It is to be used as a workbook and a manual to support instruction: the Catechism, which has now been subdivided into 750 questions and answers. Over the coming days it will be distributed to congregations around the world and will shortly also be available as an app for smartphones and tablets.
The New Apostolic Church introduced its Catechism in December 2012. The then Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber presented the work in the context of an information evening which was transmitted live to congregations throughout Europe. Barely three years later, a second version has become available with the “Catechism in Questions and Answers”.
Shorter trains of thought, explanations, Bible quotations
One of the main objectives in the production of the “Catechism in Questions and Answers” was to assure the greatest level of readability and comprehensibility possible. Various methods were used in order to accomplish this:
- Readers are led through the content by way of questions and answers that build upon one another.
- In order to allow readers to more easily access the content, which is at times complex, the topics have been subdivided into a large number of individual questions and answers. This has allowed for shorter trains of thought.
- The text is formulated in a manner that is as easy to understand as possible, without using many technical terms.
- There are explanations for specific terms.
Well suited as a workbook and for instruction
In future, the “Catechism in Questions and Answers” is to be applied as a manual to support Church instruction. Beyond that, it is well suited for vividly imparting the Christian doctrine in general, and the specific doctrinal statements of our Church in particular. Thus the text contains many complete Bible quotations. These provide readers with the advantage of being able to read up on related Bible passages even if they do not have a Bible available. Terms that are not readily understandable on their own are explained in detail where they appear for the first time.
Book to be distributed starting October 2015
At present, the District Apostles are informing the members of their working areas about the distribution of the “Catechism in Questions and Answers”. Over the coming weeks, the books are to be displayed in the congregations and be distributed from there.
App for mobile devices to follow
The New Apostolic Church will also be publishing a new app in the fall. The content of the new work will also be made available for smartphones and tablets under the title “nacfaq”. The app can be downloaded for free in iTunes and google-Stores for iOS-Android devices. The app for the long version of the Catechism is already available. This app is likewise available for free download in the same Stores.
Intensive study of our faith
“Like the Catechism of the New Apostolic Church, this version of the Catechism is an appeal to all New Apostolic Christians to occupy themselves intensively with the content of their faith,”writes Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider in his foreword.”It is also an invitation to all interested parties to become better acquainted with the New Apostolic doctrine. May the use of this reference work serve for blessing!”