Introduction to World Religions and

Belief Systems

Christianity
OBJECTIVE

You are expected to:

Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental

beliefs, practices, and related issues of Christianity.
VOCABULA
RY LIST
Religion - the belief in a God or in a group
of Gods.
- an organized system of beliefs,
ceremonies, and rules to worship
a god or a group of gods.
Christianity - the religion that is based
on the teaching of Jesus Christ.
- the religion derived from
Jesus Christ, based on the
Bible as sacred scripture,
and professed by Eastern,
Roman Catholic and Protestant
Bodies.
Doctrine - a principle or position or the
body of principles in a branch
of knowledge or system of
belief.
- a set of ideas or beliefs that
are taught or believed to be
true.
Sacred - holy, dedicated to
God, worthy of
religious
veneration, not to
be violated.
Trinity - the unity of Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit as three
persons in one Godhead
according to Christian
dogma.
Bible - the sacred scriptures of
Christians comprising the
Old Testament and the
NewTestament.
- the book of sacred writings
accepted by Christians as
coming from God.
Old Testament - the first
part of the Christian Bible
containing the books of
the Jewish canon of
Scripture.
New Testament - the second
part of the Christian Bible
comprising the canonical
Gospels and Epistles and the
book of Acts and book of
Revelation.
Creeds - a brief
authoritative formula of
religious belief.
- an idea or set of beliefs that
guides the actions of a
person or group.
Gospel - the
teachings of
the Christian
religion.
Resurrection - the rising of
Christ from the dead.
- the rising again to life of all the
human dead before the final
judgment.
Sect - a religious group
that is a smaller part of a
larger group and whose
members all share
similar beliefs.
Roman Catholic - of, relating to, or being a
Christian church having a hierarchy of priests
and bishops under the pope, a liturgy
centered in the Mass, veneration of the Virgin
Mary and saints, clerical celibacy, and a body
of dogma including transubstantiation
and papal infallibility.
Eastern Orthodox of the Eastern
Catholic churches that accord
primacy to the patriarch of
Constantinople and adhere to the
Byzantine rite.
Protestantism- - a
member of one of the
Christian churches
deriving from the
Reformation.
Ecumenism - ecumenical principles
and practices especially as shown
among religious groups (such as
Christian denominations).
Gospel - the message
concerning Christ, the
kingdom of God, and
salvation.
Scripture - the books of
the Bible.
- a body of writings
considered sacred or
authoritative.
Advent - the coming
of Christ at the
Incarnation.
Monotheistic - the
belief that there is only
one God.
 One of the world’s biggest religions with about 2.1
billion followers worldwide, Christianity is based on
the teachings of Jesus Christ who lived in Israel some
2,000
years ago.

Do you want to know more about Christianity? Well

let’s find out.
Please read the poem from the letter of Paul to
the Philippians that gives an idea about
Christianity. After reading the poem, answer the
questions following it.

Write your answers in your journal.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
Did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
He humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death –
even death on a cross.
 Therefore, God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name,
that is above every name
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the Glory of God, the Father.
ANSWER ME
1. What is the poem about?
2. What does it tell about Christianity?
I hope you enjoy the activity, but before we end the session for
today, please share your insights by completing this statement.
Write your answers in your journal.

1. My significant learnings for today’s activity are

_____________________.
2. These learnings will help me
____________________________________.
Can you recall the previous activity? Well, this day will
be another exciting
journey toward understanding Christianity.

