The Lord’s Supper and the “Popish Mass”: A Study of Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 80 by Cornelis P. Venema. Reviewed by Peter VanderSchaaf
This review examines Cornelis Venema's defense of Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 80, which characterizes the Roman Catholic mass as a denial of Christ's sacrifice and idolatry. Venema addresses whether this contentious language should be retained in the Catechism by investigating its historical context, its appropriateness as a Reformation response, and its continued relevance to contemporary Roman Catholic teaching. The work combines historical analysis with theological argument to justify maintaining this polemical language in Reformed confessional standards.
The Lord's Supper and the "Popish Mass": A Study of Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 80, Cornelis P. Venema, Grand Rapids MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2015, 96 pages. [Reviewed by Peter VanderSchaaf.] Dr. Venema set himself to the task of answering an important question. The question is this, "Should Q&A 80 of the Heidelberg Catechism be retained in the creed?" The question comes up because many, also in the Reformed church world, find the language of Q&A 80 abrasive and inconsistent with the...
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