Westminster Larger Catechism
The Westminster Larger Catechism, composed in 1648, contains 196 questions and answers providing a more comprehensive treatment of Christian doctrine than the Shorter Catechism.
Date: 1647
Authorship: Prepared by the Westminster Assembly as the companion catechism for more mature instruction.
The Larger Catechism develops the Assembly’s teaching at greater length, especially on Christ, the covenant of grace, the Ten Commandments, the sacraments, and prayer.
It is especially useful for adult classes, officers, teachers, and readers who want more precision than the Shorter Catechism can provide.
- Use the sidebar to stay inside a doctrinal section and read several related answers together.
- Compare answers with the Shorter Catechism to see what the Larger Catechism expands.
- Pay special attention to the commandments and Lord’s Prayer sections for practical theology.
The Scriptures as the Word of God and the rule of faith and life
The being, attributes, and persons of the Godhead
God's eternal decrees, creation, and providence
The covenant of works, the fall, and the estate of sin and misery
The covenant of grace, the person and offices of Christ the Mediator
The application of redemption: calling, justification, adoption, sanctification, and glory
The moral law, its uses, and the sum of the Ten Commandments
The duties required and sins forbidden in each commandment
The Word, sacraments, and prayer as means of grace
The nature, administration, and right use of the sacraments
The duty of prayer and the petitions of the Lord's Prayer
Q165. What is Baptism?
A. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein Christ hath ordained the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, to be a sign and seal of ingrafting into himself, of remission of sins by his blood, and regeneration by his Spirit; of adoption, and resurrection unto everlasting life; and whereby the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church, and enter into an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord's.
Read More →