Heidelberg Catechism Project

The Heidelberg Catechism Project is designed to promote the use of the catechism in the life of the modern church. It does so by illuminating the meaning of the catechism by reference to sources roughly contemporary with the text (16th century) though other resources may be utilized at the editor’s discretion.

The plan for each question is to

1. Provide the Questions and Answers in modern English.

2. Provide biblical “proof texts” for the answers.

3. Provide readings from related Confessional Documents such as the Second Helvetic Confession, French Confession, Belgic Confession, Calvin’s Geneva catechism and other primarily continental Reformed Confessions nearest in time to the catechism. Because the Transylvania Reformed Church still retains Luther’s Small Catechism as a doctrinal standard, we will visit that confessional document for it’s parallels to the Heidelberg Catechism.

4. Provide commentary upon the answers as summarized by the editor from Zacharias Ursinus’ Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism (In future revisions, the editor also hopes to expand these comments to include reflections on and quotes from other relevant authors as time and resources allow.)

5. Illustrations of matters discussed in the catechism.

6. Suggestions on the use of the catechism in Christian life, Family life, and Church life.

7. Expanded resources titled “Catechist’s Assistant”. This is my modern revision, reworking, and editing of an older work you can obtain online through the Resources page.

Note: the Editor will also post his sermons and other articles that will not always be related to the catechism.

This edition of the Heidelberg Catechism is a modernized update of the version produced by J.H. Good and Henry Harbaugh which is in the public domain. These two German Reformed scholars were from different ends of the spectrum theologically. Harbaugh represented the Mercersburg theology and Good represented the anti-liturgical camp. Despite their differences, they were able to agree on the necessity for an English translation of the Heidelberg and collaborated on their translation. The modernization here is a work in progress and not a fixed text at present. While this text is primarily a simple update of Good and Harbaugh, the editor does consult other more modern English translations of the Heidelberg catechism for reference purposes.