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{{Christianity}}
 
{{Christianity}}
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'''Christianity''' ([[Greek]] Χριστιανισμός, from the word Xριστός ([[Christ]]) is a [[Monotheistic religion #Christian view|monotheistic]] [[religion]]<ref name="Monotheism">Christianity's status as monotheistic is affirmed in, amongst other sources, the ''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'' (article "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10499a.htm Monotheism]"); [[William F. Albright]], ''From the Stone Age to Christianity''; [[H. Richard Niebuhr]]; About.com, [http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/monotheisticreligions/ ''Monotheistic Religion resources'']; Kirsch, ''God Against the Gods''; Woodhead, ''An Introduction to Christianity''; [[Columbia Encyclopedia|The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia]] [http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0833762.html ''Monotheism'']; The New Dictionary of [[Cultural literacy|Cultural Literacy]], [http://www.bartleby.com/59/5/monotheism.html ''monotheism'']; New Dictionary of Theology, [http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_NDCT_Paul.htm ''Paul''], p. 496-499; Meconi. "Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity". p. 111f.</ref> centered on the life and teachings of [[Jesus]] as [[New Testament view on Jesus' life|presented in the New Testament]].<ref>[[BBC]], [http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/ ''BBC - Religion & Ethics - 566, Christianity'']</ref>
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'''Christianity''' is the world's largest [[religion]], having approximately 2.6 billion followers in 2024.<ref>[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2024/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2024.pdf Status of Global Christianity, 2024, in the Context of 1900–2050]</ref> In terms of its [[Geography|geographic]] distribution, Christianity is the [[Global Christianity|most globally]] diverse religion.<ref>
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*[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/08/27/many-religions-heavily-concentrated-in-one-or-two-countries/ Many religions heavily concentrated in one or two countries]
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*[http://wwwgordonconwell.com/netcommunity/CSGCResources/ChristianityinitsGlobalContext.pdf Christianity in its global context]</ref> Christianity has always been the best way to turn one's life around, to [[achievement|achieve]] more, to overcome [[addiction]] and [[anxiety]], and to enjoy life to a much greater extent. Christianity originated [[faith]] and [[eternal life]].
  
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Its followers, known as [[Christian]]s,<ref name="name">The term "Christian" ([[Greek language|Greek]] {{polytonic|''Χριστιανός''}}) was first used in reference to Jesus's [[disciple (Christianity)|disciples]] in the city of [[Antioch]] {{bibleref|Acts|11:26|NASB}} about 44 AD, meaning "followers of Christ". The earliest recorded use of the term "Christianity" (Greek {{polytonic|''Χριστιανισμός''}}) was by [[Ignatius of Antioch]], around 100 AD. See Elwell/Comfort. ''Tyndale Bible Dictionary'', p. 266, 828</ref> believe that Jesus is the begotten<ref>The specification of Jesus as 'begotten' son is used to indicate the belief that Jesus is the Son of God by nature, as part of the Trinity, rather than by adoption, as Christians believe all true believers are. See ''Voting About God in Early Church Councils'' by [[Ramsay MacMullen]], Yale University Press, 2006</ref><ref> See: [[Arianism]]</ref> [[Son of God]] and the [[Messiah]] ([[Christ]]) [[Bible prophecy|prophesied]] in the [[Hebrew Bible]] (the part of [[scripture]] common to Christianity and [[Judaism]]). To Christians, Jesus Christ is a teacher, the [[role model|model]] of a [[virtue|virtuous]] life, the [[revelation|revealer]] of [[God in Christianity|God]], and most importantly the [[salvation|saviour]] of humanity who suffered, died, and was [[resurrection|resurrected]] to bring about salvation from [[Sin#Christian views of sin|sin]].<ref name="McGrath4">McGrath, ''Christianity: An Introduction'', p. 4-6.</ref> Christians maintain that Jesus [[Ascension of Jesus|ascended]] into [[heaven]], and most [[Christian denomination|denominations]] teach that Jesus will [[Second Coming|return]] to [[Last judgement|judge]] the living and the dead, granting [[Immortality|everlasting life]] to his followers. Christians call the message of Jesus Christ [[Good news (Christianity)|the Gospel]] ("good news") and hence label the written accounts of his ministry as [[gospel]]s.
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Christianity brings God closest to mankind through [[Jesus]] as the Son of [[God]].  Literally, Christianity means "of Christ," or "belonging to Christ," or "being like Christ."<ref>[http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=2661&dict=CALD Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary]</ref><ref>https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/christian-means-like-christ-bruce-ball-sermon-on-apologetics-general-84109</ref><ref>The early Christian faith was sometimes called ''That Way'' (Acts 19:1,9,23; 24:22), and its adherents were also called ''Nazarenes'' (Acts 24:5), evidently after the city of [[Nazareth]] where Jesus lived.</ref> The [[Acts of the Apostles|Book of Acts]] ({{bible ref|Acts|11|26}}) records that "the disciples were called Christians first in [[Antioch]]." The title ''Christian'' is also used in Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16. Christians believe in [[God]], the [[virgin birth|virginal conception and the virginal birth of Jesus Christ]], the bodily [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]], [[Heaven]], survival of the [[soul]] after death, the [[Parousia|Second Coming of Jesus]], the [[resurrection]] of the dead, the [[Last Judgment]], the reality of [[Hell]], and the teachings of [[Jesus Christ]] as written in the [[Bible]].
  
