Heidelberg Catechism

The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) is the most widely loved catechism of the Reformation. Commissioned by the Elector Frederick III of the Palatinate and composed principally by Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus, the catechism organizes the Christian life under three headings: our misery (questions 3–11), our deliverance in Christ (12–85), and our gratitude (86–129).

Its pastoral warmth is famous — it opens with "What is your only comfort in life and in death?" — and its theological precision is Reformed and covenantal. The catechism expounds the Apostles' Creed in Lord's Days 7–22, the Ten Commandments in 34–44, and the Lord's Prayer in 45–52. It is a confessional standard across the continental Reformed churches as one of the Three Forms of Unity. AskCredo cites the Heidelberg Catechism on questions about assurance, comfort in suffering, the two natures of Christ, the use of the law, prayer, and the practice of the Christian life.

Questions on AskCredo that cite the Heidelberg Catechism, organized by question number.