Luther, Martin,--1483-1546--Catechisms

Timothy P Philabaum

This thesis is to provide an understanding of how adolescents grow in their faith development, and how a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America may assist in that growth of the adolescents as well as their parents. The scope is centered on a Lutheran view of confirmation, in which the seventh and eighth graders experience an intensive study in Bible, Martin Luther's Small Catechism, and faith. The results gathered set a framework for confirmation ministry in a Lutheran congregation, providing guidance for a confirmation ministry program and support for the parents of the adolescents.

Catechetical preaching was an instrumental element of the Reformation. Preaching the basics of the Christian faith from Martin Luther's Small Catechism continues to provide a framework for people to understand God and themselves. This form of preaching bridges between those who live in Christ and those who live outside the church. The Success Case Method was used to determine the best practices for including catechetical preaching in the faith formation program of Lutheran congregations.

Denise H Brown

This is a catechetical curriculum for persons with intellectual disabilities living at the Filling Home. The curriculum requires no reading skills. Using Martin Luther's Small Catechism and basic Bible stories the residents will learn, as they are able, the love God has for them. An Affirmation of Baptism service is included. The intent of this service is to enable these people and their families to celebrate this milestone in their lives. Persons with intellectual disabilities are thirsting to learn about the love God has for them. It is up to us to discover ways to allow them to know God and God's love for all God's children.

Amy C Little

The author of this program planning model project asserts that a baseline of health and well-being is needed to move a chronically anxious congregation toward mission. Using Bowen Family Systems Theory and Luther's Catechisms, pastoral leaders will be aided in facilitating positive change in the congregation including a deeper Lutheran identity and communal self-awareness in the face of conflict. By examining the eight concepts of Bowen Family Systems Theory and applying them to two Reformation-era conflicts, Luther's Small and Large Catechisms, and the biblical story of Jacob and Esau, the author develops exercises and discussion questions for the pastor to engage self and congregation towards health and mission.

Kenneth M Rupdar

No abstract.

Robert R Wagner

Martin Luther's catechisms are a primary means of introducing Lutherans to the Christian faith. I attempt to show that the repetitive use of congregationally well-known and catechetically related hymns and congregational songs can be an important tool for reinforcing catechetical learning. Through the project, I match a group of twenty-six well-known hymns of a specific congregation with the six sections of Martin Luther's Small Catechism. These hymns intentionally highlight primary themes of the catechism. This corpus of hymns also reflects the importance of matching hymn and song texts with music that is singable by the majority of people.

Frederick P Schenker

Spiritual formation in mainline denominations has fallen on hard times. Research agencies such as the Search Institute have rated Lutherans lowest in the areas of faith maturity and growth in faith maturity among Protestant denominations. Such studies indicate a lack of integration of faith understanding into holy living. The author's thesis utilizes Martin Luther's formative approach to the catechism and Adrian van Kaam's formation science to facilitate the integration of belief and faith practice for Lutherans as well as other faith traditions. The author has designed a six-week course to put this thesis into practice. After completing the course, participants in the study group showed stronger integration in their beliefs and lifestyles.

Margaret V Schultz-Akerson

This project recognizes Luther's Large catechism as an underutilized resource and assesses its potential for the ecumenical field of spirituality. Limited to the Ten Commandments the research involved reflection on Luther's explanation of the latter nine commandments in light of a proper observance of the First Commandment. Responses recommend developing a resource that facilitates reflection on Luther's original writing and looks past what is off-putting to what still nourishes today.

Jeffrey W Elliott

This project proposes and prepares an interactive game-based aid for teaching Martin Luther's Small Catechism, testing with three confirmation classes over a six-year period in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (Brant Beach, NJ). The Voyage of the Corpus Christi transports six young people from twentieth-century New Jersey to a strange world in which parts of the Small Catechism and basic Lutheran theological concepts have become places and people. Confirmation students learn about baptism, the Ten Commandments, the Apostle's Creed, repentance, the Lord's Prayer, holy communion, and grace as they join the journey.

Martin J Rafanan

The Large and Small Catechisms of Martin Luther, largely relegated to the confirmation process in the Lutheran church, provide critical resources for congregational and institutional change. The paper traces the historical and pedagogical roots of the catechisms and shows how they are designed to function as "change documents," supporting an ongoing personal and corporate reformation. They do so by teaching and proclaiming a particularly evangelical understanding of the relationship between God and God's world, one that unites the evangelical catholic triumvirate of God's grace, Christ's cross, and human faith.