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Like [[Judaism]] and [[Islam]], Christianity is classified as an [[Abrahamic religion]] (''see also [[Judeo-Christian]]'').<ref name="J.Smith98">J.Z.Smith, p. 276.</ref><ref name="Anidjar2001">Anidjar, p. 3.</ref><ref>Fowler, ''World Religions: An Introduction for Students'', p. 131.</ref>  [[Jewish Christianity#Jewish origin of Christianity|Christianity began as a Jewish sect]]<ref name="Robinson">Robinson, ''Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs and Rituals'', p. 229.</ref><ref name="Esler">Esler. ''The Early Christian World''. p. 157f.</ref> in the eastern [[History of the Mediterranean region|Mediterranean]], quickly grew in size and influence over a few decades, and by the 4th century had become the dominant religion within the [[Roman Empire]]. During the [[Middle Ages]], most of the remainder of [[Europe]] was [[Christianization|Christianized]], with Christians also being a (sometimes large) religious minority in the [[Middle East]], [[North Africa]], and parts of [[Thomas Christians|India]].<ref>McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity'', p. 301-303.</ref> Following the [[Age of Discovery]], through [[Missionary|missionary work]] and colonization, Christianity spread to the [[Americas]] and the rest of the world.
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== History of Christianity ==
  
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Christianity has played a prominent role in the [[history of Western civilization|shaping of Western civilization]] at least since the 4th century.<ref name="Orlandis"/> As of the early 21st century, Christianity has between 1.5 billion<ref>"between 1,250 and 1,750 million adherents, depending on the criteria employed" (McGrath, ''Christianity: An Introduction'', page xvl.)</ref><ref>"1.5 thousand million Christians" (Hinnells, ''The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion'', p. 441.)</ref> and 2.1 billion adherents,<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html Major Religions Ranked by Size<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> representing about a quarter to a third of the world's population.<ref>Hinnells, ''The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion'', p. 441.</ref>
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''See also:'' [[History of Christianity]] and [[Historicity of Jesus]] and [[Evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ]]
  
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==Beliefs==
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Christianity's teachings are derived from the life, teachings, death and resurrection of [[Jesus Christ]] in the 1st century A.D.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity Christianity], Britannica</ref>
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[[Image:Bloch-SermonOnTheMount.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The [[Sermon On the Mount]] by [[Carl Heinrich Bloch]], Danish painter, d. 1890.]]
 
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In spite of important differences of interpretation and opinion, Christians share a set of beliefs that they hold as essential to their faith.<ref name="Olsen">Olson, ''The Mosaic of Christian Belief''.</ref>  
 
  
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=== Creeds ===
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The [[historicity of Jesus]] focuses on whether [[Jesus Christ]] existed as a real historical person, or whether he is simply a mythological imagination.  The evidence for the existence of Jesus is overwhelming, as is agreed upon by every professor in every academic institution in every relevant field in the world.<ref>Ehrman, Bart D. Did Jesus exist?: The historical argument for Jesus of Nazareth. Harper Collins, 2012. Second introductory page.</ref>  In other words, for someone to argue that Jesus never existed (and thus is merely a [[Mythology|myth]]) is to place himself against not only the field of scholarship and the historical record, but even against reason and common sense.
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{{main|Creeds}}
 
  
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Creeds (from Latin ''credo'' meaning "I believe") are concise doctrinal statements or confessions, usually of religious beliefs. They began as baptismal formulas and were later expanded during the [[Christology|Christological]] controversies of the [[4th century|fourth]] and [[5th century|fifth centuries]] to become statements of faith.
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There is strong evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ (See: [[Evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ]]).
  
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{{wikisource|Apostles Creed}}
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== Main Christian Divisions ==
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The [[Apostles Creed]] (''Symbolum Apostolorum'') was developed between the second and ninth centuries. It is the most popular creed used in worship by Western Christians. Its central doctrines are those of the Trinity and God the Creator. Each of the doctrines found in this creed can be traced to statements current in the [[Apostolic Age|apostolic period]]. The creed was apparently used as a summary of Christian doctrine for baptismal candidates in the churches of Rome.<ref>Pelikan/Hotchkiss, ''Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition''.</ref>
 
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Since the Apostles Creed is still unaffected by the later Christological divisions, its statement of the articles of Christian faith remain largely acceptable to most Christian denominations:
 
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*belief in [[God the Father]], [[Jesus Christ]] as the [[Son of God]] and the [[Holy Spirit]]
 
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*the [[crucifixion of Jesus|death]], [[Harrowing of Hell|descent into hell]], [[resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]], and [[Ascension of Jesus|ascension]] of Christ
 
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*the holiness of the [[Ecclesia (church)|Church]] and the [[communion of saints]]
 
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*Christ's [[second coming]], the [[Day of Judgement]] and [[salvation]] of the faithful.
 
  
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{{wikisource|Nicene Creed}}
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'''The three largest self-governing bodies of Christians are:'''
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The [[Nicene Creed]], largely a response to [[Arianism]], was formulated at the Councils of [[First Council of Nicaea|Nicaea]] and [[First Council of Constantinople|Constantinople]] in 325 and 381 respectively<ref>Catholics United for the Faith, [http://www.cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=191 "We Believe in One God"]</ref><ref>''Encyclopedia of Religion'', "Arianism".{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}</ref> and ratified as the universal creed of [[Christendom]] by the [[Council of Ephesus]] in 431.<ref name="ephesus">''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'', "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05491a.htm Council of Ephesus]".</ref>
 
  
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The [[Chalcedonian Creed]], developed at the [[Council of Chalcedon]] in 451,<ref>[[History of Christianity|Christian History]] Institute, [http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2003/10/daily-10-08-2003.shtml ''First Meeting of the Council of Chalcedon''].</ref> though rejected by the [[Oriental Orthodox]] Churches<ref>[[British Orthodox Church]], [http://www.britishorthodox.org/113e.php ''The Oriental Orthodox Rejection of Chalcedon'']</ref>, taught Christ "to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably": one divine and one human, and that both natures are perfect but are nevertheless [[Hypostatic union|perfectly united into one person]].<ref>Pope Leo I, [http://www.dailycatholic.org/history/4ecumen2.htm Letter to Flavian'']</ref>
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* The [[Roman Catholic Church]] (approx. 1.1 billion baptized members) traces its roots back to [[Saint Peter]] whom Catholics believe was appointed as the first leader of the church by [[Jesus Christ]] and the succession of [[Pope]]s as the spiritual leaders of Christendom.  
  
