This invention provides an unheated-curable binder composition and a method for manufacturing a phenolic resin molded article using the binder. This invention also provides a porous ceramic molded article obtainable by setting a ceramic and the above-mentioned binder composition under unheated conditions to give a set article and then baking the set article, and a method for manufacturing the article. This invention also provides an unheated-curable binder composition having as its main components a crosslinking agent, a catalyst, and a trifunctional or tetrafunctional phenol bearing one or two electron donating groups on the benzene ring of the phenol, and a method for manufacturing a phenolic resin molded article using the binder.