Drawn up in 1647 by the Westminster Assembly during the English Civil War, the Shorter Catechism was written for children but read by everyone. Pithier than the Heidelberg and more systematic — 107 questions in three movements: who God is, what we are to believe, and what duty God requires of us. Its opening question is among the most famous lines in Reformed Christianity.
A Reformed companion
The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Chief end and Scripture
The brief preface — what we are made for, and the rule that directs us.
What we are to believe concerning God
God in himself, creation, providence, the fall, Christ the Redeemer, the work of the Spirit, and the benefits of redemption.
- Q. 4 What is God?
- Q. 5 Are there more Gods than one?
- Q. 6 How many persons are there in the Godhead?
- Q. 7 What are the decrees of God?
- Q. 8 How doth God execute his decrees?
- Q. 9 What is the work of creation?
- Q. 10 How did God create man?
- Q. 11 What are God's works of providence?
- Q. 12 What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?
- Q. 13 Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?
- Q. 14 What is sin?
- Q. 15 What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
- Q. 16 Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
- Q. 17 Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
- Q. 18 Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
- Q. 19 What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
- Q. 20 Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
- Q. 21 Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?
- Q. 22 How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
- Q. 23 What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?
- Q. 24 How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
- Q. 25 How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
- Q. 26 How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
- Q. 27 Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist?
- Q. 28 Wherein consisteth Christ's exaltation?
- Q. 29 How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
- Q. 30 How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
- Q. 31 What is effectual calling?
- Q. 32 What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
- Q. 33 What is justification?
- Q. 34 What is adoption?
- Q. 35 What is sanctification?
- Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
- Q. 37 What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
- Q. 38 What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?
What duty God requires of us
The moral law, the ten commandments, the means of grace, the sacraments, and the Lord's prayer.
- Q. 39 What is the duty which God requireth of man?
- Q. 40 What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
- Q. 41 Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
- Q. 42 What is the sum of the ten commandments?
- Q. 43 What is the preface to the ten commandments?
- Q. 44 What doth the preface to the ten commandments teach us?
- Q. 45 Which is the first commandment?
- Q. 46 What is required in the first commandment?
- Q. 47 What is forbidden in the first commandment?
- Q. 48 What are we specially taught by these words, 'before me,' in the first commandment?
- Q. 49 Which is the second commandment?
- Q. 50 What is required in the second commandment?
- Q. 51 What is forbidden in the second commandment?
- Q. 52 What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?
- Q. 53 Which is the third commandment?
- Q. 54 What is required in the third commandment?
- Q. 55 What is forbidden in the third commandment?
- Q. 56 What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?
- Q. 57 Which is the fourth commandment?
- Q. 58 What is required in the fourth commandment?
- Q. 59 Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath?
- Q. 60 How is the sabbath to be sanctified?
- Q. 61 What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?
- Q. 62 What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?
- Q. 63 Which is the fifth commandment?
- Q. 64 What is required in the fifth commandment?
- Q. 65 What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?
- Q. 66 What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?
- Q. 67 Which is the sixth commandment?
- Q. 68 What is required in the sixth commandment?
- Q. 69 What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?
- Q. 70 Which is the seventh commandment?
- Q. 71 What is required in the seventh commandment?
- Q. 72 What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
- Q. 73 Which is the eighth commandment?
- Q. 74 What is required in the eighth commandment?
- Q. 75 What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?
- Q. 76 Which is the ninth commandment?
- Q. 77 What is required in the ninth commandment?
- Q. 78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?
- Q. 79 Which is the tenth commandment?
- Q. 80 What is required in the tenth commandment?
- Q. 81 What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
- Q. 82 Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
- Q. 83 Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
- Q. 84 What doth every sin deserve?
- Q. 85 What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin?
- Q. 86 What is faith in Jesus Christ?
- Q. 87 What is repentance unto life?
- Q. 88 What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?
- Q. 89 How is the word made effectual to salvation?
- Q. 90 How is the word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?
- Q. 91 How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?
- Q. 92 What is a sacrament?
- Q. 93 Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?
- Q. 94 What is baptism?
- Q. 95 To whom is baptism to be administered?
- Q. 96 What is the Lord's supper?
- Q. 97 What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's supper?
- Q. 98 What is prayer?
- Q. 99 What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
- Q. 100 What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us?
- Q. 101 What do we pray for in the first petition?
- Q. 102 What do we pray for in the second petition?
- Q. 103 What do we pray for in the third petition?
- Q. 104 What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
- Q. 105 What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
- Q. 106 What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
- Q. 107 What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach us?