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The [[Athanasian Creed]], received in the western Church as having the same status as the Nicene and Chalcedonian, says: "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the [[Consubstantiality|Substance]]."<ref>''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'', "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02033b.htm Athanasian Creed]".</ref>
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* The [[Orthodox Church]]es (approx. 300 million baptized members) trace their roots back to the Apostles, in the five ancient patriarchates of the undivided Church of the first millennium of her history, known as the [[Pentarchy]],<ref>[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Pentarchy Pentarchy (orthodoxWiki.org)]</ref> and are organized in [[Autocephalous]] national or regional churches in communion with each other. The Pentarchy consisted of the Church of [[Rome]], first in dignity of honor, [[Constantinople|Church of Constantinople]], [[Alexandria|Church of Alexandria (Coptic)]], [[Antioch|Church of Antioch]], and [[Jerusalem|Church of Jerusalem]]. Differing theological perspectives and the growing development of the doctrine of [[Petrine Primacy|Petrine primacy]] in the Church of Rome led to the [[Great Schism]] between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches in A.D. 1054.
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[[Image:Anglican Christ Church.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Anglican Christ Church in Western Australia]]
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* [[Protestantism]]: the largest Communions are the [[Anglican Church|Anglicans]] (approx. 115 million baptized members) and the [[Lutheran]] World Federation (approx. 68 million baptized members). Protestantism has its origins in the European [[Reformation]]. The Protestant movement broke from the Roman Catholic Church under [[Martin Luther]] when differences over the nature of [[faith]] and works in the role of [[Christianity#salvation|salvation]], as well as other practices of the Catholic Church that Luther saw as unBiblical, were raised.  Within Protestantism are four major branches:
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**[[Mainline]], which comprise many of the major denominations outside of the [[Baptist]]s. These denominations usually have [[high church]] services and have increasingly become liberal in their theology and ecumenical in their dealings with other churches, even outside Protestantism.
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**[[Pentecostal]], these groups are generally conservative in their theology, and are known primarily for their emphasis on the [[Baptism in the Holy Spirit]] as a separate event from salvation, and [[speaking in tongues]].
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**[[Fundamentalist]], these groups are very conservative theologically, but are better known for their emphasis on "separation" from both the world (bordering on, if not crossing over, into [[legalism]]) and groups who do not believe as they do (which often includes other fundamentalist groups).
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**[[Evangelical]], this term tends to be a catch-all for a church or denomination not falling into one of the other three categories, but generally also holding to traditional Christian theology.  Most [[non-denominational church]]es are generally evangelical, as well as the largest Protestant denomination, the [[Southern Baptist Convention]].  As the name suggests, they have a major emphasis on Christian evangelism.  They are also known for their belief that Christians should be active in the political arena, opposing such political views as abortion and homosexual marriage; in this arena they will work with any group—Protestant or otherwise—who will work with them.
  
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Most Christians (Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants alike) accept the use of creeds, and subscribe to at least one of the creeds mentioned above.<ref name="UMC - Our Common Heritage as Christians">{{cite web|url = http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=1806| title = Our Common Heritage as Christians |publisher = The United Methodist Church |accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>
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== Christian Beliefs ==
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A minority of Protestants, notably [[Restorationists]], a movement formed in the wake of the [[Second Great Awakening]] in the [[19th century in the United States|19th century United States]], oppose the use of creeds.<ref>White, ''[http://www.appiusforum.com/restoration.html The History of the Church]''.</ref>
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Christian [[belief]]s [[Christian apologetics|are well supported via a large body of compelling evidence]].  [[Theology|Theologians]], over two millennia, have debated a definitive summary of the Christian faith. While its interpretations vary drastically, probably the most commonly accepted statement of the faith is the [[Nicene Creed|Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed]].
  
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=== Jesus Christ ===
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Christians and Christian denominations agree on many points of doctrine while disagreeing on some. According to an online Harris poll from 2003, 99% of all American Christians believe in [[God]], 96% in the [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]], 93% in [[Heaven]], 93% in the virgin birth, 92% in the survival of the soul after death, 82% in [[Hell]], 50% in ghosts, 27% in astrology and 21% in reincarnation.<ref>http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=359</ref> Note that the latter two beliefs are in opposition to the religious tenets of most Christian denominations.
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{{main|Christian views of Jesus|Christology}}
 
  
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The central tenet of Christianity is the belief in [[Jesus]] as the [[Son of God]] and the [[Messiah]] ([[Christ]]). The title "Messiah" comes from the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] word מָשִׁיחַ (''māšiáħ'') meaning ''anointed one''. The Greek translation {{polytonic|''Χριστός''}} (''Christos'') is the source of the English word "[[Christ (title)|Christ]]".<ref name="McGrath4"/>[[Image:Vladimirskaya.jpg|thumb|200px|left|A depiction of Jesus and Mary, the [[Theotokos of Vladimir]] (12th century).]]
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Nonetheless, the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed offers a general overall picture of what Christian theology looks like, and serves as a useful outline and historic standard. Other creeds may prove helpful in research. See the [[Apostles' Creed]] and the [[Athanasian Creed]].
  
