The Catechism as a podcast

“A Church that forgets its doctrine is a weak church,” Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider said recently, thus explaining the Church’s ongoing commitment to convey its teaching. And the Catechism is helping to consolidate the doctrine.

The Catechism as a podcast

The newest offer is addressed to all those who do not like to scroll through page after page and read. For the time being, the podcast is being produced in the German language only as a kind of test. The podcast is a simple way for anyone who has a command of the German language to close their eyes and simply listen to the Catechism while on a walk, on their way to work, or while having lunch … Maybe somebody has even dared to listen to it out loud with friends or colleagues around. There are many ways to get people interested in your faith and discuss it with them. “A Catechism should bring people together,” District Apostle Bernd Koberstein said when the book was first introduced, describing his hope how other Churches would react to its publication and see an opportunity for dialogue. This is something that should also be possible at the level of the individual believer.

Written for the faithful

“The New Apostolic Church is active in many countries of varying cultural backgrounds, which makes a uniform foundational work such as this necessary in order to reinforce doctrinal unity despite all other differences.” Already in the foreword of the Catechism it becomes clear how high the expectations are.

And the book certainly lives up to these expectations. In many cases, it has helped to outline the profile of our Church in dialogue with other denominations and to find common ground with them. It is not only important that the clergy of other Churches and representatives for ecumenical dialogue expose themselves to this book. In fact, the Catechism is intended as a book for the individual believer, for every New Apostolic Christian.

Here he or she will find answers to questions, will find explanations on the teaching of the Church, and see the bigger picture. This is precisely why the book has been accorded such a critical role over the past few years. The Catechism is not a book that should be left in the shelf to gather dust.

As a textbook and a reference work

The long version of the Catechism is a thick book with just over 500 pages, no illustrations, but many theological explanations and formulations. The wording is clear, at times very precise, and things are described in great detail. In other sections the Catechism is of less relevance for the one or the other; this is the conclusion that some have come to who have worked with it intensively.

An effective teaching tool, ideal for self-study, simple and easy to read, and well structured—that is the Catechism in Questions and Answers. The 13 chapters of the long version of the Catechism have been divided into 750 meaningful and easy-to-understand questions and answers. The old principle of questions and answers stood as a model for the new book that was published in October 2015. But not everyone likes books. And if books are no longer being read by everybody, there are different formats and media available to convey the doctrine of the Church and contents of faith.

The Catechism as an app

Why bother lugging unnecessary weight around with you if there are much simpler and user-friendly options available. At the same time that the print version of the Catechism in Questions and Answers was published a free app with all 750 questions and answers was released for smartphones and tablets.

This app complements the already existing app of the long version of the Catechism. Here too the contents has been digitally remastered and is fully searchable. It is perfect for religious instruction, for ministers to prepare for a divine service, or just to occupy oneself with one’s faith. And you can even share the contents of the Catechism with your friends: there are links to social networks.

The Catechism as a game

You only have a few seconds to come up with the answer … In the online game “KNK” you can test how much you know. You can even compete with other players for the best score. Who is the winner of the game on matters of faith? The app is currently comprised of 250 questions and answers and is available for testing on the corresponding website. The app was developed by a fan of the Catechism, who is making it available to his brothers and sisters free of charge.

The full version of the Catechism: app for iOS and for Android.
The Catechism in Questions and Answers: app for iOS and for Android.
The Catechism online at nak.org.
The Catechism as a German-language podcast.
The Catechism as an online quiz.