本文作者：提摩太·凯勒（Timothy Keller）

问：人生的首要目的是什么？
答：人生的首要目的是荣耀神，并以祂为乐，直到永远。

问：你无论是生是死，唯一的安慰是什么？
答：我无论是生是死，身体灵魂皆非己有，而是属于我信实的救主耶稣基督。

　　《威斯敏斯特教理问答》和《海德堡教理问答》开头的这两段话，在我们的许多信条和信仰告白中都可以找到它们的影子。我们在讲道和书本上常常听到和看到它们，但多数人并不知道它们的出处，自然也就从未将它们作为要理问答的一部分加以牢记。今天的许多教会和基督教团体会通过「信仰告白」来阐述他们的信仰。但在过去，人们期望这类性质的文件都应经过精心的打造，且包含丰富的圣经知识，以便人们记住并供信徒灵命成长和门徒训练之用。它们被以问答的形式记录下来，称为「要理问答」（该词出自希腊语的katechein ，意思是「口头传授或口耳相传」）。当今全世界有许多教会以1563 年的《海德堡教理问答》和1648 年的《威斯敏斯特大小教理问答》作为教义标准。

失落的要理问答实践

　　实践要理问答在今天已十分罕见，尤其是在成年信徒当中。当代的门训课程注重查经、祷告、团契和传福音等，对教义的讲解却不深。相比之下，经典的要理问答通过教导使徒信经、十诫和主祷文，在圣经神学、实践伦理和属灵体验上取得了完美的平衡。此外，相比典型的门训课程，要理问答对记忆的训练能使神学概念更深入人心，并且能更自然地督促学生掌握所教授的内容。最后，问答诵读还能带领老师和学生进入自然的交互式对话学习之中。

　　简而言之，要理问答式的指导更侧重于群体，而较少强调个体。父母可以用要理问答教导自己的孩子。教会领袖可以用简明的要理问答教导新会友，用更深入的要理问答教导新兴的领袖。由于选材十分丰富，要理问答的问题和答案都可以被纳入到集体敬拜中，教会作为一个整体可以借此来告白自己的信仰，并以赞美回应神。

　　由于要理问答实践的失落，当今的福音派教会充斥着「对真理的一知半解，对神和敬虔概念的模糊，对职场、社区、家庭和教会各方面的轻忽。」

为什么要写新要理问答？

　　已经有许多古老而优秀的、经过时间考验的要理问答，为什么还要费力写新的？有些人可能会怀疑人们写新要理问答的动机。但今天的大多数人没有意识到，教会为了自己的需要不断编写新的要理问答，这在过去被认为是正常的、重要的和必要的。最早的英国圣公会公祷书就包含要理问答。路德宗教会曾使用路德于1529年编撰的《小要理问答》和《大要理问答》。早期苏格兰教会虽然已有加尔文于 1541 年编撰的《日内瓦要理问答》和1563 年的《海德堡要理问答》，后续仍编写并采用过克雷格1581 年的《要理问答》、邓肯1595 年的《拉丁语要理问答》，以及1644年的《新要理问答》（New Catechism ），直至最终采用《威斯敏斯特要理问答》。

　　清教徒牧师理查德·巴克斯特十七世纪在基德明斯特小镇服侍，他想要系统地训练一家之主们来指导家庭的信仰。为此他撰写了《家庭要理问答》，以适应他所服侍群体的接受能力，并运用圣经来帮助他当时所服侍的人们面对诸多的问题。

　　编写要理问答至少有三个目的。第一是为了全面的阐述福音——除了阐明什么是福音之外，还要阐述福音的根基所在，例如圣经中关于神、人性和罪的教义，等等。第二是以此来回应和抵制当时文化中存在的异端，以及错误和虚假的信仰。第三个目的更多是从牧养的角度出发，旨在培养一群反文化潮流的人，以使信徒的个人品格和教会的公共生活都能有基督的样式。

　　综合来看，这三个目的解释了为什么一定要写新要理问答。虽然我们对福音教义的阐述必须符合古老的、忠实于神话语的要理问答，但文化在改变，永恒不变的福音也面临着新的错谬、试探和挑战，我们需要装备信徒以面对和解答这些问题。

本书的架构

　　《新城要理问答》包含52个问答，每周一个，贯穿全年，目的是方便教会和忙碌的人安排时间来学习。（《海德堡要理问答》和《威斯敏斯特小要理问答》则分别包含129 个和107 个问答）

　　《新城要理问答》是在加尔文的《日内瓦要理问答》、《威斯敏斯特大小教理问答》，特别是在《海德堡教理问答》的基础上改编而成的，让读者可以了解到宗教改革时期要理问答的丰富性和洞察力，鼓励人们深入了解历史教义，并终身持守要理问答的实践。

