In class, we discussed what the church believes: how do we know it? where does it come from? In our Presbyterian tradition, the foundation of our beliefs is the Bible. Our other guiding documents, the Book of Confessions and Book of Order, are all supported by Bible verses (check out the footnotes!). How can we learn what we believe? For many centuries, children and new believers learned a catechism -- a way to summarize basic church teachings which takes the form of a series of questions and answers to memorize. While we don't require memorization today, reading a catechism is still a great way to learn foundational beliefs and understand why we do and say many of the things that we do and say during worship and in all of church life.

The Study Catechism: Confirmation Version has several sections. The first has a few introductory questions, then there is an examination of the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer. These items cover the foundation of our beliefs as a church. The catechism looks at and explains each phrase systematically. If looking at a particular section -- like the Apostles' Creed -- it would be helpful to have the full text of the Creed to look at and refer back to as you explore the catechism; it will help you to make sense of the Q&A overall.

This month, your assignment is to explore the Study Catechism you received in class. If you were not there or cannot find your copy, the Study Catechism can be accessed below, along with the text of the Apostles' Creed, Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer. I encourage you to read and think about the questions and answers. They will help you to understand more about our faith and what you are committing to through Confirmation. You might want to discuss with your parents or others who have guided you in your Christian faith, and of course you can bring any questions or thoughts that you have to myself or Rev. Carter. 

(Please note: The version of the Study Catechism found below is the same as the booklet for the Q&A, however, the booklet has an index of scripture references at the back for those who are interested in understanding the Biblical justification for the answers. I am happy to provide copies of the booklet if you would like one.)