The Lord’s Supper The Heidelberg Catechism
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
-John 6:35-40
At the time the Heidelberg Catechism was written, both Lutheran and Reformed (Calvinist) Christians held influence in Germany, and tensions between them were high. In response, Frederick III ordered two young men of Heidelberg – Zacharias Ursinus, a professor of theology, and Kaspar Olevianus, preacher to the city – to write a catechism that would be acceptable to both sides, in order to settle religious unrest in his kingdom. The two writers of this catechism were influenced by Swiss Reformers.
The Heidelberg Catechism (1562, 63) represented another attempt to unify the church around a single document. Germany, at this time had two major parties of the new Reformation, those who followed Luther’s teaching, and the “Reformed” Christians who favored the teaching of John Calvin. Frederick III hoped to have a catechism (based on Romans 7:24-25) which would satisfy both sides. Two young authors were more drawn to Calvin than Luther, and the document reflects their views. It is arranged in a question and answer format typical of catechisms. It failed to unite the two groups theologically and stands as a testament to how christians sometimes get too laser-focused on small details missing the bigger picture of God’s love and work in the world. May we not lose sight of Christ in our desire to follow Him faithfully.
God of Hospitality and Wonder, You welcome us to a table that invites those who are different than us. This invitation has made us uncomfortable, unsettled, and defensive. Our discomfort comes from an unwillingness to see other peoples’ perspectives. Our unsettledness comes from a dependence on the status quo. Our defensiveness comes from a belief that our image of you is the only one that matters. Help us to surrender ourselves to the abundance of your invitation. Inspire us to embrace the fact that diversity is strength, not weakness. Gather us to welcome the stranger, care for the oppressed, and feed the hungry. Forgive us for our short-sightedness and open us to your Gospel that we might better embody the Beloved Community you call us to be. In the Wild and Wonderful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
