# Catechizing Children



## Notthemama1984

During the Reformation and with the Puritans, how were children catechized?


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## Shawn Mathis

Boliver, 

What do you mean by "how"? 

It varied. Some places took the young on Sunday afternoons and catechized them. Others in New England took age 9-12 (as I recall) and not only catechized them but prepared them for full communicant membership. The age group was divided by sex as well. And the elders taught them. 

Many schools catechized. Matthew Henry catechized on Saturday afternoons.

I've written a short history of Christian education which covers some of this (here). 

I'll get back with you with more.


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## Tim

Thanks for providing a link to your work on Christian education, Pastor Mathis. I will put this on my list of things to read.


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## Notthemama1984

My question arises from watching a documentary on age segregated church education. The movie claimed this was a humanist construct created in the 1800s or something. This caused me to wonder how the churches catechized their children. Did they have a Sunday class where people worked on memorizing the catechism? Did they leave it up to families? Something else?


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## Shawn Mathis

Hello Boliver,

If you are referring to Divided, please see the comments at the puritan forum here. And my review here. 

It is important to know that the organization behind the movie actually has two problems with the modern "youth programs": separation from parents and age-segregation. Thus the history of Christian schooling as well as catechizing are both relevant in showing the gross inaccuracies of this movement. 

[To fully understand the NCFIC and her leaders please read my article, What is a Family Integrated Church? (According to a current church member of Mr. Brown's church and one-time intern for Mr. Brown and currently employed with the NCFIC, Mr. Glick, my article was accurate).]

Here is a sample of the history of catechizing (and school class divisions). 

_Jewish Church:_ "In this period a synagogue presupposed a school, as with us a church implies a Sunday school. Hence the church and Sunday school, not the church and the district school, is a parallel to the Jewish system. The methods in these schools were not unlike those of the modern Sunday school. Questions were freely asked and answered, and opinions stated and discussed: any one entering them might ask or answer questions. Such a Jewish Bible school, no doubt, Jesus entered in the temple when twelve years old...in the apostolic period teachers were a recognized body of workers quite distinct from pastors, prophets, and evangelists (see 1 Cor. xii. 28, 29; Eph. iv. 11; Heb. v. 12, etc.). The best commentators hold that the peculiar work of teachers in the primitive church was to instruct the young and ignorant in religious truth, which is precisely the object of the Sunday school." (A Religious encyclopaedia, Schaff, 2262)

_Ancient Church_: “These catechetical classes and schools were intended to prepare neophytes, or new converts, for church-membership, and were also used to instruct the young and the ignorant in the knowledge of God and salvation. They were effective, aggressive missionary agencies in the early Christian churches, and have aptly been termed the 'Sunday schools of the first ages of Christianity.' The pupils were divided into two or three (some say four) classes, according to their proficiency. They memorized passages of Scripture, learned the doctrines of God, creation, providence, sacred history, the fall, the incarnation, resurrection, and future awards and punishments..." (Schaff, ibid)

_Reformation & Post-Reformation:_

The Geneva Academy had two divisions: schola privata and schola publica (the Academy proper). The schola privata (the lower school) was divided into seven grades, admitting children as young as age six. Most boys stayed in each grade a year, but could advance earlier. School began at six in the summer and seven in the winter and lasted until four in the afternoon. Children went home under escort from nine to eleven in the morning. Classes were on Saturday as well and included an afternoon recess. The children sung Psalms one hour a day as well. Catechism classes were held Sunday afternoons. (The History and Character of Calvinism, John T. McNeil (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967), 194ff. cp. Calvin and the Biblical Languages, John Currid (Christian Focus Publications) 2007). 

Article 21 of the Dutch Church Order of Dordt (1618) orders that “consistories everywhere shall see to it that there are good school teachers not only to teach the children reading, writing, languages, and the liberal arts, but also to instruct them in godliness and in the Catechism.”

