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Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament. Christians believe Jesus to be the Messiah, and thus refer to him as Jesus Christ. With an estimated 2.1 billion adherents in 2001, Christianity is the world's largest religion.
Christianity began in the first century as a Jewish sect, and therefore shares many religious texts and early history with Judaism—specifically, the Hebrew Bible, which Christians call the Old Testament (see Judeo-Christian). Like Judaism and Islam, Christianity is an Abrahamic religion.
In the New Testament, the term "Christian" first appears in Acts 11:26: "The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." (Greek: Template:Polytonic; Christianous).
Denominations of Christianity
In 2001, Christianity claimed an estimated 2.1 billion adherents, making it the world's largest religion. Within Christianity, there are numerous distinct traditions, denominations, and church bodies, many with various doctrinal differences related to culture and place. Since the Reformation, Christianity is usually represented as being divided into three main branches:
- Roman Catholicism: The Roman Catholic Church, the largest single body, which includes several Eastern Catholic communities and totals more than 1 billion baptized members. (Not part of the Catholic Church but closely related are certain smaller communities, e.g., the Old-Catholics.)
- Eastern Christianity: Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Eastern Orthodox Churches (including Western Orthodox churches which preserve Latin practices while accepting Orthodox theology), with a combined membership of more than 300 million baptized members.
- Protestantism: Numerous denominations and groups such as Anglicans, Lutherans, Reformed, Evangelical, Charismatic, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Nazarenes, Anabaptists, and Pentecostals. The oldest of these separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century Protestant Reformation, followed in many cases by further divisions. Some Protestants identify themselves simply as Christian, or born-again Christian. Others, particularly among Anglicans and in Neo-Lutheranism, identify themselves as being "both Catholic and Protestant". Worldwide total ranges from 592 to 650 million.
Other denominations and churches which self-identify as Christian but which distance themselves from the above classifications together and the major beliefs in which the above denominations follow claim around 275 million members. These include African indigenous churches with up to 110 million members (estimates vary widely), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also called Mormons) with more than 12 million members, Jehovah's Witnesses with approximately 6.6 million members, and other groups.
In addition to official denominations, break-away sects, orthodox movements within denominations and sects, heretical movements, there are also a wide variety of extra-church groups associated with Christianity.
Beliefs
Within Christianity there exists a significant diversity of beliefs. Nevertheless, certain doctrines have come to characterize the mainstream of Christian theology.
Monotheism
Main article: MonotheismChristianity adopted from Judaism a belief in the existence of a single God (YHWH) who created the universe and has divine power over it. The understanding of God is modified and expanded in the light of other Christian beliefs about the divinity of Christ and the nature of God as a Holy Trinity, which in brief considers that the three persons of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) together form a single substance of God. Some attempts at understanding the nature of God and the interrelationship of his attributes have led some Christians, according to their critics, toward an implicit tritheism, though Christians have explicitly denied holding such a view of God. All Christian statements of faith affirm that there is only one God (e.g., Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, and Chalcedonian Creed).
Messiah
Main article: MessiahThe title Messiah comes from the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (mashiakh) meaning the anointed one, for which the Greek translation is Template:Polytonic (Christos), the source of the English word Christ.
Christians identify Jesus as the Messiah. This view holds that Jesus' coming was the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy and the inauguration of God's Kingdom. Jesus was anointed as ruler and saviour not only of the Jewish people, but of all humankind.
Jesus as God and Man
Christians believe that Jesus is "true God and true man" (or fully divine and fully human). Jesus is believed to have become fully human in all respects, including mortality, and to have suffered the pains and temptations of mortal man, yet without having sinned. From being true God he was capable of breaking the bonds of death and rising up again through what is known as the resurrection. The Chalcedonian Creed (which is not accepted by the Oriental Orthodox Churches) defined this as Christ having "two natures in one person", a doctrine known to theologians as hypostatic union (see Christology).
Holy Trinity
Main article: TrinityMost Christians believe that God is one single eternal being who exists as three distinct, eternal, and indivisible persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost). Most Christians believe the three persons of the Trinity together form a single substance of God.
Salvation
Main article: SalvationChristians believe that salvation from "sin and death" is available through belief in the person and work of Jesus as savior. It is generally believed that Jesus made an atoning sacrifice, completed with his death on the cross, and thereby paid for the sins of mankind. Christians further believe justification and sanctification are made possible through this sacrifice. Christians consider salvation through Jesus to be a gift from God through his divine grace (or sanctifying grace). Christian denominations have arrived at several explanations as to exactly how this salvation occurs, though most include a personal acceptance of Jesus as savior.
Crucifixion and Resurrection
Most Christians believe that Jesus died on the Cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven after appearing to his apostles, and about five hundred other people. This large group of witnesses has contributed to pro-ressurection arguments.
Second Coming
Main article: Second ComingMost Christians believe in the General Resurrection, in which all people who have ever lived will rise from the dead at the end of time, to be judged by Christ when He returns to fulfill the rest of Messianic prophecy.