　　为了方便学习和做有益的划分，我们将本书分为了三大部分：

  • 第一部分：神，创造、堕落、律法（共20 个问题）
  • 第二部分：基督、救赎、恩典（共15 个问题）
  • 第三部分：圣灵、恢复、在恩典中成长（共17 个问题）

　　与多数传统的要理问答一样，《新城要理问答》中的每个问答都伴随着经文，并附上一段已故牧者或当代牧者的简短注解，以帮助读者思考。在每个问答结束时，请跟着我们一起做一个简短的祷告。

古语的运用

　　虽然一开始可能会不太好理解，但我们还是尽可能地保留了早期注解的原始用语。当人们因为约翰·罗纳德·鲁埃尔·托尔金（J. R. R. Tolkien，《魔戒》的作者）有时使用古语而向他抱怨时，他回答说，语言是文化价值的体现，因此他使用古语不是出于怀旧，而是基于原则。他认为，古语传递着那时人们理解生活的方式，而这是融合了现代生活理念的当代语言所无法传达的。

　　鉴于此，除非一些词因为不再通用而变得不可理解（在这种情况下，它们常常被省略号所取代），否则在早期注解中，原始作者当时所采用的语言和拼写我们都会予以保留。有时这种语言也反映在问答中，以更诗意的形式来辅助我们的记忆。

如何使用《 新城要理问答》这本书？

　　《新城要理问答》共包含52 个问答，因此最简单的用法是用一年的时间，每周记住一个问题和答案。因为是对话形式，所以最好是结伴在家里或小组中学习，这样我们就可以一同研讨一个，十个，二十个答案，依此类推。

　　我们还可以选定一周的某一天，用每个问答所附的圣经经文、书面注解和祷告词进行灵修，帮助我们思考这些问答所引发的议题和应用。

　　小组学习的时候，大家可以花上最初的五到十分钟时间，只看一个问题和答案，然后用一年的时间学完。学习的期限也可以自行约定，如每周记住五六个问题。聚会的时候，大家可以一问一答，一起讨论，并阅读随附的注解。

记忆小窍门

　　记忆有许多技巧，有些更适合某个人的学习习惯。例如：

  • 一遍遍地将问题和答案大声读出来。
  • 大声读出问题和答案，紧接着背诵。重复以上步骤。
  • 边走边大声朗读第一部分（然后是第二部分和第三部分）的问题和答案。运动和语言的结合能加强人的记忆能力。
  • 将自己的朗读录下来，在每天锻炼、做家务或其他的时间听。
  • 将问题和答案写在卡片上，粘贴在显眼的地方，并在每次看到的时候大声诵读。
  •  制作双面卡片，一面写上问题，一面写上答案，用于自测。
  • 反复书写问题和答案，写作的过程有助于记忆。
  • 尽可能多地与他人研讨这些问题和答案。

圣经实践

　　保罗在写给加拉太人的信中说，「在道理上受教的，当把一切需用的供给施教的人。」（加6:6）「受教的」希腊语是katechoumenos ，即接受问答式教导的人。换句话说，保罗这里所讲的是，「施教的人」以一问一答的方式向加拉太人讲授基督教教义（要理问答）。而「一切需用的」很可能是指钱财上的支持。那么，表示「分享」或「团契」的希腊语单词koinoneo 的涵义就变得更丰富了。付给基督教师工资不但是酬劳，更是一种「相交」。教授要理不仅仅是一项付费服务而已，更是在丰丰富富地分享神赐给每个人的礼物。

　　若教会重启这一圣经实践，我们会发现神的话语再次「丰丰富富地存在心里」（参见西3:16），因为要理问答实践将真理深深地植入我们的内心，一旦我们具备了推理的能力，就会在圣经的范畴内思考。

　　当我的儿子约拿单还很小的时候，我和妻子凯西就开始用儿童版的要理问答教导他。最初，我们只教他前三个问题：

问题1. 你是谁造的？
答：神。

问题2. 神还造了什么？
答：神造了万物。

问题3. 神为什么要造你和万物？
回答：为了自己的荣耀。

　　有一天，凯西把约拿单临时交托给一个保姆，请她帮忙照看。当看到约拿单向窗外张望时，这个保姆问道：「你在想什么？」「神」，约拿单回答说。惊讶之余，保姆追问道：「你在想神的什么？」约拿单看着她，回答说：「祂如何为自己的荣耀造了这一切。」一个小男孩望着窗外，思想神创造的荣耀！这个保姆觉得自己看到了一位属灵的巨人！

　　实际上, 显然是这个保姆的提问触发了约拿单头脑中的问答机制。约拿单当然对「神的荣耀」没有什么概念，他只是说出了我们教他的要理问答中的答案。但这个概念已经存在于他的大脑中，也记在了他的心里，等着与新的洞见、新的教导和新的体验相连接。

　　普林斯顿神学家阿奇博尔德·亚历山大说，这种教导就像是壁炉里的木柴。如果没有火（神的灵），柴本身不能产生温暖的火焰。但如果没有燃料，同样也不会有火。这就是讲授要理问答的意义所在。

Question 1. What is the chief end of man?
Answer. Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.

