Dogmatics

The Theology of the Heidelberg Catechism

Systematics

In this course, we will study the venerable Heidelberger. We’ll briefly introduce the who, what, when, where, and why of the Catechism but will focus our time and attention on the text. This course is taught by Rev. Daniel Hyde. Runs 4/12-6/18/21.

 

Description

This Systematics course is taught by Rev. Daniel Hyde and will run from April 12 through June 18. The syllabus is available here.

The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) has been called “the church’s book of comfort” (Het troostboek van de kerk). Originally written in German for the preachers, people, and pupils of the Palatinate, it was also translated into Latin to testify throughout European courts and universities of the Palatinate’s unique reformation. In 1597 it was even translated into Greek so that it could be sent to the Patriarch of Constantinople. It’s been translated into everything from Afrikaans to Vietnamese.

In this course, we will study the venerable Heidelberger. We’ll briefly introduce the who, what, when, where, and why of the Catechism but will focus our time and attention on the text. Since we have just 10 weeks to analyze its 129 questions & answers or 52 Lord’s Days (zondag), biblically, theologically, polemically, historically, and practically, we’ll use an often-forgotten division of this material: the Palatinate’s Kirchenordnung (Church Order). In this document the Catechism was required to be read aloud every Sunday in every congregation in just 9 lectiones.

Daniel R. Hyde serves as Pastor of Oceanside United Reformed Church (Carlsbad/Oceanside, California). He is the author of numerous books on Reformed theology and Christian piety. He is also Adjunct Instructor of Ministerial Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary (Dyer, Indiana) and Adjunct Instructor of Systematic Theology and Missions at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (Grand Rapids, Michigan). He has earned degrees from Westminster Seminary California (MDiv) and Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (ThM) and is currently writing his PhD on John Owen’s liturgical theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Online only, runs 10 weeks, meeting 2 hrs./wk. via videoconference + online discussion board. Register to reserve your spot and schedule will be set after a poll of participating students; if the class time does not fit your schedule, you will be eligible for a full refund. Note: all classes are offered dependent on demand and require a minimum of four participating students. This is a graduate-level seminar. Although a Bachelor’s degree is not a necessary pre-requisite for this course, students should come prepared to do graduate-level work.