The Afterlife
Christian views of the afterlife generally involve heaven and hell. These realms are thought to be eternal, however, the word and its perfect equivalent "eternal" occurs only once in both the Old Testament and New Testament, in describing the time of the Kingdom of God will exist. Catholicism includes with these the transitory realm of purgatory whose denizens, dying in a state of sin but nonetheless assured of salvation, reside for a period of time to undergo purification before entering into heaven. There is, however, some debate on this point within Eastern Christianity.
Traditional Christian theology teaches there will be a General Resurrection, with the soul continuing consciousness after death until the resurrection of the physical body and the Last Judgement.
Some maintain that only the righteous will be resurrected.
Differences in beliefs
Nicene Creed
Main article: Nicene CreedThe Nicene Creed, originally formulated at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, was ratified as the universal creed of Christendom by the Council of Ephesus in 431. Eastern Orthodox Christians do not include the Filioque clause, which the Roman Catholic church added later.
Central Christian beliefs put forth in the Nicene Creed include:
- The Trinity;
- Jesus is both God and man;
- Salvation is available through the person, life and death of Jesus Christ;
- The virgin birth, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and Second Coming of Jesus;
- One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church;
- The forgiveness of sins through baptism;
- The resurrection of the dead, in which all people who have ever lived will rise from the dead at the end of time, to be judged by Christ.
The Nicene Creed directly addresses beliefs the council deemed as heretical, primarily Arianism, which denied that the Father and the Son were "of one being" (ὁμοὐσιος), but also earlier heresies like Gnosticism.
Most Protestant churches follow the Roman Catholic church in accepting Nicene doctrine.
Scriptures
Main article: Biblical canonAuthority and different parts of the Bible
Most Christian churches regard the Bible, including the Old Testament and the New Testament as authoritative . Differences exist in the canons of the Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches — primarily their treatment of the Deuterocanonical books used by Catholic and Orthodox Churches but rejected by Protestants as Apocrypha. This issue affects doctrines only indirectly.
The New Church or Swedenborgian view of which scripture is to be included in canon is distinctly different from every other Christian institution. The belief held is that some of the books of the Bible have a continuous internal sense or correspondence, while others do not. Those which are seen to have direct correspondence with spiritual truth are viewed as the Word of God, the remaining are then seen as useful books for the Church, some of which are flawed in their understanding, such as the epistles of Paul.
Most Christians regard the Gospels, which tell of the life and teachings of Jesus, as central. Ornamental books of the four gospels are sometimes used in church liturgies. The "gospel" means the "good news" of the Christian message, which Christians regularly disseminate to others. This may include missionary work as well as the translation and distribution of Bibles, as practiced by Gideons International, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Jehovah's Witnesses and others.
Interpretation
Though Christians largely agree on the content of the Bible, no such consensus exists on the crucial matter of its interpretation, or exegesis, an issue which dates to ancient times.
The earliest schools of Biblical interpretation were the Alexandrine, and the Antiochene. Alexandrine interpretation, exemplified by Origen, tended to read Scripture allegorically, while Antiochene interpretation insisted on the literal sense, holding that other meanings (called theoria) could only accepted if based on the literal meaning.
Traditional Catholic and Orthodox interpretation admits four senses of Scripture. The literal sense is the plain meaning (which would still take account of figures of speech), so that a reference to David means the historical figure. The allegorical or typological sense teaches Christian doctrine, so that a reference to David may mean Christ. The tropological or moral sense contains ethical teaching, and the anagogical or eschatological sense teaches about the Last Things. The meanings derived from the three non-literal senses may also be stated literally elsewhere.
Protestantism rejects the elevation of other senses to the same level as the literal, although typology remains fairly common in Protestant interpretation.
Other books held sacred
Some Christians hold additional writings to be inspired scripture. The Latter Day Saints hold three additional books to be the inspired word of God: The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price and revelations given to the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Other works considered sacred but not held to be scripture are the works of Ellen G. White for the Seventh-day Adventists. 'Christian Scientists' regard Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy as an inspired interpretive work which places her, for her followers, in the same rank as Luther or Calvin for theirs. Members of the New Church, better known as Swedenborgians, believe the Lord has revealed Himself in what they call the Word of the Second Coming, which is thought to be the Lord's revelation of all those things which He promised to reveal in His Second Advent. The elevation of other writings to the same level as orthodox scriptures forms a major divergence between some groups and mainstream Christians.
After the time of Jesus, Christian Gnostics were very active and maintained several additional books of scripture outside of what was later to become canon; two examples are The Gospel of Thomas, and The Gospel of Judas.
Nonetheless, the majority of Christians hold only the Bible to be 'sacred'.
Worship and practices
Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican believers describe Christian worship in terms of the seven sacraments. These include baptism, confirmation or Chrismation, the Eucharist (communion), penance and reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and matrimony.
Many Protestant groups, following Martin Luther, recognize the sacramental nature of baptism and communion, but not usually the other five in the same way. Anabaptist and Brethren groups would add feet washing. Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Holiness Churches emphasize "gifts of the Spirit" such as spiritual healing, prophecy, exorcism, and speaking in tongues. These emphases are used not as "sacraments" but as means of worship and ministry. The Quakers deny the entire concept of sacraments. Nevertheless, their "testimonies" affirming peace, integrity, equality, and simplicity are affirmed as integral parts of the Quaker belief structure.
