Review of "New City Catechism"
There exists a common stereotype of college professors that, while they know their material very well, they no longer remember what it is like to be a student learning it for the first time. The same can be said for theology nerds such as myself - there's a strong tendency to get so caught up in academic minutiae (like debates concerning the Q-source or divine sovereignty) that we forget what it is like to learn (or teach) the core elements of the Christian faith.
That dynamic is especially hard if you have young children like I do, as you learn that they don't arrive pre-programmed with a robust Christian theology and yet your theological lexicon assumes a seminary level knowledge. Sure, there are a lot of children's worship songs and bible cartoons out there, but these tend to either teach narrative details or morals, rather than theology. As our first son has progressed through his toddler years, I came to the recognition that we needed an external structure to rein in my theological musings while also cultivating a love for the key traditions of the Christian faith. This is where the search for a Catechism began for me.
If you come from a high church tradition, you likely have some exposure to a Catechism. I can recall being exposed to such in religion classes in my Roman Catholic upbringing. I remember our religion teachers talking about the Trinity, the Eucharist, and various saints. Although I have since left that faith tradition, I do appreciate the theological framework that it provided me with. In contrast to that approach, I have found that "low church" traditions tend to assume familiarity with core doctrines of the faith and focus on sermons and mentoring in small groups as the means by which the faith is passed on. That approach can certainly work, but in our own household we felt a desire to use a formal catechism with our kids.
New City Catechism
After searching around for a while and finding far too many examples that went into extreme detail about denominational particulars, I learned about the New City Catechism, a modernization/update to the Westminster Catechisms that was developed by Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. What initially attracted me to this particular catechism was the involvement of Tim Keller, a pastor whose sermons and books were particularly influential in my early years within evangelicalism. Although I have since developed a skepticism towards certain key doctrines of Calvinism (which Keller as a Presbyterian holds), the tenor of Keller's ministry is still appreciated. I am thankful for his blend of intellectualism, social engagement, and pastoral commitment to the church - emphases that are unfortunately too rarely held together within the sphere of American evangelicalism. So when I stumbled upon the New City Catechism I was naturally intrigued.
The Format
The New City Catechism (NCC) follows a question and answer format where the parent/teacher asks a question ("Who is God?") and the child/student learns the answer ("The Creator of everyone and everything") via repetition. Each question/answer has a few related scripture verses and quotes from folks in church history for further reflection. NCC also has simplified versions of the answers that are meant for younger children, which have been the primary versions we have used with our young kids. The questions are grouped into overarching themes of Creation (basic questions about God and humanity), Redemption (Jesus and salvation), and Restoration (the Spirit and Christian living).
These materials are available in printed book versions and a free phone app. The app has children's song renditions of each question/answer. These help kids retain the information better by engaging multiple senses. When walking through the questions with our son, I have used the print copy with the app version open for the songs since he likes to sing along to them. We generally work through one question a week while reviewing prior questions as time allows.
Theological Content
Our family does not belong to the Presbyterian Church in America (we currently are a part of the Brethren in Christ denomination), so I took some time to read through all the questions in advance. Most of the content is written within a broadly (conservative) evangelical framework so that key topics such as the Trinity, sin, Jesus' death and resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, etc. are covered. Although these are certainly approached out of a Presbyterian outlook, many of the questions and answers would be unobjectionable. Thankfully, the Catechism does not address hot button topics such as evolution or women in ministry, so you can fill in those gaps with whatever position you or your church holds (I am affirming on both fronts).
I have found a few questions where the authors' Calvinistic theology comes through a bit too strongly. The answer to the 27th question states without any qualification that only those individually elected by God will receive salvation through Jesus (there are other views within Protestant evangelicalism). Questions about the Old Testament Law follow a traditional Reformed outlook where it is viewed almost exclusively as a curse (recent scholarship on Paul has produced healthier nuances). A few questions also assumes a penal substitutionary model of atonement (I think the NT occasionally assumes this, but atonement language is not exhausted by one metaphor) and the idea of imputed righteousness (I do not find the arguments for this to be convincing).
Because I have found the NCC satisfactory as a whole, I will be supplementing in these areas to reflect my own views and certain emphases in our current denomination. I may end up posting alternate questions for Arminian and Free Will Theist believers on this blog at a future point. As an Anabaptist, I also feel compelled to develop some supplemental questions on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount ethics.
Final Thoughts
On the whole, after a few months of use, I have found the New City Catechism to be a good framework for talking through the basics of the Christian faith with our 3 year old. The questions are well structured and (mostly) general enough to fit within any evangelical tradition, the multimedia resources are especially enjoyed, and even the design aesthetic is appreciated. If you are looking for a framework to walk through Christian basics with a child, new believer, baptism candidate, etc. and do not mind making the occasional adjustment to deal with doctrinal assumptions, this should be on your list. Plus, the entire text is accessible for free via the phone app and on their website.