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Christians believe that, as the Messiah, Jesus was [[anointing|anointed]] by God as ruler and savior of humanity, and hold that Jesus' coming was the fulfillment of [[Messianic prophecies of Jesus|messianic prophecies]] of the [[Old Testament]]. The Christian concept of the Messiah differs significantly from [[Jewish Messiah|the contemporary Jewish concept]]. The core Christian belief is that, through [[Death and Resurrection of Jesus|the death and resurrection of Jesus]], [[original sin|sinful]] humans can be reconciled to God and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of [[Immortality|eternal life]].<ref>Metzger/Coogan, ''Oxford Companion to the Bible'', p. 513, 649.</ref>
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===God===
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[[File:Dove blue background.jpg|thumbnail|350px|right|In the Bible, a dove is often a symbol of the Holy Spirit.<ref>[https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holy-spirit/why-is-the-dove-often-a-symbol-for-the-holy-spirit.html Why Is the Dove Often a Symbol for the Holy Spirit?], Christianity.com</ref>]]
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''See also:'' [[God]] and [[Trinity]] and [[God the Father]] and [[Jesus|God the Son]] and [[Holy Spirit]]
  
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While there have been many [[Christian theology|theological]] disputes over the [[Christology|nature of Jesus]] over the first centuries of Christian history, Christians generally believe that Jesus is [[Incarnation (Christianity)|God incarnate]] and "[[Hypostatic union|true God and true man]]" (or both fully divine and fully human). Jesus, having become [[Incarnation (Christianity)|fully human]], suffered the pains and temptations of a mortal man, yet he did not [[sin]]. As fully God, he defeated death and rose to life again. According to the [[Bible]], "God raised him from the dead,"<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|2:24}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|2:31-32}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|3:15}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|3:26}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|4:10}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|5:30}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|10:40-41}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|13:30}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|13:34}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|13:37}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Acts|17:30-31}}, {{bibleverse||Romans|10:9|NIV}}, {{bibleverse|1|Cor|15:15|NIV}}, {{bibleverse-nb|1|Cor|6:14}}, {{bibleverse|2|Cor|4:14}}, {{bibleverse||Gal|1:1}}, {{bibleverse||Eph|1:20}}, {{bibleverse||Col|2:12}}, {{bibleverse|1|Thess|1:10}}, {{bibleverse||Heb|13:20}}, {{bibleverse|1|Pet|1:3}}, {{bibleverse-nb|1|Pet|1:21}}</ref> he [[Ascension of Jesus Christ|ascended]] to [[heaven]], is "seated at the right hand of the Father"<ref>http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Nicene_Creed</ref> and will [[Second Coming|return again]]<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|1:9-11}}</ref> to fulfill the rest of [[Messianic prophecy]] such as the [[Resurrection of the dead]], the [[Last Judgment]] and final establishment of the [[Kingdom of God]].
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God is a [[Trinity|triune being]].  Though there is only one Divine nature there are three Divine Personages: [[God the Father]], [[Jesus|the Son]], and the [[Holy Spirit]]. The three Persons are collectively called the [[Trinity]] or the Holy Trinity. While God is tripartite, this does not imply that Christians are polytheists. The doctrine of the Trinity is central to Christian theology, although several denominations that usually are considered Christian are non-Trinitarian. The God of the Christian is the creator of all things, is everywhere present, exists in all times, is [[Transcendence|transcendent]], all-knowing ([[Omniscience|omniscient]]), just, and all-powerful ([[Omnipotence|omnipotent]]).
  
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According to the [[Gospel]]s of [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] and [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]], Jesus was [[Incarnation (Christianity)|conceived]] by the [[Holy Spirit]] and [[Nativity of Jesus|born]] from [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|the Virgin Mary]]. Little of Jesus' childhood is recorded in the [[canonical Gospels]], however [[infancy Gospels]] were popular in antiquity. In comparison, his adulthood, especially the week before his death, are well documented in the Gospels contained within the [[New Testament]]. The Biblical accounts of Jesus' ministry include: [[Baptism of Jesus|his baptism]], [[Miracles attributed to Jesus|miracles]], preaching, [[Ministry of Jesus|teaching, and deeds]].
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A major theme of the Bible is [[love]].  In the Hebrew [[Old Testament]] the idea is expressed in the Hebrew word ''hessed'', which is variously translated as loyal love, tender mercy, steadfast love, mercy, goodness, etc.  in the [[New Testament]] the same idea is expressed in the Greek word ''[[agape]]'', which translates to love, compassion and charity.
  
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=== Death and resurrection of Jesus ===
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===Jesus===
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{{main|Crucifixion of Jesus|Resurrection of Jesus}}
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[[Image:Jesus' Baptism.jpg|180px|left]]
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During the reign of [[Augustus Caesar|Caesar Augustus]] the Son (i.e. the second Person of the Trinity) took flesh from a virgin woman and was incarnated as a man. He was born in the town of [[Bethlehem]] and was given the name [[Jesus]].  At approximately the age of thirty he was baptised by his cousin [[John the Baptist]] and began to preach in the area of [[Judea]] and [[Galilee]]. About three years later, his teachings and works of mercy prompted the Jewish authorities to plot Jesus' death. Jesus was [[crucified]]. He rose from the dead and was seen by over 500 people. He ascended to Heaven. The four [[Gospels]] contain the basic account of what Jesus did and said.
  
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[[Image:Cristo Velázquez lou2.jpg|thumb|180px|The Crucifixion by Diego Velázquez (17th century)]]
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Jesus summarized his moral teachings in two commandments from the Old Testament:
  
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Christians consider the resurrection of Jesus to be the cornerstone of their faith (see [[1 Corinthians 15]]) and the most important event in human history.<ref>Hanegraaff. ''Resurrection: The Capstone in the Arch of Christianity''.</ref> Among Christian beliefs, the death and resurrection of Jesus are two core events on which much of Christian doctrine and theology is based.<ref name="ACU-Death & Resurrection">{{cite web|url = http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/research/theology/Walsh.htm| title = The Significance of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus for the Christian|publisher = Australian Catholic University National|accessdate = 2007-05-16}}</ref><ref name="Got Questions-Death & Resurrection">{{cite web|url = http://www.gotquestions.org/resurrection-Christ-important.html| title = Why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ important?|publisher = Got Questions Ministries|accessdate = 2007-05-16}}</ref> According to the [[New Testament]] [[Jesus]] was [[Crucifixion|crucified]], died a physical death, buried within a tomb, and rose from the dead  three days later.<ref>{{bibleref2|John|19:30–31|NIV}}, {{bibleref|Mark|16:1|NIV}}, {{bibleref|Mark|16:6|NIV}}</ref> The New Testament mentions several [[resurrection appearances of Jesus]] on different occasions to his [[twelve apostles]] and [[disciple (Christianity)|disciples]], including "more than five hundred brethren at once,"<ref>{{bibleref2|1Corinthians|15:6|NIV|1 Cor. 15:6}}</ref> before Jesus' [[Ascension of Jesus Christ|Ascension]] to [[heaven]]. Jesus' death and resurrection are commemorated by Christians in all worship services, with special emphasis during [[Holy Week]] which includes [[Good Friday]] and [[Easter]] Sunday.
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"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets". ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 22:37-39; [[Book of Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy]] 6:5; Leviticus 19:18)
  
