Question: What are the Strengths and Weaknesses of Luther’s small Catechism?
...Linda Quigley in her Community of Faith series. He also states to “lay the greatest weight on those commandments or other parts which seem to require special attention among the people where you are” In other words vary the teaching according to the experience of your audience. This a key point one in which every teacher should remember. For better understanding Luther divided the Creed into three parts, Creation, Redemption and Sanctification. However, Luther did not accomplish this simplicity at the expense of meaningful doctrine. Luther recognized the importance of retaining words such as redeemed or sanctified because these words could not be simplified otherwise their meaning would be lost. Luther suggests that the “young and simple folk” be taught using one, uniform text, one-version otherwise they will become confused. Luther believed that certain words and concepts must be taught repeatedly to children, so that they can begin to grasp their divine meaning. I do agree with this approach up to a point. For catechists today and especially for students sitting the Religious Examination there is a body of facts that students need to know and therefore Luther’s method of repetition can be used. However from my own experience of teaching so far I have discovered that repetition has its limitations. Students and indeed most people learn and retain information better through association. This is something which Luther did not mention and which I feel is lacking in his teaching method. Luther implores the pastors and preachers to take their office seriously: to introduce the catechism to young people and to use methods that are clear. However you can only make simple to others what you have mastered yourself. In other words it is important for catechists today to be well-versed and incorporate what they read into their own lives, by living and experiencing it. But is this the case for contemporary catechists today? Does this generation flow from a culture that valued the teaching of the catechism? If this is not the c believe that this will be a huge barrier to catechist who fail t...