Westminster Larger Catechism

The purpose of the Larger Catechism was to help ministers prepare their own catechesis, as they taught the faith to their congregations in preaching,[1] while the purpose of the Shorter Catechism was to educate children and others "of weaker capacity" (according to a preface written by the Church of Scotland) in the Reformed faith.

Both the Larger and Shorter Catechisms are in a question and answer format, which had been popularized by Martin Luther as a way to help children learn the meaning of the material, rather than simply memorizing the Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments, and Apostles' Creed as had been the practice prior to the Reformation.

The next set of questions and answers, 6-90, concern God as Creator, original sin, the fallen state of man's nature, Christ the Redeemer, and the benefits that flow from redemption.

Following that, the next set of questions, 91-152, discuss the duty God requires of man, as summarized in the Ten Commandments.

Questions 153-177 concern the outward and ordinary means of grace, especially the preaching of the Word of God and the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.