We Are All Catechists

I spoke to someone recently who said, “I’m not going to tell my kids what to believe. I’m gonna let them make up their own mind about God, life, etc…” While that sounds really tolerant and accepting, I just don’t believe it for one second. What I mean is that while I’m sure this person is absolutely going to tell his child that they can believe whatever they want, they are in effect teaching them something about what to believe. This parent doesn’t realize it, but he is going to be catechizing his children. In reality, we are all catechists.

Let me try to explain what this parent’s catechism sounds like.

Question: Who is God?
Answer: I don’t know, but anyone can figure it out on their own.

Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: I don’t know, but you can decide that for yourself.

Question: What rule has God given to direct us?
Answer: There isn’t any one rule. Pick from any of the different rules out there. Pick from all of them if you want.

Do you see how that works? In refusing to give an answer, this parent is teaching his child a lesson. And this child is going to grow up and say, “Well my dad taught me that the big questions are unknowable, and that I can decide for myself what is true.” A perfectly catechized child.

To be sure, even children who are intentionally taught the truth of God’s word can go astray, and by God’s grace, the untaught will turn and live lives of faithfulness. Thankfully, we are cast upon God for mercy in the raising of our children. But don’t be deceived; if I fail to teach my children the truth, they will not be uncatechized children. They will simply be children who have been taught that truth is unimportant and that they can believe what they want, when they want. My push for myself and for fellow believers is to realize that we are all catechists, and to examine what we are teaching those around us, both explicitly and implicitly. Let’s heed the words of our God: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deut 6:6-7).

© Jacob Crouch 2021, 2023