Today, you will learn about the origin, core teachings

and basic practices or
beliefs and some issues on Christianity. Please read the
passages and do the task.
What is Christianity?
 Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic
religion based on the life and teachings of
Jesus of Nazareth. Its adherents, known as
Christians, believe that Jesus is the Christ,
who’s coming as the messiah was prophesied in
the Hebrew Bible, called the Old Testament in
Christianity, and chronicled in the New
Testament.
 It is a religion that was meant to be universal. Jesus
Christ’s evangelical command, “Go and teach all nations”
to His disciples shows that He intended His teachings not
just for the Jews, but for all the world (Brown 1991,8-10).
Christianity is a religion that developed from Judaism;
some of its first followers were originally
Jews.
 What distinguishes Christians from Jews is
that the former accepts Jesus Christ as the
Messiah, or the Savior, while the latter
considers Jesus as just another prophet of God,
and the real Messiah is yet to come.
 The essential Christian beliefs are recorded in
creeds, and there are different versions of such
creeds. The common element, however, is the
acknowledgement of the Holy Trinity – belief in God
the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
It was the Father who created the world, and Jesus
often speaks about Him in the
Gospels.
 Jesus is the only Son of God, sent to save the world from
sin. The Holy Spirit appeared in the Baptism of Jesus and was
also sent down to the disciples to guide them in spreading
Christianity. The Spirit is believed to guide all believers.
While the God of Christianity is agreed to as having one
entity, there are greater majority of Christians who believe that
this God is a Trinitarian one: Father, Son and Spirit (Molloy
2005, 361,363).
 The whole of Christian conviction could be
summarized in Jesus’ two great commandments: “Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul
and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as
you love yourself” (Matthew 22: 37- 40). The life of
the Christian is centered on these two things: praise and
thanksgiving for God, and acts of love to humankind
(Brown 1991,15).
 Christians also believe in the life after death. After
death, the soul of a person will be judged according to
his/her deeds in his/her life in the world and will either go
to Heaven, to dwell with God, or to Hell and be separated
permanently from Him.

