My Only Comfort: The Heidelberg Catechism for Devotional Reading by Amanda Martin

"The Heidelberg Catechism is poetic, pastoral, and comforting, but the Q&A format can undercut devotional reading. This beautiful edition adapts the rich content to stand on its own without introductory questions"--

From the Publisher Foreword by Tim Challies Sample Pages Introduction by Amanda Martin Written chiefly by the German Reformer Zacharius Ursinus (1534–83) and refined by fellow theologians and church leaders, the Heidelberg Catechism was designed to instruct, and its theology is deep and systematic. Its authors intended that it be presented by pastors to their congregations, with explanatory sermons, each Lord’s Day throughout the year, and so they divided it into fifty-two sections. Within this format, 129 questions and answers move from the fall to redemption to conversion to the Christian life while following the wording of the Apostles’ Creed, Ten Commandments, and Lord’s Prayer. Succinct without being terse, the Catechism answers the kinds of questions you encounter in Bible studies (Why did our Savior need to be both God and man?) as well as the kinds of questions you worry about in the middle of the night (What is your only comfort in the face of death?). In that way, the Catechism is both personal and devotional. It rewards close attention and consideration. Its answers are rich with insights that bless daily life and thought. Although its Q&A format is useful for instruction, I wondered how our perceptions of the Catechism might shift if it was written not as a kindly interrogation but as a meditation. I took out the questions and adjusted the answers so they could stand on their own. I consulted the proof texts and included one for each Lord’s Day reading in order to give Scripture, the Catechism’s foundation, the last word. If you’ve memorized some form of the Catechism, you’ll find some different phrasing in this edition: in preparing this book, I consulted and interwove two 1800s translations, making minor edits for clarity. Stripping away the questions from the Catechism makes the familiar unfamiliar again, and that can be a useful exercise. If you have never experienced this Catechism, in part or in whole, I hope the devotional format and beautiful binding of this edition welcomes you into its richness. As you read and ponder the Catechism’s time-tested wisdom, may it encourage your heart with true and lasting comfort. Features Bound In Linen With Silver Foil Compiled into Three Sections Of The Misery Of Man Of The Deliverance Of Man Of Thankfulness Includes A Scripture Passage For Each Of The 52 Readings