The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012

This article focuses on the reception and the status of the Heidelberg Catechism in the Church of the Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Nkhoma Synod in Malawi between 1889 and 2012. The constitution, the church order and the liturgical formularies of the CCAP Nkhoma Synod equally mention that the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: W. S. D. Zeze
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2014-12-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2678
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823858791964213248
author W. S. D. Zeze
author_facet W. S. D. Zeze
author_sort W. S. D. Zeze
collection DOAJ
description This article focuses on the reception and the status of the Heidelberg Catechism in the Church of the Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Nkhoma Synod in Malawi between 1889 and 2012. The constitution, the church order and the liturgical formularies of the CCAP Nkhoma Synod equally mention that the Heidelberg Catechism is one of the church’s doctrinal standards. The Catechism had never been translated into the official language of this Church, implying that the content of the catechism has been withheld from its members. This leads to the following questions: Was the Heidelberg Catechism really received in the Nkhoma Synod? Why did the Nkhoma fail to make the content of the catechism available to its members? Did this Church realize the implication of a failure to translate the catechism into its official language? Therefore, this article argues that the Catechism had very little or no influence on the Church’s theological discourse and practice.
format Article
id doaj-art-b11c0fbb204345cfab8808b6179eb19f
institution Kabale University
issn 1015-8758
2309-9089
language English
publishDate 2014-12-01
publisher University of the Free State
record_format Article
series Acta Theologica
spelling doaj-art-b11c0fbb204345cfab8808b6179eb19f2025-02-11T09:56:24ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892014-12-012010.38140/at.v0i20.2678The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012W. S. D. Zeze0Regional Coordinator for Theological Education by Extension in Malawi (TEEM), Malawi This article focuses on the reception and the status of the Heidelberg Catechism in the Church of the Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Nkhoma Synod in Malawi between 1889 and 2012. The constitution, the church order and the liturgical formularies of the CCAP Nkhoma Synod equally mention that the Heidelberg Catechism is one of the church’s doctrinal standards. The Catechism had never been translated into the official language of this Church, implying that the content of the catechism has been withheld from its members. This leads to the following questions: Was the Heidelberg Catechism really received in the Nkhoma Synod? Why did the Nkhoma fail to make the content of the catechism available to its members? Did this Church realize the implication of a failure to translate the catechism into its official language? Therefore, this article argues that the Catechism had very little or no influence on the Church’s theological discourse and practice. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2678
spellingShingle W. S. D. Zeze
The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012
Acta Theologica
title The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012
title_full The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012
title_fullStr The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012
title_full_unstemmed The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012
title_short The Heidelberg Catechism: a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the Malawian Reformed Church 1889-2012
title_sort heidelberg catechism a hidden creedal text and catechetical manual in the malawian reformed church 1889 2012
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2678
work_keys_str_mv AT wsdzeze theheidelbergcatechismahiddencreedaltextandcatecheticalmanualinthemalawianreformedchurch18892012
AT wsdzeze heidelbergcatechismahiddencreedaltextandcatecheticalmanualinthemalawianreformedchurch18892012