"John Knox devised a system of Sunday schools, at the very beginning of the Reformation in Scotland, which system has been in operation in that country more or less extensively ever since. So that the Sunday schools which now exist in Scotland are derived, not from the system of Raikes in England, but are only a revival of the old system of the Reformer. These schools are frequently referred to in the records of that Church, and in the biographies of good men connected with it. In 1647, the General Assembly recommended to all universities to take account of their scholars on the Sabbath dny of the sermons, and of their lessons in the catechism [students at "universities" could be as young as twelve]. John Brown, the godly carrier, had in his day a Sabbath school at Priesthill. It is stated, on the authority of Rev. John Brown, D. D., of Langton, Berwickshire, that Sunday schools were in existence in Glasgow, and other places, in 1707. Ihey were in operation in Glasgow, and other places, in 1759, and also in many places in 1782." (The Congregational Quarterly, 1865, p.20)

The pastors and elders of the Bohemian Unity of Brethren church would assemble the older children of the church after the worship services to examine how well they retained the sermon; “hence our ancestors held separate addresses to the different classes, the beginners, the proficients, the perfect; also to the single, and again to the married by themselves: which practice it is evident was not without its advantage.” "At the conclusion of the noon and afternoon service, the elder youths and girls remain, and are examined by the preacher (one of the elders assisting him with the former, and one of the matrons with the latter) to ascertain what attention they have paid that day in hearing the word of God, and how much each has retained. Moreover, during the Lent season, on Wednesday and Friday evening, meetings are held, termed salva (from the hymn Salva nos Jesu, rex cmli, "Save us, Jesus, heavenly King,") in which the mystery of redemption is diligently inculcated, especially upon the young." (Church Constitution of the Bohemian, 136ff.)


_Early America:_

The church in Norwich, Connecticut, in the Spring of 1675 covenanted together to instruct their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord: “We do therefore this Day Solemnly Covenant to Endeavour uprightly by dependence upon the Grace of God in Christ Jesus our only Saviour. First, That our Children shall be brought up in the Admonition of the Lord, as in our Families, so in publick; that all the Males who are eight or nine years of age, shall be presented before the Lord in his congregation every Lord’s Day to be Catechised, until they be about thirteen years in age. Second. Those about thirteen years of age, both male and female, shall frequent the meetings appointed in private for their instruction, while they continue under family government, or until they are received to full communion in the church.” (110ff. The ecclesiastical history of New England, p.665 )

"It is well known that every respectable family had a regular weekly exercise in the catechism [in early New England]; and also that once a week in some towns, or once a month in others, the minister gather the children and youth of his parish, at two o’clock, on Saturday afternoon to catechize them." (The Congregational Quarterly, 1865, 21)

As late as 1808 (before Sunday Schools reached critical mass), the General Association of the Congregationalists in Connecticut, “That they [parents] require them to attend public catechisings till they are fourteen years of age, and thenceforward, during their minority, to attend seasons, that may be appointed by their pastor, for the religious instruction of youth.” Panoplist, 1808, p.159

"My first acquaintance with Mr. Donnelly [early 1800s] was when I became a pupil in his school in my father's neighbourhood, in Chester District, S. C. I entered his school at an early age; and as he was my first teacher, (my parents excepted,) so he was also among the last. Under his tuition I studied the elementary branches, such as reading, spelling, etc., and recited to him the Larger Catechism. The Bible was not then excluded from the school, on the ground of its being a sectarian book…the afternoon of every alternate Saturday was spent in reciting Catechisms and portions of Scripture, which had been previously committed to memory- IIe was a rigid disciplinarian of the Old School…” Letter, 1862, Rev. McMillan to William Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit, vol. 9, p. 26

If you have any more questions please ask.
If interested in more of how Christians educated over the centuries, please see my blog, ChristianNurture.blogspot.com


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## Notthemama1984

Thank you very much for all of this information.

You are corrected that I was referring to Divided. I am looking at your comments now.