Question 2. What is your only comfort in life and death?
Answer. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

These words, the opening of the Westminster and Heidelberg catechisms, find echoes in many of our creeds and statements of faith. They are familiar to us from sermons and books, and yet most people do not know their source and have certainly never memorized them as part of the catechisms from which they derive.

Today many churches and Christian organizations publish “statements of faith” that outline their beliefs. But in the past it was expected that documents of this nature would be so biblically rich and carefully crafted that they would be memorized and used for Christian growth and training. They were written in the form of questions and answers, and were called catechisms (from the Greek katechein, which means “to teach orally or to instruct by word of mouth”). The Heidelberg Catechism of 1563 and Westminster Shorter and Larger catechisms of 1648 are among the best known, and they serve as the doctrinal standards of many churches in the world today.

The Lost Practice of Catechesis

At present, the practice of catechesis, particularly among adults, has been almost completely lost. Modern discipleship programs concentrate on practices such as Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and evangelism and can at times be superficial when it comes to doctrine. In contrast, the classic catechisms take students through the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer—a perfect balance of biblical theology, practical ethics, and spiritual experience. Also, the catechetical discipline of memorization drives concepts deeper into the heart and naturally holds students more accountable to master the material than do typical discipleship courses. Finally, the practice of question-answer recitation brings instructors and students into a naturally interactive, dialogical process of learning.

In short, catechetical instruction is less individualistic and more communal. Parents can catechize their children. Church leaders can catechize new members with shorter catechisms and new leaders with more extensive ones. Because of the richness of the material, catechetical questions and answers may be integrated into corporate worship itself, where the church as a body can confess their faith and respond to God with praise.

Because we have lost the practice of catechesis today, “superficial smatterings of truth, blurry notions about God and godliness, and thoughtlessness about the issues of living—career-wise, community-wise, family-wise, and church-wise—are all too often the marks of evangelical congregations today.”

Why Write New Catechisms?

There are many ancient, excellent, and time-tested catechisms. Why expend the effort to write new ones? In fact, some people might suspect the motives of anyone who would want to do so. However, most people today do not realize that it was once seen as normal, important, and necessary for churches to continually produce new catechisms for their own use. The original Anglican Book of Common Prayer included a catechism. The Lutheran churches had Luther’s Large Catechism and Small Catechism of 1529. The early Scottish churches, though they had Calvin’s Geneva Catechism of 1541 and the Heidelberg Catechism of 1563, went on to produce and use Craig’s Catechism of 1581, Duncan’s Latin Catechism of 1595, and the New Catechism of 1644, before eventually adopting the Westminster Catechism.

Puritan pastor Richard Baxter, who ministered in the seventeenth-century town of Kidderminster, wanted to systematically train heads of families to instruct their households in the faith. To do so he wrote his own Family Catechism that was adapted to the capacities of his people and that brought the Bible to bear on many of the issues and questions his people were facing at that time.

Catechisms were written with at least three purposes. The first was to set forth a comprehensive exposition of the gospel—not only in order to explain clearly what the gospel is, but also to lay out the building blocks on which the gospel is based, such as the biblical doctrines of God, of human nature, of sin, and so forth. The second purpose was to do this exposition in such a way that the heresies, errors, and false beliefs of the time and culture were addressed and counteracted. The third and more pastoral purpose was to form a distinct people, a counterculture that reflected the likeness of Christ not only in individual character but also in the church’s communal life.

When looked at together, these three purposes explain why new catechisms must be written. While our exposition of gospel doctrine must be in line with older catechisms that are true to the Word, culture changes, and so do the errors, temptations, and challenges to the unchanging gospel that people must be equipped to face and answer.

Structure of The New City Catechism

The New City Catechism comprises only 52 questions and answers (as opposed to Heidelberg’s 129 or Westminster Shorter’s 107). There is therefore only one question and answer for each week of the year, making it simple to fit into church calendars and achievable for people with demanding schedules.

The New City Catechism is based on and adapted from Calvin’s Geneva Catechism, the Westminster Shorter and Larger catechisms, and especially the Heidelberg Catechism. This gives good exposure to some of the riches and insights across the spectrum of the great Reformation-era catechisms, the hope being that it will encourage people to delve into the historic catechisms and continue the catechetical process throughout their lives.