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The death and resurrection of Jesus are usually considered the most important events in [[Christian Theology]], partly because they demonstrate that Jesus has power over life and death and therefore has the authority and power to give people [[eternal life]].<ref>{{bibleverse||John|3:16|NIV}}, {{bibleverse-nb||John|5:24|NIV}}, {{bibleverse-nb||John|6:39–40|NIV}}, {{bibleverse-nb||John|6:47|NIV}}, {{bibleverse-nb||John|10:10|NIV}}, {{bibleverse-nb||John|11:25–26|NIV}}, and {{bibleverse-nb||John|17:3|NIV}}.</ref>
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The night he celebrated his [[Last Supper]] with the Twelve Apostles before he suffered, he gave a new commandment:
  
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Christian churches accept and teach the New Testament account of the resurrection of Jesus with very few exceptions.<ref>This is drawn from a number of sources, especially the early Creeds, the ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'', certain theological works, and various Confessions drafted during the Reformation including the ''Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England'', works contained in the ''Book of Concord''.</ref>. Some modern scholars use the belief of Jesus' followers in the resurrection as a point of departure for establishing the continuity of the [[historical Jesus]] and the proclamation of the [[early church]].<ref>Fuller, ''The Foundations of New Testament Christology'', p. 11.</ref> Some [[Liberal Christianity|liberal Christians]] do not accept a literal bodily resurrection,<ref>A [[Jesus Seminar]] conclusion: "in the view of the Seminar, he did not rise bodily from the dead; the resurrection is based instead on [[vision hypothesis|visionary experiences]] of [[Simon Peter|Peter]], [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]], and [[Mary Magdalene|Mary]]."</ref><ref>Funk. ''The Acts of Jesus: What Did Jesus Really Do?''.</ref> seeing the story as richly symbolic and spiritually nourishing [[mythology|myth]]. Arguments over death and resurrection claims occur at many religious [[debate]]s and [[interfaith|interfaith dialogues]].<ref>Lorenzen. ''Resurrection, Discipleship, Justice: Affirming the Resurrection Jesus Christ Today'', p. 13.</ref> [[Paul the Apostle]], an early Christian convert and missionary, wrote, "If Christ was not raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your trust in God is useless."<ref>{{bibleref2|1Cor|15:14|NLT|1 Cor. 15:14}}</ref><ref>Ball/Johnsson (ed.). ''The Essential Jesus''.</ref> The Unitarian church is one of the few in which a resurrection of Jesus is not a doctrine.<ref>[http://www.melbourneunitarian.org.au/node/22 Melbourne Unitarian Peace Memorial Church]</ref>{{Fact|date=August 2008}}
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"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." ([[Gospel of John|John]] 13:34)
  
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=== Salvation ===
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===Morality===
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{{main|Salvation}}
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[[File:Fra Angelico Lamentacion por la muerte de Cristo.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|[[Jesus Christ]] and his apostles taught a gospel of love.<ref>[http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/Gospel.htm ''The Triumph of the Gospel of Love''] by Monk Themistocles (Adamopoulo)</ref> ]]
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The fundamental principle in Christian moral teaching is [[love]] and forgiveness, as expressed by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the New Testament.<ref>[http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/Gospel.htm ''The Triumph of the Gospel of Love''] by Monk Themistocles (Adamopoulo)</ref> In the Hebrew [[Old Testament]] the idea is expressed in the Hebrew word ''hessed'', which is variously translated as loyal love, tender mercy, steadfast love, mercy, goodness, etc.  in the [[New Testament]] the same idea is expressed in the Greek word ''agape'', which is variously translated as love, compassion, charity, etc. 
  
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[[Protestantism]] teaches that [[salvation|eternal salvation]] is a gift that comes to an individual by [[Divine grace|God's grace]], sometimes defined as "unmerited favor," on the basis of one's personal belief in and dependence on the [[Substitutionary atonement|substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ]].<ref name=Westminster>McKim, Donald K. ''Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms." Westminster John Knox Press, 1996.</ref> Salvation in this sense refers to God's activities in bringing humans into right relationship with God and with one another through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the belief that one can be saved (rescued) from [[sin]] and eternal [[death]]. Other concepts used in the study of how salvation is accomplished include conversion, faith, justification, regeneration, and others.<ref name=Westminster/> Many Protestants believe in the "assurance of salvation" &mdash; that God can give the confidence that a believer in Jesus as the Christ has truly received salvation.
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There has been endless debate over how a person should express love for God in his or her moral behavior. This moral dialogue found expression in the New Testament, where the [[Apostle Paul]] addressed such controversies as [[circumcision]] ([[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] 2:25-29), eating meat that was sacrificed to [[pagan]] deities (1 Corinthians 8), speculating about myths and genealogies (1 Timothy 1:3-5), and observing ceremonial dates and seasons (Galatians 4:9-11).  
  
