Luther on the Small Catechism

“Many regard the Catechism as a simple, silly teaching which they can absorb and master at one reading.  After reading it once they toss the book into a corner as if they are ashamed to read it again.  Indeed, even among the nobility there are some louts and skinflints who declare that we can do without pastors and preachers from now on because we have everything in books and can learn it all by ourselves.  So they blithely let parishes fall into decay, and brazenly allow both pastors and preachers to suffer distress and hunger.  This is what one can expect of crazy Germans.”

Luther’s Large Catechism, long Preface.5,6

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