There is also a belief in Purgatory, where there is

temporary punishment for those who do not yet deserve to
go to either Heaven or Hell.
 But there are also some Christian groups who
believe in the establishment of the Kingdom of God
with the creation of the new heaven and the new earth
where they would dwell. At the end of time, there is
agreement that all souls will be reunited with their
bodies, just as Jesus resurrected from the dead, and
there will be final judgement (Molloy 2005, 364).
 Apart from centering their lives on Jesus, Christians,
especially Catholics are also devoted to Mary, the Mother
of God. Catholics, Orthodox and some Protestants feel
close to Mary, and consider her their mother. Mary has
also been viewed as the helper of those who suffer. Even
Martin Luther retained veneration for Mary in the
salvation story of his reformed Protestantism (O’ Collins
and Farrugia 2003, 370-
371).
Who founded Christianity?
 Christianity originated with the ministry of
Jesus in the 1st century Roman province of Judea.
According to the Gospels, Jesus was a Jewish
teacher and healer who proclaimed the imminent
kingdom of God and was crucified c. AD 30–33.
 While the main tenets of Christianity originated
with Jesus Christ, it was His 12 disciples, and
eventually apostles who institutionalized and
established the bureaucratic structures of the
religion. We see in the Book of Acts, the book after
the Gospels, the accounts of His disciples after His
ascension to heaven.
 Fifty days after His resurrection, the Holy Spirit,
the Third Person of God, came down upon the
followers of Jesus, in the form of fire and wind, to
inspire them to spread their leader’s teachings
(Molloy 2005, 350-351). This is celebrated as the
feast of the Pentecost, and it is considered to be the
birth of the Christian Church (Brown 1991,34).
 The early Christian Church in Jerusalem was
composed of many Jews. Both Judaism and Christianity
were strong religions for about 40 years after Jesus’ death,
but with the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem
in 70 C.E., they disappeared. The non-Jewish early
Christians were spread through the Roman Empire through
the missionary, Paul (Molloy 2005, 352).
 Jesus
of
Nazareth
 Much of what we know about Jesus
Christ could be found in the Gospels.
Even though he knew the Hebrew
Scripture well, he was not a scholar, nor a
writer (Molloy 2005, 349).
 According to the accounts in the Gospels, he was born
of a virgin named Mary, who was supposed to wed Joseph
of Nazareth, a carpenter. Joseph was a descendant of King
David, and due to the Roman emperor’s decree of census,
he and Mary had to go to Bethlehem, David’s homeland. In
that land, Jesus was born in a manger, because there was no
lodging available to them. Jesus’ birth is celebrated
annually on December 25 as Christmas.
 We know little of His childhood, except perhaps when
He was found by His parents speaking with the teachers in
the Temple of Jerusalem. He was 12 years old then. The
next account of Jesus in the Gospel was during His baptism
and His temptation in the desert for 40 days, which
happened when he was “about 30”. From there, He began
His public ministry, teaching the people of Israel.
 Since He was raised as a Jew, Jesus
obeyed the Laws and learned the Hebrew
scriptures. Nonetheless, He still thought
independently, questioning the people on
strict adherence to the teaching at the cost
of injustice and lack of love.
 Perhaps His greatest emphasis was on
universal, unconditional love. He taught that we
must forgive people endlessly (Matthew 18:22).
He even asked for forgiveness for those who
crucified Him (Luke 23:34). He asks us to love
everyone, even our enemies (Luke 6:27)
(Molloy 2005 348).
 Jesus was condemned to death due to His
unorthodox teachings, through the initiative of
the chief priests and Pharisees He was
criticizing. His passion and death is
commemorated during the Holy Week, which
culminates at Easter, where he supposedly rose
from the dead.
Basic Teachings
Jesus used parables –
short stories with hidden
messages in his
teachings.
Some of the main themes that Jesus taught,
which Christians later embraced, include:
• Love God.
• Love your neighbor as yourself.
• Forgive others who have wronged you.
• Love your enemies.
• Ask God for forgiveness of your sins.
• Jesus is the Messiah and was given the
authority to forgive others.
• Repentance of sins is essential.
• Don’t be hypocritical.
• Don’t judge others.
• The Kingdom of God is near. It’s not the rich
and powerful – but the weak and poor–who will
inherit this kingdom.
 In one of Jesus’s most famous
speeches, which became known as the
Sermon on the Mount, he summarized
many of his moral instructions for his
followers.
How did Christianity
begin?
 Christianity began in the 1st century AD
after Jesus died, as a small group of Jewish
people in Judea, but quickly spread throughout
the Roman empire. Despite early persecution of
Christians, it later became the state religion. In
the Middle Ages it spread into Northern Europe
and Russia.
Timeline of Significant Events in the History of
Christianity
Practices
 Although there have been different
forms of Christianity, much of their
rituals are shared. The most important
among them are believed to be signs
of God’s grace, called sacraments.
 People who want to be converted to
Christianity will have to undergo baptism.
The person is cleansed with water, to signify
repentance and cleansing. Catholics and
Orthodox baptize babies, while some Protestants
baptize only those who are willing (Molloy
2005, 403-4).
 During the Last Supper, Jesus broke the bread and
shared the wine to represent His Body and Blood, and the
Apostles were sharing His sufferings. This is
commemorated through the sacrament of the Eucharist,
where Christians gather in the church, and share the Body
and Blood of Christ. Some churches use literal bread and
wine, while others interpret it symbolically (Molloy 2005
404-405).
 These two are the most important sacraments in
Christian practice. Others include confirmation which is a
blessing of initiation after baptism; reconciliation, where
someone confesses his/her sins and gets absolution;
matrimony, where two people commit themselves with each
other for life with God as the center; ordination, where
someone commits himself to priesthood; and anointing of the
sick, which is usually taken by a sick person (Molloy 2005,
405-406).
 Complete the table by providing the needed information based on
the passages that you have read. Copy and answer this in your
journal.

1. What significant concept have you learned from today’s activity?

2. What meaning does it give you as a person?
 Religion vary in several ways: in doctrines or creeds or in
practice.

Christianity is divided into three major divisions which are

Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestantism.

