How 80s Movies Catechized a Generation, And What We Can Learn from Them

I can usually tell how old someone is simply by throwing out a few references. For instance, when I say “88 miles per hour!”, “Freeze gopher!” or “I’ll be back” to a certain subset of adults, I don’t have to cite the references; they know all of them. And I always know I’ve met a friend when I use the word "plethora" and he asks me if I know what a plethora is.

But why have these phrases stuck with us? Is it just because they are iconic moments in film, like when Luke found out that Darth Vader was actually Anakin Skywalker? Or because they are as practical as Arnie saying “If it bleeds, we can kill it”? Or is there something more going on?

What if I told you that the 80s was the first time in history when people could choose to watch films over and over at their leisure because of the invention of a little thing called the Home Video Tape?

You see, kids - yes, I am talking to all you youngsters - there was once a time when streaming was not a thing. Before streaming, you had to actually go to a video store and rent a movie. You then had 24 hours to watch it before it had to be returned. If you were late returning it, you were charged a ridiculous late fee. Not to mention the additional charge if you forgot to rewind the tape! I’m telling you, it was Thunderdome!

But consider the generation before the video tape. The only way they could consume visual media was by going to the theater or watching it on television if and when it was scheduled to come on. If they missed a television show, it wasn’t available on YouTube or some streaming platform. It was gone forever, unless of course it went into syndication and began to show on reruns (something that Marty McFly mentioned in 1955 and no one understood). There was actually a weekly periodical published and sold in grocery stores which told people the schedule of the shows on all the channels. This TV Guide was an essential tool in the war against FOMO (fear of missing out). People didn’t want to miss the latest episode of Knight Rider or the Saturday matinee of Die Hard (complete with censoring, of course, because of ‘Yippee Ki Yay’ and all that).

So when the 80s came, they not only brought a decade of awesome movies, but they also gave the first opportunity for people to watch those movies over and over frequently and internalize the dialogue. As a result, phrases entered the vernacular and spread throughout the culture at warp speed… or, as some would call it, ludicrous speed.

So what is the takeaway? Repetition is the key to learning; and the key to learning is repetition. (See what I did there?)

Now this is the part where I tell you this article is not really about 80s movies, but about the value of catechisms. In my previous article called Messy Family Worship, I said I was starting a series on the subject. This is my second entry, and I wanted to go right into a practical activity you can do as part of family worship. That practice is catechesis.

Catechesis is the process of learning the truths of the Christian faith beginning with a series of questions and answers that are memorized. The next time you find yourself in a group of Christians, ask, “What is the chief end of man?” If someone replies without hesitation, “To glorify God and enjoy Him forever,” then you’ve probably got yourself a Presbyterian. Because that is the first question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Taking our children through the process of learning a catechism can be one of the most beneficial and long-lasting methods of instilling within them the foundational truths of the faith. They provide solid facts which, when internalized, become the basis upon which to build their faith.

Remember, if the Christian life were a train consisting of an engine, a boxcar, and a caboose, the engine is not faith. It is facts. Faith is essential, but faith must be rooted in the facts - or in truth if you prefer that word. If you have faith in something untrue, then your faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:17). By the way, in this analogy, the caboose is emotions. The Christian life is facts, faith, and then emotions. If you put emotion as the engine, then you’re in for a world of trouble!

Our Christian faith must be rooted in the facts. Catechesis helps us to memorize and internalize those facts.

But Isn’t Learning by Rote Memorization Bad?

A quick survey of articles available online shows that the use of rote memorization in education has fallen on hard times, with some even claiming that it is harmful and should be abandoned. One article in The Register Forum states, “Rote learning is an outdated teaching method: one that gets in the way of real, meaningful learning, especially at the level of secondary education.” So is the church that endorses the memorization of catechisms going backward to an antiquated method of learning which is actually bad for our students?

The answer is no. The reality is that we are all being catechized all the time by any number of sources. The music we listen to becomes a part of our catechesis. The movies and television shows we imbibe become part of our vernacular. As I mentioned in my introduction, when we hear something over and over it becomes a part of us. It changes our vocabulary. It becomes our lingo. Catechesis is a way of giving your children (and yourself) a distinctly Christian vocabulary.

Consider this understanding of catechesis from The Catechesis Institute: “Catechesis is about teaching the fundamentals of the faith. It is simple but not simplistic, thoughtful but not arcane, practical but not pragmatic. It focuses less on speculative aspects of theology or 'hot topics' and more on providing the basic categories in which Christianity is understood and lived. It provides us the grammar to speak to God and neighbor in a genuinely Christian way.”

Aren’t Catechisms Catholic?

If you’re a Baptist like me, the word "catechism" probably conjures up pictures of popes and cathedrals in your mind. Because of this mental connection with the Roman Catholic Church, many choose to look at them with suspicion. But it is important to note that catechesis, in various forms, dates back to the early church. Yes, Rome did formalize the Roman Catechism after the Council of Trent, but this was at a time when other traditions, including Lutheran and Reformed, were also developing their own catechisms, each giving instruction in their distinctive Christian beliefs. In fact, Luther’s smaller and larger catechisms, both written in 1529, predate Trent. Therefore, it could be argued that formalized catechism is a Protestant invention. Ultimately, catechesis is not Roman Catholic but it is catholic, in that it has been an important part of the instruction of the universal church.

Which One Should I Use?

There are several great catechisms which can be useful for your family. The one you choose will likely be based on your own faith tradition or denominational affiliation. There are Lutheran, Reformed, and Baptist catechisms. Some of them are beautifully written and contain wonderfully articulated expressions of the faith. Like the Heidelberg Catechism which begins: Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death? A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Truth doesn’t get much more beautiful than that! But it may be a lot for your six-year-old. So you may want to opt for a shorter catechism aimed at children like the Westminster Shorter Catechism. If you want a distinctly Baptist catechism, I recommend looking at material put out by the Founders Ministries. Our church uses the New City Catechism. It is available in an app on our phone and there are songs and accompanying videos which aid in learning. So the options are plentiful. There is, in fact, a plethora of them.

A Final Thought

Why do you remember what happens when you mess with the bull? Because watching The Breakfast Club for the 23rd time ensured you would. Why do you know that the Wagon Queen Family Truckster is the best automobile to take your tribe across the country? Because you probably took that trip with the Griswolds more than once.

We remember what we repeat. It's how we are built. And we are all being catechized every day. So, if you want to incorporate something into your family worship routine which has the potential for having long-lasting, foundation-building results for you and your family, definitely consider a catechism.