Plural of catechism; systematic summaries of religious doctrine in question-and-answer format, used for teaching faith and belief.
From Greek 'katechismos' (oral instruction), from 'katechizein' (to teach by word of mouth). The term entered English via Latin in the Reformation era when standardized religious instruction became crucial.
The most famous catechisms—like Martin Luther's Small Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism—are still memorized by millions of people centuries later because their questions hit on exactly what matters about faith.
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