Rediscovering Catechism: The Art of Equipping Covenant Children

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Summary: Covenant Nurture by means of Catechesis
Review: As the title indicates, Donald Van Dyken's main concern in his book is catechism as a question-and-answer method of church education, particularly as it pertains to children. But the subtitle indicates his second--and no less important--emphasis on the covenantal foundation for church education.

Van Dyken begins his discussion by defining catechism as a method of "sounding down," saying something with the intent of getting some sort of response. This finds expression in a question-and-answer format, in which a teacher asks students questions and requires them to answer back correctly. According to Van Dyken, catechism is to be commended as a method because of its emphasis on word (p. 13), and because of its grounding in both church history and the Scriptures (pp. 35-47)

Not only should education of children in the church be catechetical, argues Van Dyken, but it should also be explicitly covenantal. This finds expression in a variety of ways. First of all, covenant children ought to be viewed in terms of the promises that God makes to them. They are those to whom God brings His "redemptive word and work" (p. 55). They are to be taught to confess God as their Father. In short, the teacher is not seeking to make Christians out of his students; rather, he is teaching his students to be faithful to the covenant that they are already part of by virtue of their baptism. Secondly, the structure of church education curriculum ought to reflect the structure of the covenant. God speaks first; consequently, students should first be taught what God says in His word. After learning the content of the Scriptures, students should then be taught to take part in the covenantal response of God's people in the form of the church's confessions and catechisms (p. 63).

While Van Dyken's discussion of catechism as a method is beneficial, his most helpful insights are in his discussion of the covenantal nature of church education. This emphasis on the identity of the students as covenant members provides a necessary foundation on which to use educational methods that might be learned elsewhere. A teacher cannot properly teach unless he has a context from which to derive the purpose and goal of his teaching. For church education, the doctrine of the covenant provides the why of the teaching endeavor. As Van Dyken puts it, the goal of church education is "to bring our children, who are the heritage of the Lord, to the Lord who is the heritage of our children" (p. 54).