Theological Term of the Week: Westminster Larger Catechism

Westminster Larger Catechism
The longer and more comprehensive of two catechisms produced by the Westminster Assembly, completed in 1648, and providing “a well-structured guide to applying the Word of God in the practical context of everyday life.1

• A few questions on Christ’s exaltation from the Westminster Larger Catechism: 

  Question 51: What was the estate of Christ’s exaltation?

  Answer: The estate of Christ’s exaltation comprehends his resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of the Father, and his coming again to judge the world.

  Question 52: How was Christ exalted in his resurrection?

  Answer: Christ was exalted in his resurrection, in that, not having seen corruption in death (of which it was not possible for him to be held), and having the very same body in which he suffered, with the essential properties thereof (but without mortality, and other common infirmities belonging to this life), really united to his soul, he rose again from the dead the third day by his own power; whereby he declared himself to be the Son of God, to have satisfied divine justice, to have vanquished death, and him that had the power of it, and to be Lord of quick and dead: all which he did as a public person, the head of his church, for their justification, quickening in grace, support against enemies, and to assure them of their resurrection from the dead at the last day.

  Question 53: How was Christ exalted in his ascension?

  Answer: Christ was exalted in his ascension, in that having after his resurrection often appeared unto and conversed with his apostles, speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and giving them commission to preach the gospel to all nations, forty days after his resurrection, he, in our nature, and as our head, triumphing over enemies, visibly went up into the highest heavens, there to receive gifts for men, to raise up our affections thither, and to prepare a place for us, where himself is, and shall continue till his second coming at the end of the world.

  Question 54: How is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God?

  Answer: Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is advanced to the highest favor with God the Father, with all fulness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth; and does gather and defend his church, and subdue their enemies; furnishes his ministers and people with gifts and graces, and makes intercession for them.2

• From Reformed Confessions Harmonized by Joel Beeke and Sinclair Ferguson:

The Larger Catechism serves well as a useful guidebook for preaching on doctrinal themes. In this sense it identifies the key elements and issues that ought to be addressed in such preaching.

Following five opening questions indicating that it is from scripture that we learn who God is, how we may know Him and what He requires, question 6—90 teach us what we are to believe about Him. Questions 91—196 spell out the duties of the Christian life. 

As is the case with the Shorter Catechism, this emphasis on the obedience of the Christian is set within a strong and full grasp of God’s grace in Christ. 

• From The Making of the Westminster Larger Catechism by Chad B. Van Dixhoorn: 

No doubt it requires some effort whether to teach or to learn the Shorter Catechism. It requires some effort whether to teach or to learn the grounds of any department of knowledge. Our children - some of them at least - groan over even the primary arithmetic and find sentence-analysis a burden. Even the conquest of the art of reading has proved such a task that “reading without tears” is deemed an achievement. We think, nevertheless, that the acquisition of arithmetic, grammar and reading is worth the pains it costs the teacher to teach, and the pain it costs the learner to learn them. Do we not think the acquisition of the grounds of religion worth some effort, and even, if need be, some tears?

For, the grounds of religion must be taught and learned as truly as the grounds of anything else. Let us make no mistake here. Religion does not come of itself: it is always a matter of instruction. The emotions of the heart, in which many seem to think religion too exclusively to consist, ever follow the movements of the thought. Passion for service cannot take the place of passion for truth, or safely outrun the acquisition of truth; for it is dreadfully possible to compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, to find we have made him only a “son of hell.” This is why God establishes and extends his Church by the ordinance of preaching; it is why we have Sunday schools and Bible classes. Nay, this is why God has grounded his Church in revelation. He does not content himself with sending his Spirit into the world to turn men to him. He sends his Word into the world as well. Because, it is from knowledge of the truth, and only from the knowledge of the truth, that under the quickening influence of the Spirit true religion can be born. Is it not worth the pains of the teacher to communicate, the pain of the scholar to acquire this knowledge of the truth? How unhappy the expedient to withhold the truth - that truth under the guidance of which the religious nature must function if it is to function aright - that we may save ourselves these pains, our pupils this pain!

Learn more:

1. A Puritan’s Mind: Westminster Larger Catechism with Scriptural Proofs
2. Chad B. Van Dixhoorn: The Making of the Westminster Larger Catechism
3. Chad B. Van Dixhoorn: Is the Larger Catechism Worthwhile?
4. Danny Hyde: Meditations on the Larger Catechism
5. Reformed Forum: Audio of Westminster Larger Catechism

Related terms:

• Augsburg Confession
• Belgic Confession
• Canons of Dordt
• catechism
• Heidelberg Catechism
• London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689
• Second Helvetic Confession
• Westminster Confession of Faith
• Westminster Shorter Catechism 

Filed under Creeds and Confessions

1From Reformed Confessions by Joel Beeke and Sinclair Ferguson.

2Compare this to the section on Christ’s exaltation from the Shorter Catechism, which simply reads

Q. 28. Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation?
A. Christ’s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.

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