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## Wayne

PCA pastor Ron Gleason (Yorba Linda, CA), just posted this article :

A 21st Century Plea for Catechizing Our Covenant Children

Elsewhere, another pastor posts this :



> Meaning no disrespect to the man who posted this, I couldn't resist sharing it with friends: "I am grateful, thankful, rejoice and humbled in the Lord, for granting me the gift of grace & mercy in being baptized, catheterized, and confirmed within the Historic Christian Faith..." (It was in a discussion on the value of being 'catechized.' It certainly provides a vivid image for the practice of catechizing!


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## Shawn Mathis

Mr. Sparkman,

As the PCA historian, what books would you recommend for studying the history of Christian education--both general and specialty books.
I am particularly interested in early and medieval church. 

thanks,


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## Wayne

Shawn:

I'm sorry to say that I just haven't given much attention to the early and medieval periods. I'd still be stuck with what I read at Westminster and Covenant.
For an older, fast survey type book, the general volume on church history by Andrew Zenos does a good job of rapidly covering the ground. It's available online.
Dr. Calhoun used the volumes by Justo Gonzalez for the CTS history curriculum. Very readable, but again, very general.

To dig deeper, though still technically on the general level, I'd probably move into historical theology and read William Cunningham and J.N.D. Kelly.

As an archivist, I'm always partial to primary sources--read the original works. Read some general works, so that you have the framework. Pay attention to different viewpoints of authors as you read and take notes. Then dig deeper into selected issues by reading original sources, to better come to your own conclusions.


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## Shawn Mathis

Mr. Sparkman,

Thank you for the sound advice. That is the route I have taken. I was hoping you had some experience with educational history. 

take care,


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## Wayne

Shawn:

I simply scanned your post too quickly. I addressed church history and you were asking about the history of christian education. 

My apologies. I've never had much exposure to educational history. Used to own some books on that topic. Google the name Gabriel Compayre. He was one of the older, noted names in that field. 

But if you wanted to narrow the study to this thread's topic and the history of catechetical instruction, then this looks interesting:

Welcome to Line of Promise Press - Covenantal Catechism - Catechism Articles

See also and especially, as referenced on that web page, _Rediscovering Catechism_, by Donald Van Dyken


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## Shawn Mathis

Wayne,

Thank you for the Gabriel name. Found his book at google books (a wonderful resource!). That is where I found the 1840 US census with school attendance numbers. And Alexander's defense of Sunday school. And the PCUSA GA's recommendation of Sunday school, etc. Wonderful stuff.

I have Van Dyken's book but some of the history is missing exact references (and one references a dutch work!). I have the broad outlines of Christian education in general and catechism. I'm delving into the details the last few years. There have been many historical claims by homeschool radicals and now this "family-integrated" movement. 

Thanks again, I'll check out the links.


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## Wayne

Ever thought about writing a history of catechesis in the US?

The Van Dyken book, as I remember, stops short of American shores in its history coverage. 

Might make for a good CPJ article.

And if you were to take up that idea, you'd want to include the story of Abraham Lance Lathem and the Summer Bible School:
PCA Historical Center Miscellany Collection: Abraham Lance Lathem [1866-1955]


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## BertMulder

Shawn Mathis said:


> Article 21 of the Dutch Church Order of Dordt (1618) orders that “consistories everywhere shall see to it that there are good school teachers not only to teach the children reading, writing, languages, and the liberal arts, but also to instruct them in godliness and in the Catechism.”



That, however, was not catechetical instruction, but regular schooling.

The catechetical instruction was, according to the Synod of Dordt 1618-19, part of the official charge of the minister, with the stated purpose to prepare them for communicant church membership.

Actually, in the Dutch reformed custom, the catechetical instruction was threefold. Besides the official instruction by the pastor, there was the instruction in the schools, as referenced in article 21 of the church order of Dordt, as well as the mandated (by the same synod) instruction by the parents at home.


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## Shawn Mathis

Mr. Mulder,

You are correct about the threefold catechetical instruction. When I pasted the quotes, I did not take time to find the full quote. In fact, explicitly or implicitly, it seems, that the bulk of the Reformation followed the three fold approach.

