Quotations concerning Catechesis

Scriptures

Give attendance to reading, to exxhortation, to doctrine.  I Timothy 4:13

Luther

I am often aware of temptation, and even in this day I can scarecly guard myself sufficiently against it.  This I confess openly as an example to any who are interesting, although I am an old doctor (theological doctor) annd preacher and am so much more versed in the Scriptures, or at least ought to be, than all those wise nes who attack me; Still I must grow daily, like  child, saying aloud every morning the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Cmmandments, the Creed, and such precious Psalms and says as I choose, just as children are now being taught to do, although I have daily to study the Scriptures and to fight the devil.  I may not say in my heart: you know the Lord's Prayer, you know the Ten Commandments, you know the Creed by heart etc....No, I must go on learning every day and remain a pupil of the Catechism.  I feel hw noticeably it helps me, and I find by experience that the Word of God can never be exhausted, but that it is really true as Psalm cxvii says: 'His understanding is infinite.'"

          Luther's Exposition of Psalm cxvii, W.A. 31.1.227

“Many regard the Catechism as a simple, silly teaching which they can absorb and master at one reading.  After reading it once they toss the book into a corner as if they are ashamed to read it again.  Indeed, even among the nobility there are some louts and skinflints who declare that we can do without pastors and preachers from now on because we have everything in books and can learn it all by ourselves.  So they blithely let parishes fall into decay, and brazenly allow both pastors and preachers to suffer distress and hunger.  This is what one can expect of crazy Germans.”

Luther’s Large Catechism, long Preface.5,6