The Historical Context of the Origin and Distribution of the Catechism in the 16th Century

Abstract

This paper presents the historical context of the origin and distribution of the catechisms in relation to two new phenomena of the 16th century: the spread of the print and the confessional confronation. It shows the origin of the catechism in the 14th and 15th century.

Their expansion however has to do with the print and the religious struggle of the 16th century. The catechism was a brief, storming and unequivocal formulations of the faith?s principles and represent a tool to shape the ecclesiastical identity of the faithful and a tool to spread the own confession and to polemize with the confessional rivals.