Luther's Catechisms and the use of Scripture
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The third decade of sixteenth century marks the establishment of the Protestant Reformation in Germany and Switzerland. This article initially addresses the political and ecclesial context and religious transformations in Germany under the leadership of Martin Luther. To fulfill the pressing need for religious instruction of the people, the Reformer published, in 1529, the Small Catechism and the Large Catechism. It highlights the primacy of Scripture in catechesis, adopting the principle that the Scripture might be explained by itself, with Christ as center. Luther takes of early Church the method of Lectio Divina, but he distanced himself from the four-way method: literal, allegorical, moral and anagogical, from antiquity and the middle Ages. Through catechisms, Luther emphasized the Word proclaimed and accepted in Faith, since in his time very few Christians had access to the full text of Scripture.
Downloads
Article Details
There is access to:
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms. Under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
I acknowledge that Horizonte is licensed under a CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE - ATTRIBUTION 4.0 INTERNATIONAL (CC BY 4.0):
