While going through the introduction, I was pleased to read what Weedon wrote about Luther's Small Catechism:
I am convinced that Luther's little handbook has been grossly misused among us. We have isolated it from life, attempted to extract doctrine from it, and then teach that doctrine as mere information. We have ignored the vital context the book explicitly describes over and over again. The Small Catechism was not written for and was never meant to live in a classroom! Confining it there results in its true genius being ignored, or worse, subverted. The heading of each of the Chief Parts that Luther wrote teach us where the catechism lives, "As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household."
I love to hunt for books at Goodwill or Savers (yes, I'm cheap!). Nothing bothers me more than to find a Small Catechism sitting along side hundreds of other books. How we need to teach young and older adults that a Catechism is not a textbook but a lifebook! The latest version from Concordia Publishing House is filled with additional helps and addresses many issues of today, such as life and sexuality issues. And as an additional benefit, the Catechism helps to show that what our church believes and teaches is based solely on God's Word.
So, you might want to order a copy of Weedon's new book. And make sure your Catechism is always handy. It's not a matter of when you need it. You will need it and appreciate its value as a help to live out your new life in Christ!
