The Heidelberg Catechism is introduced as one of the world's foremost and prevailing (not only Reformed, but) Christian faith documents throughout the centuries, due to its intellectual clarity as well as personal style. At the same time, the book invites the reader to engage the HC in conversation with contemporary Christian faith (Busch) while "Learning Jesus Christ through the Heidelberg Catechism" (Barth), understanding the HC as a book of "Comfort and Joy" (Kuyvenhoven) as well as a guide to "Christian living" (Rozema). In that sense, the tone of the book is not "neutral", but rather "theological/confessional". Portraying the HC throughout as "Schoolbook - Prayer book - Lectionary - Confession - Compendium" is aimed not only at describing its traditional uses in churches so far, but also at engaging the reader on different levels, and eventually enabling him or her to begin answering the vital question: "But why are you called a Christian?"