Founder, Sacred Text & Branches
Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity. He lived in Israel from approximately 4 BCE to 30 CE, and his ministry lasted for the final three years of his life.
Sacred Text
The Bible is the central text of Christianity. It consists of the Old Testament and New Testament, with 66 individual books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Christians believe the Bible is one of the primary ways God has revealed himself to mankind.
Branches
The major branches of Christianity are Orthodox, Protestant, and Roman Catholic. Christianity split into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches in 1054 CE, known as the Great Schism. The Protestant branch began in the 1500s during the Protestant Reformation.
Core Beliefs of Christianity
Supreme Being
God is a single being consisting of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is known as the Trinity.
Nature of Man
The first man and woman were created in the image of God. Through disobedience, mankind became sinful, and all succeeding generations inherited this sin nature.
Reality
The world consists of both the physical and spiritual realms.
Humanity’s Main Problem
Man’s primary problem is sin, which results in separation from God.
Afterlife
Christianity teaches heaven and hell. Heaven is the eternal dwelling for those who place their trust in Jesus Christ, while hell is described as eternal separation from God.
Proposed Solution
The solution is a savior, Jesus Christ, who Christians believe paid for the sins of mankind when he was crucified.
Jesus Christ
Christianity teaches that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of mankind. As God, he is eternal. While on Earth, Jesus performed miracles, taught about God’s kingdom, died on the cross, and rose from the dead.
Worship, Rituals & Holidays
Place of Worship
Christians worship in churches. A local church leader may be called a minister, pastor, or priest. Worship services are commonly held on Sunday mornings and usually include singing, prayer, and Bible teaching.
Rituals
Common Christian rituals include baptism and communion.
Major Holidays
- Ash Wednesday: The first day of Lent.
- Christmas: December 25, celebrating the birth of Jesus.
- Easter: Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
- Good Friday: The Friday before Easter, remembering the crucifixion of Jesus.
- Lent: The period of 46 days leading up to Easter.
Key Terms
Baptism
A ritual involving water that represents spiritual cleansing or public identification with faith in Jesus Christ.
Christ
A title given to Jesus that means messiah or savior.
Communion
A ritual in which bread and wine or juice symbolize the body and blood of Jesus.
Gospel
The good news that Jesus paid for sin and offers salvation through faith in him.
Heaven
The eternal dwelling for those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ.
Hell
A literal eternal dwelling place for people who reject God.
Holy Spirit
One of the three persons of the Trinity who dwells in and empowers a believer.
Salvation
Being rescued from separation from God through belief in Jesus Christ as savior.
Sin
Falling short of God’s perfect standard.
Trinity
The belief that God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, while having one essence or nature.
Sources
Adherents.com — www.adherents.com/Religion_By_Adherents.html
Smith, Huston. The World’s Religions. New York: Harper One, 1991.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople — www.patriarchate.org/patriarch/narrative