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[[Image:Christianity percentage by country.png|thumb|300px|Christianity [[percentage]] by [[country]].]]
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Regardless of a person's ethical interpretations, adherents commonly point to New Testament passages John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as scriptural depictions of love. The former states that <blockquote>"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life".</blockquote> The latter characterizes love, saying <blockquote>"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things".</blockquote>
  
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[[Catholicism]] teaches that while in most cases one must be a baptized Catholic to be saved<ref>CCC 846; Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 14</ref>. it is possible in some circumstances for people to be saved who have not been fully initiated into the Catholic Church<ref>"Salvation outside the Church." http://www.catholic.com/library/Salvation_Outside_the_Church.asp</ref>. Catholics generally emphasize the role of works and [[sacraments]] in attaining salvation. The Catholic Church teaches that faith is important, but it also believes that salvation also requires good works and piety such as obedience to the commandments, participation in the sacraments, church attendance, doing penance and giving alms, reciting prayers and so on, in order to merit eternal life.<ref>See quotations from Council of Trent on Justification at http://www.justforcatholics.org/a14.htm</ref>
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Jesus Christ affirmed, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another". (John 13:35) In trying to understand the reason for the growth of Christianity in a pagan culture, it has been noted that while love of one's neighbor is not an exclusively Christian virtue, it appears that the primitive Christian church practiced it much more effectively than any other group.<ref>E.R. Dodds, 1970:136-137</ref>  
  
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The formal study of theology of salvation is [[Soteriology]].<ref>''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'', "[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Soteriology Soteriology]".</ref>
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In addition to sacrificially showing care for those within the community as well as to those without, (cf. Gal. 6:10) the Christians elevated the sanctity of life, opposing abortion, infanticide, child abandonment, suicide, and gladiatorial contests.<ref>Kenneth Scott Latourette, ''A history of Christianity'' p. 244</ref><ref>Ted Cabal, Chad Owen Brand, Paul Copan, The Apologetics Study Bible, 274</ref>  While the primitive church tolerated the existing and pervasive cultural economic institution of slavery in the [[Roman Empire]], the mandate of equal pay and just treatment (Col. 4:1; Eph. 6:9) greatly ameliorated the treatment of slaves, while advising them to seek freedom if possible, (1Cor. 7:21) and requiring that the escaped slave Onesimus be received back not "as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved". (Philemon 1:6)  The Christian ethos of love also motivated a great expansion in the building of hospitals.<ref>Albert John Ochsner, Meyer Joseph Sturm, ''The organization, construction and management of hospitals'', p. 17</ref><ref>Roderick E. McGrew, ''Encyclopaedia of Medical Care'',  p. 135</ref> By A.D. 500, most large towns in the Roman Empire had erected them.<ref>George D. Pozgar, ''Legal aspects of health care administration', p. 2</ref>
  
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The crucifixion of Jesus is explained as an [[Atonement|atoning]] [[Sacrifice#Sacrifice in Christianity|sacrifice]], which, in the words of the [[Gospel of John]], "takes away the sins of the world." One's reception of salvation is related to [[justification (theology)|justification]].<ref>Metzger/Coogan, ''Oxford Companion to the Bible'', p. 405.</ref>
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===Atonement===
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[[Image:Dalí The Christ of St. John of the Cross.jpg|thumb|The Christ of St. John of the Cross by [[Salvador Dalí]], 1951.]]
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Christians believe with the New Testament that the death of Jesus, in conjunction with His resurrection, is an indispensable event for the reconciliation of lost sinners with God. There are three elements they see to the understanding of His death on the cross.
  
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The operation and effects of grace are understood differently by different traditions. Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy teach the necessity of the [[free will]] to cooperate with grace.<ref>Catechism of the Catholic Church, [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm Grace and Justification]</ref> [[Reformed theology]] places distinctive emphasis on grace by teaching that individuals are completely [[total depravity|incapable of self-redemption]], but the grace of God overcomes [[Irresistible grace|even the unwilling heart]].<ref>Westminster Confession, [http://www.pcanet.org/general/cof_chapvi-x.htm#chapx Chapter X]; Spurgeon, ''[http://www.spurgeon.org/calvinis.htm A Defense of Calvinism]''.</ref> [[Arminianism]] takes a synergistic approach while [[Lutheranism]] and most other Protestant doctrines teaches justification by grace alone through [[Sola fide|faith alone]].<ref name=Westminster/><ref>Balge, ''[http://www.wlsessays.net/subjects/IJ/ijsubind.htm#Justification Martin Luther, Augustinian]''.</ref>
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- Jesus having the knowledge that His path would lead to his own death, desired and willed that that take place, and persevered in that path though there was opportunity for Him to avoid it. "I have power to take my life and I have power to lay down my life. I lay down my life for the sheep".
  
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=== Trinity ===
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- Jesus saw that in His death there would be a way for people to be brought back to the God from whom they were alienated and lost because of their sins. This would involve a substitution of Himself to effect, i.e. atone for, that development. "For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many".  How this would take place was not new to the Jews of His day from their understanding of contemporary everyday practice of substitute payment - as in redemption of the first-born (Pidyon Ha Ben), or in the understanding of what aggadic stories such as the Binding of [[Isaac]] implied (see [[Midrash]]), but it was not the prevalent view that the Messiah was to be that payment. Though while alive on earth, he had hinted at it in sayings such as "unless a seed falls and dies, it remains alone, but when it dies, it brings forth."; it was only after He had risen from the dead that He explained Scripture (the Old Testament) clearly about the necessity of His death to have taken place. The disciples would henceforth preach, and Peter among them, that the death of Jesus the Messiah and His resurrection was for-planned and for-ordained by God the Father, and foretold in the Scripture (Isaiah 53).
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{{main|Trinity}}
 
  
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''Trinity'' refers to the teaching that the one God comprises three distinct, eternally co-existing persons; the ''[[God the Father|Father]]'' (from whom the Son and Spirit proceed), the ''Son'' (incarnate in Jesus Christ), and the ''[[Holy Spirit]]''. Together, these three persons are sometimes called the [[Godhead (Christianity)|Godhead]],<ref>Kelly. ''Early Christian Doctrines''. p. 87-90.</ref><ref>Alexander. ''New Dictionary of Biblical Theology''. p. 514f.</ref><ref>McGrath. ''Historical Theology''. p. 61.</ref> although there is no single term in use in Scripture to denote the unified Godhead.<ref>Metzger/Coogan. ''Oxford Companion to the Bible''. p. 782.</ref> In the words of the [[Athanasian Creed]], an early statement of Christian belief, "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God".<ref>Kelly. ''The Athanasian Creed''.</ref>
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- Christians of all generations have looked to the perfect [[Atonement]], and the hope for reconciliation, accomplished by Jesus on the cross, to provide the means of understanding the solution to the vexing problems of the mind and of life itself.
  