It is divided into three parts to make it easier to learn in sections and to include some helpful divisions:
Part 1: God, creation and fall, law (twenty questions)
Part 2: Christ, redemption, grace (fifteen questions)
Part 3: Spirit, restoration, growing in grace (seventeen questions)

As with most traditional catechisms, a Bible verse accompanies each question and answer. In addition, each question and answer is followed by a short commentary taken from the writings or sayings of a past preacher as well as a commentary from a contemporary preacher to help students meditate on and think about the topic being explored. Each question ends with a short, original prayer.

The Use of Archaic Language

Although it may make the content seem less accessible at first glance, the language of the original texts has been retained as much as possible throughout the historical commentaries. When people complained to J. R. R. Tolkien about the archaic language he sometimes used, he answered that language carries cultural values, and therefore his use of older forms was not nostalgia—it was principled. He believed that older ways of speaking conveyed older ways of understanding life that modern forms cannot convey, because modern language is enmeshed with modern views of life.

For this reason, except in cases where the words are no longer in common use and are therefore incomprehensible (in which instances they often have been replaced with ellipses), the language and spelling of the original authors has been retained throughout the historic commentaries. Occasionally this language is also reflected in the questions and answers where the more poetic forms aid memorization.

How to Use The New City Catechism

The easiest way to use The New City Catechism is to memorize one question and answer each week of the year. Because it is intended to be dialogical, it is best to learn it in pairs, in families, or as study groups, enabling you to drill one another on the answers not only one at a time but once you have learned ten of them, then twenty of them, and so on.

The Bible verse, written commentary, and prayer that are attached to each question and answer can be used as your devotion on a chosen day of the week to help you think through and meditate on the issues and applications that arise from the question and answer.

Groups may decide to spend the first five to ten minutes of their study time looking together at only one question and answer, thus completing the catechism in a year, or they may prefer to study and learn the questions and answers over a contracted length of time, for example by memorizing five or six questions a week and meeting together to quiz one another and discuss them, as well as read the accompanying commentaries.

Memorization Tips

There are a variety of ways to commit texts to memory, and some techniques suit certain learning styles better than others. A few examples include:

Read the question and answer out loud, and repeat, repeat, repeat.

Read the question and answer out loud, then try to repeat them without looking. Repeat.

Record yourself saying all part 1 questions and answers (then part 2, then part 3) and listen to them during everyday activities such as workouts, chores, and so on.

Write the questions and answers on cards and tape them in a conspicuous area. Read them aloud every time you see them.

Make flash cards with the question on one side and the answer on the other, and test yourself.

Write out the question and answer. Repeat. The process of writing helps a person’s ability to recall text.

Drill the questions and answers with another person as often as possible.

A Biblical Practice

In his letter to the Galatians Paul writes, “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches” (Gal. 6:6). The Greek word for “the one who is taught” is katechoumenos, one who is catechized. In other words, Paul is talking about a body of Christian doctrine (catechism) that was taught to them by an instructor (here the word catechizer). The words “all good things” probably mean financial support as well. In this light, the word koinoneo—which means “to share” or “to have fellowship”—becomes even richer. The salary of a Christian teacher is not to be seen simply as a payment but a “fellowship.” Catechesis is not just one more service to be paid for, but is a rich fellowship and mutual sharing of the gifts of God.

If we re-engage in this biblical practice in our churches, we will find again God’s Word “dwelling in us richly” (see Col. 3:16), because the practice of catechesis takes truth deep into our hearts, so we think in biblical categories as soon as we can reason.

When my son Jonathan was a young child, my wife, Kathy, and I started teaching him a children’s catechism. In the beginning we worked on just the first three questions:

Question 1. Who made you?
Answer. God

Question 2. What else did God make?
Answer. God made all things.

Question 3. Why did God make you and all things?
Answer. For his own glory.

One day Kathy dropped Jonathan off at a babysitter’s. At one point the babysitter discovered Jonathan looking out the window. “What are you thinking about?” she asked him. “God,” he said. Surprised, she responded, “What are you thinking about God?” He looked at her and replied, “How he made all things for his own glory.” She thought she had a spiritual giant on her hands! A little boy looking out the window, contemplating the glory of God in creation!

What had actually happened, obviously, was that her question had triggered the question/answer response in him. He answered with the catechism. He certainly did not have the slightest idea what the “glory of God” meant. But the concept was in his mind and heart, waiting to be connected with new insights, teaching, and experiences.

Such instruction, Princeton theologian Archibald Alexander said, is like firewood in a fireplace. Without the fire—the Spirit of God—firewood will not in itself produce a warming flame. But without fuel there can be no fire either, and that is what catechetical instruction is.