The Catechism of Thomas Becon, ed. Parker Society (Cambridge: Cambridge Press, 1844). This work contains “The Catechism,””The Jewel of Joy,””The Principles of the Christian Religion,””Treatise of Fasting,””The Castle of Comfort,””The Solace of the Soul,””The Fortress of the Faithful,””The Christian Knight,” and ”An Homily against Whoredom.”
The book is available and freely downloadable in pdf-format at:
http://books.google.com/books?id=-8t6T7EhnXoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+catechism+of+thomas+becon
Becon writes this as a father to his two sons, Basil and Theodore, and his one daughter, Rachel. Eph.6.1ff. is his textual basis. David raised Solomon in godliness and on his deathbed exhorted Solomon to not leave the God of the forbears. This reflects David’s covenanted loyalties and adherence to the Word of God. Philip the evangelist (Acts 8) raises four godly daughters. St. Paul exhorts Timothy to fidelity to his scriptural training, 2 Tim.3.14ff.; the Scriptures alone are able to save to the uttermost and instruct the man in godliness and righteousness unto maturity, with doctrine and reproof.
Becon expresses his lifelong desire to rear his children in this very spirit and with biblical doctrine. He exhorts his children to receive the Bible and to follow it as his paternal or patrimonial bequest to them. The catechism is formed along dialogue-lines between father and son.
The son is six years old. The son asks the father to consider his slender attainments, to which the father responds. The father indicates that catechetizing is an ancient custom in the churches. Amazingly, the work in the downloadable pdf.file is 670-pages. This was what Thomas Becon thought a six-year old should be exposed to…what shall we say in 2009 in the Anglican tradition? That horrible Catechism in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer?
There are six parts to the catechism: repentance, faith, law, prayer, sacraments, and the office of degrees.
The father runs the son through standard definitions and numerous biblical references, to which the son gives amplifications with the father’s further explanations.
The second part is faith. “Repent and believe” was the substance of Christ’s instructions. Again, numerous biblical references and Heb.11.1—faith is strong, assured, and undoubted, enjoying what God promises. One notes here the Reformation-perspective rather than the doubts and anti-Niceanism implicit to Romanism.
Faith is a gift; it does not come of ourselves. A long list of Calvinistic biblical text are provided. We noticed at the recent assembly for the Anglican Church of North America, Bedford, TX, 22-25 June 2009, that an Orthodox Bishop called Calvinism an “heresy.” Thomas Becon and his son were, according to this Easterner, “heretics.”
See the OCA Bishop's comments at:
http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2009/06/reformation-today-oca-enthuses-and.html
The Apostles Creed has twelve articles of faith. The father runs through the Apostles Creed with copious references and theological development. It is Reformed. It also is straightforward federal theology with the vicarious penal atonement of Christ. The nature of the atonement is definitive and all-conquering. The son expresses joy over the great benefits which are received through Christ. Christ’s burial and resurrection means that sins should never accuse us again. Christ’s descent to hell assures us that the victory over death and the devil is real and complete. The cross of Christ is the “Altar” of sacrifice. The resurrection shows Christ to be the “valiant conqueror of death, devil and hell.” We are justified, not in the process of justification as Rome would have it. The son is asked to prove the Ascension of Christ from the Scriptures, which the lad does, quoting texts in full. This copious use of Scriptures alone evinces the conviction that Thomas Becon was a Reformer. The benefits of Christ’s ascension and session are presented. In heaven, Christ is our effectual Mediator, Advocate and Intercessor. The invocation of saints isn’t even mentioned; Anglo-Romewardizers have no place in Becon’s Catechism. The English Reformers and historic Anglicanism tore those Romanist roots of disrespect straight-up out of the ground. Christ’s victory is a “most certain and sure testimony of our ascension into the kingdom of heaven.”
Preliminary conclusion: this Catechism would work in our time. Actually, it is better than other Reformation catechisms, in some ways. And again, this was written for a father and a six-year old boy.
To be continued.
No comments:
Post a Comment