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The [[Trinity]] is an essential doctrine of mainstream Christianity. "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" represents both the [[immanence]] and [[transcendence]] of God. God is believed to be infinite and God's presence may be perceived through the actions of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.<!--ref supports entire paragraph --><ref>Fowler. ''World Religions: An Introduction for Students''. p. 58.</ref>
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===Salvation===
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The Bible teaches that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". (Romans 3:23) This is often interpreted to mean that everyone has displeased God and is now separated from him in a kind of alienation and enmity that results from the fundamental conflict between selfish human interests and God's interests (Romans 8:5-8; James 4:4). Jesus offered a solution to this Biblical dilemma in that, by [[repentance]] of sins and faith in him (Jesus), their sins would be forgiven. He said that "...the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins" ([[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 2:10).  Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life" (John 5:24).
  
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According to this doctrine, God is not divided in the sense that each person has a third of the whole; rather, each person is considered to be fully God (see [[Perichoresis]]). The distinction lies in their relations, the Father being unbegotten; the Son being eternally begotten of the Father; and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and (in Western theology) [[Filioque|from the Son]].<ref>Vladimir Lossky; [[Loraine Boettner]].{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}</ref> Regardless of this apparent difference, the three 'persons' are each [[eternity|eternal]] and [[omnipotent]].  
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Jesus Christ taught that "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" ([[Gospel of John|John]] 3:3). [[Repentance]], or a turning away from sin and toward God is necessary.  Protestant Evangelical Christianity often uses the terms "saved" and "born again" to mean conversion, with conscious acknowledgment of immediate divine juridical exoneration of all guilt, complete amnesty and full eternal pardon issued on acceptance of the redemptive, saving sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross in the place of each guilty sinner (Hebrews 1:3; 7:25-27), while other Christians, such as the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, use the phrase ''born again'' as a synonym for [[baptism|baptized]], referring to the [[sacrament]] of baptism through which the divine life of God in the blood of Jesus is actually infused by the power of his grace directly into the soul of the baptized by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:25-27) and is entirely healed of the eternal deadly effect of all past sins, effecting an ontological change of spiritual birth by washing away the defect of sin, the power of God unto salvation flowing abundantly through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, through whom the baptized is united to Him and actually partakes of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).  
  
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The word ''trias'', from which ''trinity'' is derived, is first seen in the works of [[Theophilus of Antioch]]. He wrote of "the Trinity of God (the Father), His Word (the Son) and His Wisdom (Holy Spirit)".<ref>Theophilus of Antioch ''Apologia ad Autolycum'' II 15</ref> The term may have been in use before this time. Afterwards it appears in [[Tertullian]].<ref>McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity''. p. 50.</ref><ref>Tertullian ''De Pudicitia'' chapter 21</ref> In the following century the word was in general use. It is found in many passages of [[Origen]].<ref>McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity'', p. 53.</ref>
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Christians are expected to continue living by Christ's teachings (John 8:31), as is appropriate for "children of Light". (Ephesians 5:8-10) Some believe that this is necessary in order to be saved. Others say that this is a common misconception of the text, that it refers instead to the "fruits" of saving faith. Still others say that the free, unmerited gift of salvation from sin and death in hell must be maintained or retained by actively producing the fruits of [[corporal and spiritual works of mercy]] according to ability, or it will be lost (Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 6:4-8), unless before death the fallen away believer repents and returns (James 5:19-20; 1 John 5:16-17). Christians in the [[Reformed]] tradition (following the teaching of the 16th century French lawyer and theologian [[John Calvin]]) say that salvation [[Eternal security (salvation)|cannot be lost]]. One Bible passage often cited is John 10:28-29 in which Jesus said of his own Apostles that they could not be snatched from his hand.
  
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[[Image:Andrej Rublëv 001.jpg|right|thumb|215px|The "Hospitality of Abraham" by Andrei Rublev: The three angels represent the three persons of God]]
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== Resurrection of Jesus Christ ==
  
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==== Trinitarians ====
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''See also:'' [[Resurrection of Jesus Christ]] and [[Christian Apologetics and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ]]
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{{main|Trinitarianism}}
 
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''Trinitarianism'' denotes those Christians who believe in the concept of the ''[[Trinity]]''. Almost all Christian denominations and Churches hold Trinitarian beliefs. Although the words "Trinity" and "Triune" do not appear in the Bible, theologians beginning in the third century developed the term and concept to facilitate comprehension of the New Testament teachings of God as Father, God as Jesus the Son, and God as the Holy Spirit. Since that time,  Christian theologians have been careful to emphasize that Trinity does not imply three gods, nor that each member of the Trinity is one-third of an infinite God; Trinity is defined as one God in three Persons.<ref>Moltman, Jurgen. ''The Trinity and the Kingdom: The Doctrine of God.'' Tr. from German. Fortress Press, 1993. ISBN 080062825X</ref>
 
  
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==== Non-trinitarians ====
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[[Image:Jesus resurrected.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"The Resurrection" by Carl Heinrich Bloch]]
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{{main|Nontrinitarianism}}
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The [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]] is critical to the Christian faith.  The Apostle Paul wrote, "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain" (I Cor:15:14).  Traditionally, Christianity has believed in a physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.<ref>http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0056a.txt</ref>
  
