LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM:

Martin Luther wrote our Small and Large Cathechisms in 1529. The Catechisms are a teaching tool that tell us what our beliefs mean – in fact the common Lutheran expression “What Does This Mean?” comes from the Catechisms penned by Martin Luther. Luther realized that the reason the Roman church by 1517 was able to teach things of their own making was partly due to the lack of education of the populace. But the new invention of movable type in 1436 and the publication of the first Guttenberg Bible in 1455 meant more people now had access to printed material. Even Martin Luther’s 95 Theses quickly spread throughout Europe because they could be printed. So Martin Luther became a prolific author to teach people the truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And the main point focus of these teachings was about having a personal relationship with God.

Here is an article by Reverand Sergio Gonzalez about Luther’s Small Catechism. This article was first published in our Lamplighter Newsletter in September 2022.

NOTE: You can download a free copy of Luther’s Small Catechism from the Gutenberg Project  or  Augsburg Fortress Press or your favorite app store.

Six parts of Luther’s Small Catechism explained in greater detail: