Christianity

What is Christianity?
 2000 year old religion
 Followed by almost 1/3 of the
world’s population
– 2.1 billion
 Based on the life, teachings,
death and resurrection of Jesus
– Believed to be the Christ (messiah,
savior) by his followers (thus called
“Christians”)
 Major Divisions
 Roman  Protestant
Catholic – 365 million
– 1.1 billion  Anglican
 Eastern – 80 million
Orthodox
– 217 million
The Historical Jesus
 Born, lived, and died a Jew in the first century in
Roman occupied Palestine
– Nazareth
 Knowledge of Him based on New Testament
– Little is known of childhood
 Baptized at age 30 by John (“the Baptist”)
– Blessed by Holy Spirit as He came out of water
– “thou art my beloved Son, with thee I am well
pleased.” (Mark 1:11)
 Then began a mission of preaching, teaching, and
healing as an itinerant teacher
 Had a following of 12 primary disciples
– Countless multitudes attracted by his miracles
and words of wisdom
 Jesus’ Death
 Jesus claimed that he spoke
with the authority of God
 Betrayed by disciple Judas
 Put on trial for being a
revolutionary & a political
threat to Roman and Jewish
authorities
 Roman governor of Judea,
Pontius Pilate
– condemned and put to death
by means of crucifixion
 The following Sunday, He
appeared to his followers as
a triumph over death
– Later ascended into Heaven
 Jesus’ Teachings
 Focused on the kingdom of God
– Standards of human conduct
– Merciful God—how people should treat each
otherGolden Rule
– Personal God --“Our Father”
 Used stories and parables to teach
 Known as miracle worker and faith healer
 Religious and social reformer
– Accepted a variety of people
– Go above and beyond the letter of the law
 Preached forgiveness of sin over punishment
for sin
– Turn the other cheek
 History of Christianity
 Jesus’ work was continued after
resurrection by St. Paul and St. Peter
– Established churches throughout Europe
 Church remained small and persecuted
– Roman Emperors Nero, Domitian, Diocletian
 Constantine promoted Christianity
– Became official religion of Rome
 Great Schism, 1054
– Split western (Roman Catholic church) and
eastern (Orthodox church)
 Catholicism
 Pope is supreme spiritual leader
and Vatican head of state
– Vatican City is an independent
country surrounded by Rome
– St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Peter’s
Square
 First pope was Leo I (officially), or
St. Peter
 Orthodoxy
 Literally means “right teaching or right
worship”
– Derived from two Greek words: orthos (right) and
doxa (teaching or worship)
 Followers believe that there were false
teachings and divisions in early Christian
times
– Threatened the identity and purity of the Church
– Followers believe the Orthodox Church carefully
guards the truth against all error and schism
 Believe in saint worship, Eucharist, confession
of sins, baptism
St. Basil Cathedral,
Moscow
 Protestantism
 Movement from 16th century
“Reformation”
– To reform the (Catholic) church
• Corruption, leadership, authority, etc.
– Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox
– Brought to America in various forms
 Usually recognize only 2
sacraments of baptism and
communion
– 7 in Catholicism
– No saints, no rosary, no pope, etc.
 Anglican
 Began in 6th century England
– Followed Luther’s protest
 King Henry VIII spent most of his reign
challenging the authority of Rome
– Divorce was just one issue
 Spread by English colonization and
missionaries
 Do not follow Pope’s authority
– Led by bishops
– Now ordain women priests
 Book of Common Prayer
 Often called Episcopal
 Scripture
 Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible)
 New Testament (written after Jesus’ death, by
his followers, during the first century; not
canonized until the 4th century)
– Four gospels (“good words”) about the birth, life,
teaching, acts, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Written by Mark, Matthew, Luke & John
– The Book of Acts of the apostles – earliest history
of the developing church
– Epistles (“letters”) of Paul addressed to the
churches they founded and led throughout the
Mediterranean
– The Book of Revelation – of John - a vision of the
end of time, or the Apocalypse.
Beliefs and Customs
 Baptism: outward sign of
commitment to Jesus
 Eucharist (communion):
symbolic meal of Jesus’ last
meal with disciples; taken in
thanks and celebration
 Trinity: belief in God as the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
not 3 different gods
 Saints: celebrated people
who led good lives, often
associated with miracles
 Other Beliefs
 Original sin: all humanity is inherently
separated from God
 The sacrifice of Jesus – a sinless
representative of humanity (a
“scapegoat”) - as the ultimate
atonement for the sins of humanity
 Heaven and Hell:
– Eternal life for those who are “saved by the
blood of the lamb (Jesus)”
– Eternal damnation for those who are not so
saved
 Problem for Humans
 Damnation
– New covenant based on Christ
needed to atone for Adam’s sins
– Efforts and good deeds alone
cannot save you; you must have
faith in Christ
 Christian Holy
Days
Two major seasons in the
Christian calendar:
 Easter – commemorating the
resurrection of Christ
 Christmas – celebrating the birth
of Jesus
– Christmas:
• Advent (four weeks leading up to
Christmas day)
• Christmas Day (December 25th)
• Epiphany (the “twelfth day of
Christmas”)
More Christian Holy
Days
 Easter: (early spring, date varies)
– Ash Wednesday and Lent (40 days before
Easter, a period of sacrifice and spiritual
renewal in preparation for Easter)
– Holy Week including:
• Palm Sunday (Jesus’ triumphant entry into
Jerusalem)
• Maundy Thursday (communion meal/Last
Supper)
• Good Friday (Jesus’ Passion and crucifixion)
• Easter Sunday (celebrating the resurrection)
 Pentecost: the 50th day (seven weeks)
after Easter (commemorates the
coming of the Holy Spirit upon the
apostles)