Monday, September 04, 2006 AD
Comfortable words
In addition to the Anglo-Genevan Psalter (see yesterday's post), the Book of Praise also contains the confessions of the continental Reformed churches (the "three forms of unity"), and in particular the Heidelberg Catechism.
Back in my Reformed days, this was my favourite of the Reformed catechisms. It turned out that this was because it is the most Lutheran, not least because it was written for a Lutheran crowd: it was intended to unite Reformed and Lutheran believers in the Palatinate, or at least to express Reformed doctrine in a manner that would be as palatable as possible to Lutherans.
From a Lutheran perspective, a lot of the Catechism's answers are pretty unsatisfactory, especially its explicit rejection of baptismal regeneration and the Real Presence. Instead, it takes a "just as surely as X happens, so does Y" approach:
And apart from these specific disagreements over content, the form of the Heidelberg Catechism moves away from the pastoral focus of Luther's Small Catechism to a more didactic and polemical approach, an approach that was to reach its height in the Westminster Shorter and Large Catechisms a century later. (This is one reason why I found the Small Catechism so appealing even while I was still Reformed.)
But that aside, the Heidelberg Catechism still has some material in it to stir the heart of any Augsburg Evangelical. Here are some examples:
Back in my Reformed days, this was my favourite of the Reformed catechisms. It turned out that this was because it is the most Lutheran, not least because it was written for a Lutheran crowd: it was intended to unite Reformed and Lutheran believers in the Palatinate, or at least to express Reformed doctrine in a manner that would be as palatable as possible to Lutherans.
From a Lutheran perspective, a lot of the Catechism's answers are pretty unsatisfactory, especially its explicit rejection of baptismal regeneration and the Real Presence. Instead, it takes a "just as surely as X happens, so does Y" approach:
"...we are as truly cleansed from our sins spiritually as we are bodily washed with water..." (Q.73)All well and good, but our Lord didn't say, "Just as surely as you eat this bread, so you feed spiritually on my body". He said, "This is my body". However, from a personal view, the Heidelberg Catechism's approach to the sacraments was a staging post for me on the journey from a Reformed Anglican to a Lutheran understanding of Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
"...as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup given to me, so surely was His body offered for me and His blood poured out for me on the cross... as surely as I receive from the hand of the minister and taste with my mouth the bread and the cup of the Lord as sure signs of Christ's body and blood, so surely does He Himself nourish and refresh my soul to everlasting life with His crucified body and shed blood." (Q.75)
And apart from these specific disagreements over content, the form of the Heidelberg Catechism moves away from the pastoral focus of Luther's Small Catechism to a more didactic and polemical approach, an approach that was to reach its height in the Westminster Shorter and Large Catechisms a century later. (This is one reason why I found the Small Catechism so appealing even while I was still Reformed.)
But that aside, the Heidelberg Catechism still has some material in it to stir the heart of any Augsburg Evangelical. Here are some examples:
34. Why do you call Him our Lord?But best of all is the first question and answer, which stands comparison with Luther's exposition of the Second Article in the Small Catechism (on which it is clearly based):
A. Because He has ransomed us, body and soul, from all our sins, not with silver or gold but with His precious blood, and has freed us from all the power of the devil to make us His own possession.
60. How are you righteous before God?
A. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Although my conscience accuses me that I have grievously sinned against all God's commandments, have never kept any of them, and am still inclined to all evil, yet God, without any merit of my own, out of mere grace, imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ. He grants these to me as if I had never had nor committed any sin, and as if I myself had accomplished all the obedience which Christ has rendered for me, if only I accept this gift with a believing heart.
61. Why do you say that you are righteous only by faith?
A. Not that I am acceptable to God on account of the worthiness of my faith, for only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ is my righteousness before God. I can receive this righteousness and make it my own by faith only.
What is your only comfort in life and death?Altogether now... "This is most certainly true!"
That I am not my own,
but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death,
to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins
with His precious blood,
and has set me free
from all the power of the devil.
He also preserves me in such a way
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head;
indeed, all things must work together
for my salvation.
Therefore, by His Holy Spirit
He also assures me
of eternal life
and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for Him.