The reading that follows deals with varieties of Christianity

and some issues on this religion. Be able to analyze and tell your
opinions regarding the issues along Christianity. Write your
answer on your journal.
Varieties or Types of Christianity
 For about 300 years since the death of Peter and
Paul, the Romans persecuted Christians. “Christianity was
declared illegal, and many Christians died for their faith.”
But when Constantine became the first Christian emperor of
the Empire (East and West), Christianity was more and
more accepted, until it became the religion of the
Roman Empire at 380 CE (Brown 1991,36).
Constantine ruled as an emperor of both Western and
Eastern until his death in 337 CE. He transferred the
capital from Rome to Byzantine, which he renamed
Constantinople (Higgins 2007,76).
Eastern Orthodox
With the capital in Constantinople, the Eastern Roman
Empire flourished, but at the cost of the political and
military power of the Western Empire (Higgins 2007,76).
When the Latin-speaking Western Roman Empire fell in
the 5th century BCE, Western Christianity developed
independently. The Greek-speaking Eastern empire
developed its own form of Christianity until 1453. This
Eastern Church is called Orthodox Church because they
settled on traditional beliefs throughout its reign (Molloy
2005, 374).
Protestant Reformation
With the successful spread and development of
the Western Roman Church, they earned financial
and political support from the people. At one point,
during the construction of Saint Peter’s Basilica in
Rome, the papacy was asking for contributions, in
return for “indulgence,” which shortens the time
that a soul would spend in purgatory. Martin Luther,
a German priest, “opposed the idea that anything
spiritual can be sold” (Molloy 2005, 386-388).
 As such, he posted on the door of the
Castle church of Wittenberg his proposed
changed and reforms, in the form of 95
theses. Luther was asked to retract his
statements, but he refused to do so. He
“affirmed the supreme authority of the
scripture and rejected both the papal
authority and the binding force of
decisions rendered by ecumenical councils”
(Higgins 2007, 88).
Luther pushed for “the right of
every individual to radically
question and reinterpret Christian
belief and practice, “which was
called the Protestant Principle
(Molloy 2005, 388). There are
many kinds of Protestants and
here are some of them.
Martin Luther translated the Christian Bible
into German, to allow the liturgical
practices to be more open to the people who do
not understand Latin. “Over the
years, Lutheranism has retained Luther’s
original enthusiasm for the Bible, a trust in
God, and excellent church music” (Molloy
2005, 389)
 The Protestants seek to find what is essential
to the Christian experience. It places great emphasis
on the individual’s own ability to establish a personal
relationship with God summarized terms of return
to simple Christianity, the centrality of Jesus, the
guidance of the Bible, the importance of faith,
direct relationship with God, and the value of
individual judgement.
Roman Catholics
As a response to several Protestants, the Roman
Catholic Church started what we call the Catholic
Reformation or Counter Reformation, which began with
the Council of Trent in 1545. They had to reform some
of their own rigid doctrines to respond to the reforms of
the Protestants. They affirmed Luther’s conviction that the
scripture has binding authority, but the interpretations
is entrusted to the Church
officials, and not to individuals.
 Salvation is decided to require faith, hope,
and love, as well as good deeds (Higgins 2007,
93). As a result of the Protestant Reformation,
Catholicism defends the following beliefs and
practices: the importance of good works, the
value of tradition, a guided interpretation of the
Bible, hierarchical authority, veneration of Mary
and the saints, and the seven Sacrament.
ANSWER ME
1. How do the three types of
Christianity vary?

2. How do these types or

varieties find similarities under
the major religion of
Christianity?
1. What is the important concept that you value from the discussion?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________.
2. What have you discovered about yourself in relation to the beliefs in
Christianity?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.
APPLICATION

Interview a couple in your neighbor

about their religion. Ask why they prefer to
belong to such religion and what beliefs and
practices they value.