However, it is unclear to me why you think the quote I did offer was not catechetical instruction? Perhaps you mean it is only one of the three institutions that should catechize?

thanks,


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## BertMulder

Shawn Mathis said:


> Mr. Mulder,
> 
> You are correct about the threefold catechetical instruction. When I pasted the quotes, I did not take time to find the full quote. In fact, explicitly or implicitly, it seems, that the bulk of the Reformation followed the three fold approach.
> 
> However, it is unclear to me why you think the quote I did offer was not catechetical instruction? Perhaps you mean it is only one of the three institutions that should catechize?
> 
> thanks,



Sorry, my answer was unclear and/or incomplete. What I meant to say was, that the main purpose of article 21 was regular schooling. Part of such schooling, as I also indicated later in my post, was also cathechetical instruction.


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## CharlieJ

One resource I would offer is Frederick Eby's _Early Protestant Educators_. Eby gives a lot of attention to the Protestant Reformers as the architects of universal, public education, but he offers a number of primary sources with helpful commentary. I specifically remember Melanchthon's proposed system of age-graded education and his plan for instituting Greek at the pre-university level.


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## Shawn Mathis

Wayne,

Thank you for the idea about an article. In fact, I have already written a Short History of Christian Education with an emphasis on homeschooling and the (partial) biblical grounds for in loco parentis (in contrast to the parents-only crowd) (a condensed version is here). My denomination magazines were not interested (although prof. Strange was). 

On a similar note, do you know of any good books that cover all the ancient and Medieval councils, etc? I have references to schools, instruction, etc. in creeds from older books but not direct quotes. For instance, these council called for schools, tutoring, etc.:
The Council of Constantinople (381 AD)
529 AD the Council of Vaison
The Sixth General Council of Constantinople (680 AD)
Council of Chalons (813 AD)
Council of Langres, and Council of Savonnieres (859 AD)

Thanks again!


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## Wayne

Sorry, Shawn, but I've never waded out into those waters.


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## Shawn Mathis

Thank you Mr. Johnson. Helpful indeed.


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## Shawn Mathis

Chaplainintraining said:


> My question arises from watching a documentary on age segregated church education. The movie claimed this was a humanist construct created in the 1800s or something. This caused me to wonder how the churches catechized their children. Did they have a Sunday class where people worked on memorizing the catechism? Did they leave it up to families? Something else?



Boliver,

Let me give you the Dordt quote as representative of the Reformers in general (they tended to imitate each other in many important issues): 

"In order that the Christian youth may be diligently instructed in the principles of religion and be trained in piety three modes of catechizing should be employed I. In the houses by the parents II. In the schools by school masters III. In the churches by ministers elders and catechizers those specially appointed for the purpose." (Full quote here).

It also stated: 
"That these may diligently discharge their trust the Christian magistrates shall be requested to promote by their authority so sacred and necessary a work and all who have the oversight and visitation of the churches and schools shall be required to pay special attention to this matter."

This civil enforcement was also enacted in New England and similar oversight in Geneva. Pastor oversight was neigh universally encouraged.

Now, for the parts more germane to the movie:

"The schoolmasters shall instruct their scholars according to their age and capacity at least two days in the week not only by causing them to commit to memory but by instilling into their minds an acquaintance with the truths of the Catechism. For this end three forms of the Catechism adapted to the three fold circumstances and ages of the young shall be used. The first shall be for the young children comprising the Articles of Faith or Creed, the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the Institution of the Sacraments and Church Discipline with some short prayers and plain questions adapted to the three parts of the Catechism. The second shall be a short compendium of the Catechism of the Palatinate or Heidelberg used in our churches in which those who are somewhat more advanced than the former shall be instructed. The third shall be the Catechism of the Palatinate or Heidelberg adopted by our churches for the youth still more advanced in years and knowledge."

Radical nuts following evolutionary though? I think not. But godly men using the light of nature to differentiate between babes, children, youths and adults--broad categories followed by many cultures.


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