I am deaf but I used the google beta for transcibing. Though not perfect, I got the gist and many of the sentences-YAY! That was a really great video- many thanks for sharing. I think that I read in the LW a while ago that the Small Catechism is used by people of other denominations all over the world. This is because it has the Christian Doctrine and proofs from the Bible all in one place, I believe.

Likewise, the man here said he got this at the Borders store for Family devotions, starting reading, and reading…then wanteed to meet a real Lutheran- LOL Great story! I will pass it on.

It has never ceased to amaze me at the number of LCMS pastors who have never completely read the BOC. When this translation of yours and others came out I told several they no longer had the excuse of getting through all that “tough language.”

@Susan James
Susan James–like you, I’m deaf, too, and use bilateral cochlear implants to hear. Nevertheless, captions are very helpful if and when I can get them. I’ll send you email offline to ask about Google beta. YouTube does audio transcription for many of the videos posted (via “CC” button).

It’s very interesting how the Small Catechism is used beyond denominational borders all over the world. I need to start reading the BOC on a regular basis! For all its weaknesses, I thought Borders had quite an interesting and varied stock of deep titles in the Christian/religion/Bibles section in the three bookstores I had been to that I didn’t see elsewhere.

There is a beautiful granite templet that runs across the entrance to the Clemens Memorial Library on the campus of the Univ. of Michigan in Ann Arbor.. It reads:

“In darkness dwells the people who knows its annals not”

It’s hard to know who you are if you don’t know who you’ve been, i.e., your annals, your history. Maybe that reality causes some Lutherans to be “insecure, shy, and embarrassed about being Lutheran.”

I recall when I was a little kid my having received an Erector Set as a gift. I ripped off the wrapping and went straight to work to build something. A bit later, my dad came into the room and saw my tears and complete frustration. Gently he said to me: “Jonnie, let me give you a little tip. If you find that everything else has failed, consider reading the instructions.”

That’s good advice for Lutherans, too. If you want to know who and what you are, read up!

What strikes me especially about this video is that I found my copy of the “Reader’s Edition” of the BOC in my local Borders as well a couple years back. And just like Chris I immediately dove into it for a couple hours when I got home (although it started off as me just flipping through it).

Now, I was born into the confessional Lutheranism as a third generation LCMS member. And what struck me that night is that I spent two hours pouring into a text that was largely *new* to me. I’d never seen the Large Catechism before, only heard of it; I’d never seen OR heard (maybe only vaguely) of the Apology, the Smalcald Articles, et al.

This isn’t meant to call out the pastors that I have had in my life in any way; the ones that I can remember were all excellent teachers and defenders of the faith, and several are very close friends. But there is a real problem when a third generation Lutheran doesn’t know (or has even heard of in some cases) of the very Confessions that conceived the confessional Lutheran church body.

The first thing I did was get 10 copies for our small congregation here in Maine, and going forward we have started the tradition of giving a copy of the “Reader’s Edition” to any person/family that becomes a member of our church–whether they are waking up from their spiritual slumber, are new Lutherans, or transfers from an LCMS body. This is a book that *must* be in every household.

@ptmccain

Part of the cause of the very real problem Josh mentions is a corrupted understanding among laymen of the Rite of Confirmation. A Confirmation Certifcate is viewed as being in the nature of a diploma, signifying the end of formal instruction in the faith. In short, the confirmand has “graduated”.

I believe Luther and the early Lutheran Fathers didn’t even observe the Rite of Confirmation, in part because of the Roman abuse of having made it a sacrament. Rather, emphasis was placed on instruction in The Small Catechism leading to the day of the “Pruefung” (the Examination) followed by first communion.

The Large Catechism, I believe, was intended for pastors and the continuing theological education of adults. I love The Large Catechism. I believe it should be a staple of adult forums in church schools, (rather than book reviews on topics of whatever the current winds are blowing.)

The great 20th century (Reformed) Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, throughout his professional career and until his death, never referred to himself with titles such as “Reverend”, “Doctor”, or “Professor”. Rather, at the end of his written works, he signed his name, followed by “Stud. theol.” (student of theology). Considered by others to be among the “greats”, he always thought of himself as but a student.

We laymen in the church should see ourselves as students, always in need of further catechisis, rather than as “graduates”.