Westminster Shorter Catechism
E28651
The Westminster Shorter Catechism is a 17th-century Reformed Protestant teaching tool, structured as a series of questions and answers that summarize core Christian doctrines for instruction, especially of children and new believers.
Statements (48)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
17th-century religious text
→
Christian catechism → Reformed confessional document → |
| associatedWith |
Westminster Confession of Faith
→
Westminster Larger Catechism → |
| author |
Westminster Assembly
→
|
| commissionedBy |
English Parliament
→
|
| contains |
exposition of the Lord’s Prayer
→
exposition of the Ten Commandments → summary of the Apostles’ Creed → |
| dateWritten |
1647
→
|
| doctrineEmphasis |
authority of Scripture
→
covenant theology → justification by faith alone → sovereignty of God → |
| genre |
doctrinal summary
→
|
| historicalContext |
English Civil War era
→
|
| influenced |
Reformed catechetical instruction worldwide
→
|
| influencedBy |
Genevan Reformed theology
→
Heidelberg Catechism → |
| intendedAudience |
children
→
lay church members → new converts → |
| inUseSince |
17th century
→
|
| language |
English
→
|
| numberOfQuestions |
107
→
|
| openingAnswer |
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
→
|
| openingQuestion |
What is the chief end of man?
→
|
| placeOfOrigin |
England
→
Scotland → |
| purpose |
catechesis of children
→
catechesis of new believers → instruction in Christian doctrine → |
| religiousTradition |
Presbyterianism
→
Reformed Protestantism → |
| status |
subordinate standard in many Presbyterian denominations
→
|
| structure |
question and answer format
→
|
| subject |
Christ the Redeemer
→
God and His decrees → application of redemption → creation and providence → fall of man and sin → means of grace → moral law → prayer → |
| theologicalTradition |
Calvinism
→
|
| usedBy |
Presbyterian churches
→
Reformed churches → |