THE FUTILITY OF THE CULTURAL CATECHISM

The word catechism comes from the Greek katēkhismós, which means to teach by word of mouth. Over time, Christian denominations have developed catechisms that they have reduced to writing.

I had thought that the Catholic and Episcopal churches were alone in having catechisms but learned in writing this post that my own denomination, the Presbyterian, also has one. Somehow, I have managed to be member of the Presbyterian church for over ten years and never learned that. Another stark reminder of how far I still must go in the development of my faith.

Faith-based catechisms provide a guide to their core beliefs by arranging them in a systematic and orderly way. The Presbyterian Catechism does this through a question-and-answer format. The first question is “what is the chief and highest end of man?” Answer: “man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God and fully enjoy him forever.”

As a seeker, I appreciate the simplicity and clarity of this first couplet. “Chief” means most important, “highest” means greatest and “glorify” means praise and worship. Thus, as an adherent to the Presbyterian Catechism I understand that my primary reason for being is to worship the supreme being who brought me into existence. Everything else flows from that. As I struggle and fumble through my days, distracted by the worries and temptations I inevitably meet, this provides me with the spiritual anchor I need to keep me from drifting into the shoals.

Equally clear is the Presbyterian Catechism’s definition of sin: “any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature.”

As a sinner, I appreciate the simplicity and clarity of this instruction. I am to follow the rules of God which He has made plain to me through Scripture. If I do not, then I have sinned and cannot expect to enjoy God. It is not the relative importance of any particular rule or the degree to which I am disobedient that is material but only that I fully conform—to all of them. How I feel about it is irrelevant. Mine is not to reason why, but only to do or die.

Like Christianity, the culture also has a catechism. It does not derive from a faith tradition but from the prevailing secular theology of Goo, which is the philosophy of universal happiness. Unlike a Christian catechism, the Cultural Catechism of Goo is not in writing, but that does not mean it is not pervasive. Sticky, formless and gelatinous as it is, Goo has crept into every aspect of modern life.

The first rule of the Cultural Catechism is that every person must be as happy as they feel like they need to be, in any way they feel like they need to be. Under the Cultural Catechism, a sin is not disobedience to any rule (there are no rules) but rather to say or do anything that disturbs another person’s quest for individual happiness. For the Gooist, everything else flows from that.

The glaring shortcoming of the Cultural Catechism is that it does not provide an anchor based upon objective truth. In fact, it rejects objective truth altogether—instead, encouraging each person to self-determine what he wants the truth to be and to pursue it as long as he feels like it will make him happy.

Because it provides no anchor, the Cultural Catechism leaves its adherents adrift and helpless in the face of the worries and temptations of this fallen World, trudging along endlessly on a chimeric quest, like shepherd-less sheep searching for greener pastures that do not exist.

It is futile.