The Catechism and the Apostles’ Creed

Many people imagine that the Shorter Catechism, 1647, necessarily represents the whole mind of the church in Scotland in theological matters. In actual fact, although this catechism was wholeheartedly approved by the Scottish church and became the standard catechism in use, it lacks reference to the Apostle’s Creed.

Many editions of the Shorter Catechism add the Apostle’s Creed as an appendix; it was not however part of the original catechism as conceived by the Westminster Assembly. This was basically a political compromise because some of the members of the Assembly rejected the use of the Apostles’ Creed.

This was certainly not the position of the Scottish Commissioners who passionately defended the use of the “Belief”, the Scottish term for the Creed.  Indeed in a not to subtle attempt to influence the Westminster Assembly the Scottish General Assembly of the Church of Scotland had actually published two catechisms in 1644 which included the Belief.

The first was “The ABC, or a Catechism for Young Children” 1644,  (not to be confused with a similarly titled “the ABC with the Catechism” that was condemned by the GA of 1649).

Qu. 12.  What call ye true faith

A. It is the true knowledge of Jesus Christ with assurance of salvation in him.

Qu. 13. Rehearse the Articles of your Faith ?

A. 1. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

2. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord. Etc

In a similar vein but for more advanced scholars was “A New Catechism According to the Form of the Kirk of Scotland”,  (1644):

Q. Rehearse the 12 Articles of the Belief ?

A. I believe in God the Father Almighty, etc.

Q. What is contained in the first article ?

A. Our confidence in a loving and powerful God.

Q, How many Gods are they ?

A. One.

Q. How many persons are in the Godhead ?

A. Three : God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Q. What is it to believe in God ?

A. To put our whole confidence in him, trusting that he will provide for us in all things needful for this life, and the life to come.

These catechisms merely reflected the common practice of the Reformed church in Scotland, (which also accepted the Palatinate or Heidelberg Confession which similarly includes the Apostles’ Creed.)

In an attempt to foster a new uniformity in worship and instruction the Scots sacrificed the Apostles’ Creed to the radical English Independents who were opposed to its use in worship.  I would argue that in doing so we cut ourselves off from our rich Scottish Reformed liturgical tradition, isolated ourselves from the practice of other continental Reformed churches, and impoverished our instruction of our members.

I was raised in a Presbyterian tradition which never used the Belief and was led to believe that the use of the Creed was the mark of Liberalism, which recited the creed but denied the plain understanding of its teaching.  Isn’t it time that we took back what rightly belongs to us and return to the usage of the Reformers and the Second Reformation  leaders who so highly valued the usuage of the Apostles’ Creed.

(NOTE: Both of the catechisms mentioned are found in Alexander Mitchell’s ”Catechisms of the Second Reformation” 1886.)