Luther's Small Catechism (German: Der Kleine Katechismus) is a catechism written by Martin Luther and published in 1529 for the training of children. Luther's Small Catechism reviews the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, the Office of the Keys and Confession and the Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is included in the Book of Concord as an authoritative statement of what Lutherans believe. Martin Luther took it upon himself to solve the problem of regular household Christians not being able to truly understand the key points of Christianity. He wanted to create a simple and understandable book for the regular person to grow their knowledge in the religion [1]. It was made to help shape every Christian's life and develop their faith. Many pastors in the early 1500s did not have the knowledge that the Small Catechism contains, which Luther saw as a problem because then many people could not hear these important aspects. He said, “Yet all the people are supposed to be Christians, have been baptized, and receive the Holy Sacrament even though they do not know the Our Father.” Martin Luther intended this book to simplify the values of Christianity for all. This book is still used today in many services.[2]
The Small Catechism is quite short. Many modern editions are over 200 pages long because of added commentaries and explanations. The catechism itself is only approximately 20 pages long, depending on paper size and font size. Some of the earliest editions in the 1520s and 1530s were printed as posters, given the brevity of the work, to be hung on the walls in classrooms and in family homes.
