WSC In Modern English

[Rippon]

I have The Westminster Shorter Catechism in Modern English. The opening goes:"This is a precise, accurate rendering of the westminster Shorter Catechism into modern English. after more than 300 years much of the language of the original is obsolete,obscure, and sometimes difficult to use and understand in the modern church.Churches committed to the Westminster standards will now be able to continue using the Shorter Catechism to instruct children and communicants."

The preface ends by extolling the NIV in their quotations of the Bible in the Catechism."We are grateful to the Zondervan Corporation for permission to use this excellent modern translation of the Bible."

On the back of the booklet it has this blurb:"Now there is an accurate rendering of the Shorter Catechism in modern English that recaptures the clarity and readability long enjoyed by the original."

This was published by the Reformed Theological Seminary in 1986.

I'll give some select Q's and A's later.

 

[Rippon]

Some select Q&A.

Q. 1. What is man's primary purpose?
A. Man's primary purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

Q.7. What are the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are His eternal plan based on the purpose of His will, by which, for His own glory,He has foreordained everything that happens.

Q.8. How does God carry out His decrees?
A. God carries out His decrees in creation and providence.

Q.11. What is God's providence?
A. God's providence is His completely holy,wise,and powerful preserving and governing every creature and every action.

Q.18. What is sinful about man's fallen condition?
A. The sinfulness of that fallen condition is twofold.First, in what is commonly called original sin, there is the guilt of Adam's first sin with its lack of original righteousness and the corruption of his whole nature. Second are all the specific acts of disobedience that come from original sin.

 

[Deacon]

Compare:

Question 1: What is the Chief End of Man?
Answer:
Man’s Chief End is to Glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

Question 7: What are the Decrees of God?
Answer:
The Decrees of God are, His Eternal Purpose, According to the Counsel of His Will, Whereby, for His Own Glory, He Hath Foreordained Whatsoever Comes to Pass.

Question 8: How Doth God Execute His Decrees?
Answer:
God Executeth His Decrees in the Works of Creation and Providence

Question 11: What are God’s Works of Providence?
Answer:
God’s Works of Providence are, His Most Holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

Question 18: Wherein Consists the Sinfulness of that Estate Whereinto Man Fell?
Answer:
The Sinfulness of that Estate Whereinto Man Fell, Consists in the Guilt of Adam’s First Sin, the Want of Original Righteousness, and the Corruption of His Whole Nature, Which is Commonly Called Original Sin; Together with All Actual Transgressions Which Proceed from It.