Teach Them the Faith

Dan and Karen Vitco

Reviewed by: Daniel Sullivan

Teach Them the Faith, by Dan and Karen Vitco. CD, 2009, $16.99, available at www.teachthemthefaith.com. Reviewed by Daniel Sullivan, member of Christ Covenant OPC, Crystal Lake, Ill.

Dan and Karen Vitco of Matthews, North Carolina, have produced a CD which focuses on teaching the Catechism for Young Children (a shortened version of the Westminster Shorter Catechism) to younger children using the medium of music. Dan and Karen are professionally trained musicians with a keen sense of pleasant melodies, interesting harmonies, and tonal moods. The music fortifies, rather than fights against, the all-important textual message they are promoting.

Supporting music is performed on acoustic guitars, synthesized orchestral instruments, light percussion, and keyboards. The CD progresses in the expected dialog of questions and answers, with Karen Vitco singing the catechism questions, followed by about a dozen children singing responses, sometimes alone and sometimes as a choir. All of the voices are pleasant, and their words are easy to understand.

Liner notes include the complete text of the Catechism for Young Children, which allows for easy reading while listening. The complete text is also available on the Vitcos' website. The challenge of convincingly setting a catechism to music is daunting, but the end result of the Vitcos' work is satisfying and useful.

One could see this CD being used during drives to and from school or other events. With enough repetition, young children should be singing along with the questions and responses. Learning anything is easier when music accompanies the text, and this CD provides a great way to begin teaching your little ones the important doctrines of the faith. It is nicely produced and heartily recommended!