Le catéchisme de Jacob Vernes ou comment enseigner aux fidèles un «christianisme sage et raisonnable »

This article analyses the Catéchisme à l'usage des jeunes-gens published in 1776 by the Genevan pastor Jacob Vernes (1728-1791), better known for his dealings with Rousseau than for his theological works. This work, which was not officially adopted by the Genevan Church, is interesting particularly for what it shows about the distance separating it from other post-orthodox Calvinist catechisms, like that of the Neuchâtel pastor Jean-Frédéric Ostervald, widely used in Geneva from the early 18th Century. A study of certain sensitive issues, like original sin, Christology or miracles, brings out a simplification of its theology which does not however refuse to recognise the need for Scripture in order to understand fully the truths essential to religion. Thus Vernes's position seems ambivalent when he distances himself from post-orthodox reformed theology without however breaking from it completely.