Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (; commonly called the Catechism or the CCC) is a catechism promulgated for the Catholic Church by Pope John Paul II in 1992. It aims to summarize, in book form, the main beliefs of the Catholic Church. Redaction. The decision to publish an official catechism was taken at the Second Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that was convened by Pope John Paul II on 25 January 1985, to evaluate the progress of implementing the Vatican II council's goals on the 20th anniversary of its closure. The  assembly participants expressed the desire that "a catechism or compendium of all Catholic doctrine regarding both faith and morals be composed, that it might be, as it were, a point of reference for the catechisms or compendiums that are prepared in various regions. The presentation of doctrine must be biblical and liturgical. It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians." John Paul II says that in 1986 he formed a commission composed of 12 cardinals and bishops chaired by cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to prepare the first draft of the "Catechism". The commission was assisted by a  committee consisting of seven diocesan bishops, experts in theology and catechesis. Reminiscing those days, Ratzinger said in 2011: "I must confess that even today it seems a miracle to me that this project [the "Catechism of the Catholic Church"] was ultimately successful." Cardinal Georges Cottier claims he worked on the "Catechism". Promulgation. The "Catechism" was promulgated by John Paul II on 11 October 1992, the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, with his apostolic constitution "Fidei depositum" (in English, "The Deposit of Faith"). Publication. The "CCC" was published in the French language in 1992. In the  United States, the English translation was published in 1994 and had been pre-ordered more than 250,000 copies before its release, with a note that it was "subject to revision according to the Latin typical edition ("editio typica") when it is published." On 15 August 1997—the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary—John Paul II promulgated the Latin typical edition, with his apostolic letter, "Laetamur Magnopere". The Latin text, which became the official text of reference ("editio typica"), amended the contents of the provisional French text at a few points. As a result, the earlier translations  from the French into other languages (including English) had to be amended and re-published as "second editions". Doctrinal value. In the apostolic constitution "Fidei depositum", John Paul II declared that the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" is "a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith", and stressed that it "is not intended to replace the local catechisms duly approved by the ecclesiastical authorities, the diocesan Bishops and the Episcopal Conferences". The "Catechism" states: Contents. The "Catechism" is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms (e.g. "YOUCAT" or the "United  States Catholic Catechism for Adults") and other expositions of Catholic doctrine. As stated in the apostolic constitution "Fidei depositum", with which its publication was ordered, it was given so "that it may be a sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine and particularly for preparing local catechisms." The "Catechism" is arranged in four principal parts: The section on Scripture in the "Catechism" covers the Patristic tradition of "spiritual exegesis" as further developed through the scholastic doctrine of the "four senses." The "Catechism" amplifies "Dei verbum" by specifying that the necessary spiritual interpretation should be sought through the four  senses of Scripture. The literal sense pertains to the meaning of the words themselves, including any figurative meanings. The spiritual senses pertain to the significance of the things (persons, places, objects or events) denoted by the words. Of the three spiritual senses, the allegorical sense is foundational. It relates persons, events, and institutions of earlier covenants to those of later covenants, and especially to the New Covenant. Building on the allegorical sense, the moral sense instructs in regard to action, and the anagogical sense points to man's final destiny. The teaching of the "Catechism" on Scripture has encouraged the  pursuit of covenantal theology, an approach that employs the four senses to structure salvation history via the biblical covenants. Paragraph 2267 (capital punishment). One of the changes to the 1997 update consisted of the inclusion of the position on the death penalty that is defended in John Paul II's encyclical "Evangelium vitae" of 1995. The paragraph dealing with the death penalty (2267) was revised again by Pope Francis in 2018. The text previously stated (1997): The 2018 change to the "Catechism" reads: Reception. In 1992, cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) stated: Ulf Ekman, former Charismatic pastor and  the founder of Livets Ord, says that the "Catechism" is "the best book he has ever read". Derived works. The "Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church" was published in 2005, and the first edition in English in 2006. It is a more concise and dialogic version of the "Catechism". The text of the "Compendium" is available in fourteen languages on the Vatican website, which also gives the text of the "Catechism" itself in eleven languages. "Youcat" is a 2011 publication aimed at helping youth understand the "Catechism".