The junior confirmation program materials used by most Lutheran churches are based on Luther’s Small Catechism, written in 1523.  The content of Luther’s Small Catechism is as valid today as it was the day it was written.  It addresses the central dilemma in our relationship with God: justification.  However, it was written for an audience steeped in the 16^th-century Roman Catholic view of works' righteousness.  It was written in an age when society acknowledged God as the supreme authority in all matters of life and faith.  In short, the catechism was written to answer questions that few are asking today, and it was written in a context that no longer exists. As tragic, our current programs are designed to provide our students with knowledge and simple answers to complex truths.  A reliance on simplistic answers to complex truths leaves our students vulnerable to the complex philosophies and pressure they experience in High School, college, and beyond.  The effects of our current faith formation process can be seen in the rapid loss of students in the life of the church post-confirmation.  We are reaping the fruit of the failed system in our parents who do not prioritize faith formation.

For more information about the project visit: https://www.godworks.com/mission-catechism/