Historically, the term "catechism" did not refer to a particular type of book but to a collection of traditional formulations of the basic teachings of the Christian faith. At the time of the Reformation, Martin Luther's concern for the spiritual wellbeing of the laity prompted him to reorganize that material with a new sequence: first the
law
as summarized by the Ten Commandments, then the
gospel
as summarized by the Apostles' Creed, and finally
discipleship
as summarized by the Lord's Prayer and the biblical passages pertaining to Holy Baptism, confession, and the Sacrament of the Altar. His accompanying explanations constitute the Small and Large Catechisms, presenting each part "as the housefather should teach it in a simple way to his household." This resource facilitates such usage by arranging Luther's texts in parallel as a six-month daily devotional, with each pair of readings accompanied by a few questions for reflection and a brief prayer.