The Aspen Grove

Grammar of the Small Catechism

Note Planted:
4 min read

The Big Idea

I have started putting together and collecting these short ways of phrasing or saying the chief parts of the small catechism as a way to help small children start to learn and work with the grammar of the catechism in a way that is accessible.

In my experience with my four year old, trying to teach the full text of say, the ten commandments, required introducing a bunch of new vocabulary and long sentence structures. By the time you work through even part of she is lost and does not understand the point of anything. Therefore, starting with the basic sense of things in an easily repeatable and memorable form is a way to start laying the foundation so that once that is internalized the full text can be approached with understanding.

To this end, I have started to teach these shortened forms of the chief parts to my daughter Eden in random small moments in the day when we are on the couch or around as a way to just work it into our day.

Other Potential Resources: Wolfmueller Catechism Memory Games

Basic Six Chief Parts Hand Gestures

  1. 10 Commandments (God’s Law)
    • Hold out ten fingers and then ASL for commandment link
    • What God wants the world to look like. And how we often do not do the right thing.
  2. Creed
    • ASL sign for Believe link
    • What God has done to set things right through Jesus. And invites us to be a part of His Church
  3. Lord’s Prayer
    • Fold Hands in prayer link
    • How we talk to God 
  4. Baptism
    • Rain Sprinkle with hands link
    • How God makes us a part of his family
  5. Confession
    • ASL Sign for sorry link
    • How we stay a part of God’s family even when we mess up
  6. Communion
    • ASL Sign bread link
    • How God strengthens us as part of His family

Ten Commandments

Two Greatest Commandments and The Two Tables

  • From Matthew 22:36-40
  1. Love God - First Table - 3 Commandments
  2. Love Neighbor - Second Table - 7 Commandments

Simple Wording to get the Sense of the Commandments

  1. No other gods
  2. Use God’s name wisely 
  3. Remember to stop and listen to God
  4. Respect Mom and Dad
  5. Keep others’ bodies safe
  6. Respect our own body
  7. Don’t take others’ stuff
  8. Always tell the truth
  9. Don’t focus on what others have
  10. Be happy with what you have

Three Uses of the Law

  1. Curb - Keep things in line.
  2. Mirror - Show us our sin.
  3. Guide - Show us how to live.

Full text of the Commandments  4. You shall have no other gods 5. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God 6. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy 7. Honor your father and your mother 8. You shall not murder 9. You shall not commit adultery  10. You shall not steal 11. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor 12. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house 13.  You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor

Apostles’ Creed

Bring the Invocation and the core subject of Creed together with hand gestures:

  • In the name of God who created us
    • Gesture: Make a circle like the earth with pointer fingers.
  • And His son Jesus who died for us
    • Gesture: Hold up pointer fingers to make a cross.
  • And the Holy Spirit who lives in us
    • Gesture: Take both hands and place them over your heart.

Basic Flow of Creed Salvation comes

  • FROM the Father - Article 1
  • THOUGH the Son - Article 2
  • BY the Holy Spirit - Article 3

Exercises for the Creed

  • Write it out by hand article by article. Underline or highlight words or phrases that stand out.
  • Write the Apostles and Nicene creed side by side and compare and contrast

Backlinks

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