The document discusses the history of religious education and catechesis from biblical times to the present. It describes how in the New Testament, disciples learned directly from Jesus and early Christians learned from being with other believers. During the Middle Ages, most people were illiterate until the printing press was invented. The Protestant Reformation led to translations of the Bible into local languages and new catechisms. The Council of Trent responded by establishing seminaries to train priests to teach the Roman Catechism. Modern catechisms were published in the 19th century in response to calls from Church councils.