The History of the dearly loved Catechism from Heidelberg

Of the Heidelberg Catechism, Philip Schaff writes, “The Catechism is a work of religious enthusiasm, based on solid theological learning, and directed by excellent judgment.… It is the product of the heart as well as the head, full of faith and unction from above. It is fresh, lively, glowing, yet clear, sober, self-sustained. The ideas are Biblical and orthodox, and well fortified by apt Scripture proofs. The language is dignified, terse, nervous, popular, and often truly eloquent. It is the language of devotion as well as instruction. Altogether the Heidelberg Catechism is more than a book, it is an institution, and will live as long as the Reformed Church.”-- Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom, Volume 1: The History of Creeds , p 542.(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books) 1983.

Do you know an interesting historical fact about the Catechism that you would like to share with the world? Are you aware of the translation of the Heidelberg into another language? Send the date and event to sitemaster@narrowpathway.com, and please list the source or documentation for verification (if possible).

1559-1576 Elector Frederick III, known as “The Pious,” ruled the most influential German province, the Palatinate.

1560 Elector Frederick joined the Reformed churches, with the approval of no less than Melanchthon. Frederick was unhappy with the Lutheran professors and their disagreements. He consequently became deeply committed to Reformed understanding.

1561 Frederick launched church reforms in Heidelberg and the Palatinate, and sought out Reformed professors for the faculty at Heidelberg. Zacharius Ursinus, a pupil of Melanchthon, who was employed as a professor at this time, soon became head of the Collegium Sapientiae and chief professor of theology. When he was charged by Frederick to develop a new Reformed litany, he prepared for the task by writing two doctrinal works, Summa Theologica and a Catechismus Minor. As Frederick’s Reformed stance came under increasing attack, the Elector called upon Ursinus to prepare a catechism that would help him defend his doctrinal position.

1562 The Heidelberg Catechism was written, chiefly by Zacharius Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus, a pupil of Calvin who was a professor at the University of Heidelberg and later became the preacher for Frederick’s court. Ursinus and Olevianus worked from existing materials, especially the favored catechisms of John Calvin and John Laski, the Polish Reformer, to produce a new and better catechism which would soon become the most popular in all the history of the church. Ursinus afterward prepared a commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism, completed after his death by David Pareus, which has been reprinted to the present day, and is still in use in the 21st century.

1563 The first edition of the Heidelberg Catechism published in Germany, with the title, Catechismus, oder Christlicher Underricht, wie der in Kirchen und Schulen der Churfürstlichen Pfalz getrieben wirdt: Gedruckt in der Churfürstlichen Stad Heydelberg, dulrch Johannemr llayer (Catechism, or Christian Instruction, according to the Usages of the Churches and Schools of the Electoral Palatinate). Two reprintings followed the same year. What is presently the 80th question was added in the second printing as a response to the decree of the Council of Trent, on Sept. 17, 1562, which condemned and anathematized the Protestant doctrine of the Sacraments. In the third printing of 1563, the 80th question was explained more fully, as it is found today.

1563 Heidelberg Catechism approved by a synod of the Reformed churches in Germany.

1566 Petrus Dathenus published a Dutch translation of the Heidelberg Catechism in the Dutch version of the Genevan Psalter

1567 The Reformed Church of Hungary subscribed to the Heidelberg Catechism, placing it alongside the Augsburg Confession and the Second Helvetic Confession as the Biblical standards of the Hungarian churches.

1568 The Heidelberg Catechism was adopted by the Synod of Wesel.

1571 At the first general synod of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Belgic Confession were accepted as doctrinal standards.

1573 Another edition of the Catechism was published in Germany, with the questions divided into 52 Lord’s Days for the 52 weeks of the year.

1582 Nassau accepted the Heidelberg Catechism, to align themselves with the House of Orange.

1585 An abstract of the Catechism was produced in German

1585c. Heidelberg Catechism translated into Spanish

1608 Gaspard Caroli (Karoli) published an improved translation of the Hungarian Bible, in the Magyar tongue. A Magyar translation of the Heidelberg Catechism was included in the book, together with the Hungarian church litany and the Psalms arranged in meter.

1618-1619 The Catechism was approved by the Synod of Dort. This synod wrote the Canons of Dort, the doctrinal statement that came to be known as the five points of “Calvinism.”

1650c. Golius Jacobus, professor of the Arabic language at the University of Leyden, arranged for an Armenian to complete an Arabic translation of the Belgic Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Reformed liturgy. The translation was circulated in the Levant.

1708 King Frederick I of Prussia sought to unite the Reformed and the Lutheran churches. The Lutheran Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism were equally accepted in the “union church.”

1793 The Reformed Church in the United States, at it’s first synod in 1793, held in Lancaster, PA., adopted the Heidelberg Catechism as its doctrinal standard.

1815 The German Reformed Church in America began moving away from Rationalism and affirmed the validity of the Heidelberg Catechism.

1820 The German Reformed Church in America charged its ministers to employ only the Heidelberg Catechism in preparing youth for confirmation of their faith.

1840 Evangelical Synod of North America, founded by German ministers, established the Heidelberg Catechism as one of its doctrinal standards.

1863 The 300th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism was celebrated in America and Europe.

1870 The Board of Publication of the Reformed Church of America published the Heidelberg Catechism in the Tamil language in India.

1878 Presbyterian Church of Japan founded, adopting the Westminster Catechism, the canons of the Synod of Dort, the Shorter Catechism, and the Heidelberg Catechism as doctrinal standards of the church.

1934 The Evangelical and Reformed Church was established through the union of the Reformed Church in the United States and the Evangelical Synod of North America. The church adopted the Heidelberg Catechism, Luther’s Catechism, and the Augsburg Confession as its standards of unity.

1968 The Synod of the Christian Reformed Church (USA) appointed a committee to prepare “a modern and accurate translation” of the Catechism in the English language

1993 The Heidelberg Catechism was translated into Telugu, the language of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India

Today The Catechism has been translated into numerous languages. Help us list them!

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Last modified: October 18, 2003