In general, Protestants tend to view Christian rituals in terms of commemoration apart from mystery. Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Old-Catholic and many Anglican and Lutheran Christians hold the commemoration and mystery of rituals together, seeing no contradiction between them.
Virtually all Christian traditions affirm that Christian practice should include acts of personal piety such as prayer, Bible reading, and attempting to live a moral lifestyle. This lifestyle includes not only obedience to the Ten Commandments, as interpreted by Christ (as in the Sermon on the Mount), but also love for one's neighbor in both attitude and action — whether friend or enemy, Christian or non-Christian. This love is commanded by Christ and, according to him, is next only in importance to love toward God; it includes obedience to such injunctions as "feed the hungry" and "shelter the homeless", both informally and formally. Christianity teaches that it is impossible for people to completely reform themselves, but that moral and spiritual progress can only occur with God's help through the gift of the Holy Spirit who dwells within all faithful believers. Christians believe that by sharing in Christ's life, death, and resurrection, they die with him to sin and can be resurrected with him to new life.
Weekly worship services
Justin Martyr (First Apology, chapter LXVII) describes a second-century church service thus:
And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.
Justin's description, which applies to some extent to most church services today, alludes to the following components:
- Scripture readings drawn from the Old Testament, one of the Gospels, or an Epistle. Often these are arranged systematically around an annual cycle, using a book called a lectionary.
- A sermon. In ancient times this followed the scripture readings; today this may occur later in the service, although in liturgical churches the sermon still often follows the readings.
- Congregational prayer and thanksgiving. These will probably occur regularly throughout the service. Justin does not mention this, but some of these are likely to be sung in the form of hymns. The Lord's Prayer is especially likely to be recited.
- The Eucharist (also
- ^ Religions by Adherents Adherents.com.
- Christianity (2005) Adherents.com.
- Witness Membership 2005.
- Many Christians identify themselves as such not by the adherence to a set of religious rules or rites but instead by their personal relationship to Jesus Christ which in some cases dosn't follow the teachings of True Christianity.
- http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10499a.htm "Monotheism", The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X Copyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton Company Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight; "From the Stone Age to Christianity: Monotheism and the Historical Process" 2nd edition, Albright, William F., 1957; "Radical Monotheism and Western Culture", Niebuhr, H. Richard, (1960); http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/monotheisticreligions/ Monotheistic Religion resources, ©2006 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved; "God Against the Gods: The History of the War Between Monotheism and Polytheism", Jonathan Kirsch, 2004; http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/westasia/religion/monotheism.htm "Monotheism and Polytheism" historyforkids.org Copyright 1998-2006 Dr. Karen Carr, Associate Professor of History, Portland State University; http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=052178655X&ss=exc "An Introduction to Christianity", Linda Woodhead, 2004; http://www.bibarch.com/Perspectives/CP/CP--NatureofGod.htm Author unknown, "The Nature of God." BibArch. 2000. http://www.bibarch.com (20 May 00); http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0833762.html Monotheism, The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2006, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.; http://www.livingwaters.com/statementoffaith.shtml © 2003-2004 Living Waters Ministry statement of faith, Living Waters Publications, Ray Comfort ; http://www.bartleby.com/59/5/monotheism.html "monotheism", The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy Third Edition, Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, James Trefil, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002 ; http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_NDCT_Paul.htm "New Dictionary of Theology", "Paul", David F. Wright, Sinclair B. Ferguson, J.I. Packer, pg. 496-499 ; Meconi, David Vincent "Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity (review)" Journal of Early Christian Studies - Volume 8, Number 1, Spring 2000, pp. 111-112
- T. Desmond Alexander, Brian S. Rosner, D. A. Carson, Graeme Goldsworthy, New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (InterVarsity Press, 2000), pp. 514-515; Alister E. McGrath, Historical Theology (Blackwell, 2000 edt.), p. 61.
- Kelly James Clark. "Trinity or Tritheism" (pdf), Virtual Library of Christian Philosophy, Philosophy Department, Calvin College, retrieved May 18, 2006. Donald K. McKim, ed., Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms (John Knox Press, 1996), p. 288: "tritheism (Lat. "three gods") Belief in three separate and individual gods. Some early formulations by Christian theologians were considered to move in this direction. Early Christian apologists sought to defend the faith from charges of belief in three gods."
- See, e.g., Aquinas, the Summa Theologicum, Suplementum Tertiae Partis, questions 69 through 99; and Calvin, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book Three, Ch. 25.
- . While sharing the Hebrew scriptures or "Old Testament", different versions and sects of Christianity however, disagree among each other over virually all points of the texts, and in particular the Jewish understanding of these texts, or their significance for practice in light of the New Testament.< 89% of Americans are Christian.
- Princeton University. "Christianity" at Dictionary.com, Christianity, WordNet ® 2.0, Princeton University, retrieved May 18, 2006.