus Christ
" Lord of all things ", the Holy Ghost), the Crucifixion,
Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord; His coming to
judge the living and the dead, and the remission of sins.
These are also the subjects of St. Paul's discourses,
though, of course, in addressing the pagans, whether
peasants at Lystra or philosophers at Athens, he deals
with the fundamental truths of the existence and
attributes of God (Acts, xiii, xiv, xvii). As he himself
summed up the matter, he taught " publicly, and from
house to house, testifying both to Jews and Gentiles
penance towards God, and faith in [fis] our Lord
Jesus Christ" (Acts, xx). We find also that though
Apollo was "instructed [KaTrixrjti-^ms] in the way of
the Lord", Priscilla and Aquila "expounded to him
the way of the Lord more diligently" {aKpi^ianpov —
Acts, xviii. — See .\postles' Creed).
(.3) The materials for describing the catechetical teaching of the ages immediately succeeding the Apostles are scanty. The books of the New Testa- ment were available, and all that would be needed would be to supplement these. Thus, in the Didache we find little but moral instruction; but it is clear that those to whom it is addressed must have already received some knowledge of what they were to be- lieve. Later on we find more explicit dogmatic teach- ing, for instance, in St. Justin's Apologies and in the writings of Clement of Alexandria. Still, even this is not much more advanced than what we have seen above as taught by St. Peter, except that Justin dwells on the Creation and proves the Divinity of Christ, the Logos and only-begotten Son of the Father.
(4) In the ages of persecution it became necessary to exercise great caution in admitting persons to mem- bership in the Church. The danger of falling away, or even of betrayal, must be guarded against by a carefid doctrinal and moral training. Hence the in- stitution of the catechumenate and the Discipline of the Secret. The work of the Apologists had been to remove prejudices against Christianity, and to set forth its doctrines and practices in such a w.ay as to appeal to the fair-minded pagan. If anyone was moved to embrace the true religion, he was not at once admitted, as in the days of the Apostles. At first he was treated as an inquirer, and only the funda- mental doctrines were communicated to him. As soon as he had given proof of his knowledge and fitness he was admitted to the catechumenate proper, and was further instructed. After some years spent in this stage he was promoted to the ranks of the Com- petentes, i. e. those ready for baptism. As might be expected, he was now instructed more especially in the rites for this purpose. Even when he had been