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[[Nontrinitarianism]] refers to [[Christian theology|beliefs systems]] that reject the doctrine of the [[Trinity]]. Various nontrinitarian views, such as [[adoptionism]] or [[modalism]], existed in early Christianity, leading to the disputes about [[Christology]].<ref>Harnack, ''[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/harnack/dogma1.ii.iii.iii.html History of Dogma]''.</ref> Nontrinitarianism later appeared again in the [[Gnosticism]] of the [[Cathars]] in the 11th through 13th centuries, in the [[Age of Enlightenment]] of the 18th century, and in [[Restorationism]] during the 19th century.
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In recent history, [[Gary Habermas]] is considered a leading [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] for defending the resurrection of Jesus.<ref>Habermas, Gary, [http://www.garyhabermas.com/articles/dialog_rexperience/dialog_rexperiences.htm Experiences of the Risen Jesus: The Foundational Historical Issue in the Early Proclamation of the Resurrection], ''Dialog: A Journal of Theology'', Vol. 45; No. 3 (Fall, 2006), pp. 288-297.</ref><ref>"Wildcat" and Holding, J.P., [http://www.tektonics.org/books/lichabrvw.html Book review of "The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus"], 22nd June, 2004 (Tektonics)</ref><ref>Habermas, Gary, [http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/NTeSources/NTArticles/CTR-NT/Habermas-Resurrection1-CTR.pdf Jesus' Resurrection and Contemporary Criticism: An Apologetic] ''Criswell Theological Review'' 4.1 (1989) 159-74.</ref><ref>Habermas, Gary, [http://www.garyhabermas.com/articles/crj_explainingaway/crj_explainingaway.htm Explaining Away Jesus' Resurrection: The Recent Revival of Hallucination Theories], Christian Research Journal / vol. 23, no. 4, 2001.</ref><ref>Habermas, Gary, [http://www.apologetics.com/default.jsp?bodycontent=/articles/historical_apologetics/habermas-nt.html Why I Believe The New Testament Is Historically Reliable] (Apologetics.com)</ref>
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Other notable defenders of the resurrection include: [[William Lane Craig]],<ref>Craig, William Lane, [http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/menus/historical.html Articles: Historical Jesus]</ref> [[Lee Strobel]], [[Josh McDowell]],<ref>McDowell, Josh, [http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/josh2.html Evidence for the Resurrection], 1992.</ref> Edwin M. Yamauchi,<ref>Jamauchi, Edwin M., [http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/yama.html Easter: Myth, Hallucination, or History?]</ref> [[N.T. Wright]]<ref>Wright, N.T., [http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Early_Traditions.htm Early Traditions and the Origins of Christianity], ''Sewanee Theological Review'' 41.2, 1998.</ref> and Michael Horner.<ref>Horner, Michael, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070304155623/http://www.michaelhorner.com/articles/resurrection/index.html Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?]</ref>
  
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=== Scriptures ===
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===The  Meaning of the Resurrection for Christians===
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{{main|Bible|Development of the Christian Biblical canon}}
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The fact of the Resurrection of Christ is also believed to produce certain effects on the lives of Christians.
  
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Christianity regards the [[Bible]], a collection of [[Biblical canon|canonical]] books in two parts (the [[Old Testament]] and the [[New Testament]]), as authoritative. It is believed by Christians to have been written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore for many it is held to be the [[Biblical inerrancy|inerrant]] word of God.<ref>[[Catechism of the Catholic Church]], [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#II ''Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture'' (§105-108)]</ref><ref>Second Helvetic Confession, [http://www.creeds.net/reformed/helvetic/c01.htm ''Of the Holy Scripture Being the True Word of God'']</ref><ref>[[Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy]], [http://www.reformed.org/documents/icbi.html ''online text'']</ref> The [[Books of the Bible|books]] that are considered canon in the Bible vary depending upon the denomination using or defining it. These variations are a reflection of the range of [[traditions]] and [[Ecumenical council|councils]] that have convened on the subject. The Bible always includes books of the Jewish scriptures, the [[Tanakh]], and includes additional books and reorganizes them into two parts: the books of the [[Old Testament]] primarily sourced from the Tanakh (with some variations), and the 27 books of the [[New Testament]] containing books originally written primarily in [[Greek language|Greek]]<ref>[http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-bible.htm PC(USA) - Presbyterian 101 - What is The Bible?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox canons include other books from the [[Septuagint]] which Roman Catholics call [[Deuterocanonical books|Deuterocanonical]].<ref name="Canon">Bruce, ''The Canon of Scripture''; ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'', [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#IV, "The Canon of Scripture", § 120]</ref> Protestants consider these books [[Biblical apocrypha|apocryphal]]. Some versions of the Christian Bible have a separate Apocrypha section for the books not considered canonical by the publisher.<ref>Metzger/Coogan, ''Oxford Companion to the Bible''. p. 39.</ref>
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1. It is because Jesus rose from the dead that believers now can resort to a living Savior to help and deliver them from sin and from situations overwhelming for them by their own powers.
  
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==== Roman Catholic interpretation ====
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2. The New Testament sees in the resurrection of Christ a certain vindication of what apparently to the world and to all beings was a failure and an overcoming of Him by His crucifixion.
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In antiquity, two schools of exegesis developed in [[Alexandria]] and [[School of Antioch|Antioch]]. Alexandrine interpretation, exemplified by [[Origen]], tended to read Scripture [[allegory|allegorically]], while Antiochene interpretation adhered to the literal sense, holding that other meanings (called ''theoria'') could only be accepted if based on the literal meaning.<ref>Kelly. ''Early Christian Doctrines''. p. 69-78.</ref>
 
  
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[[Roman Catholic]] theology distinguishes two senses of scripture: the literal and the spiritual.<ref>Catechism of the Catholic Church, [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#III, ''The Holy Spirit, Interpreter of Scripture'' § 115-118].</ref>
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3. The coming of Jesus back to life means to the believer that, indeed, his sins are totally forgiven. This is because believers know that His death was as a payment for sins - a "wage of death" for our sins that He received in our stead. If He remained dead, believers would know that the wage had not been fully paid.  
  
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The ''literal'' sense of understanding scripture is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture. The ''spiritual'' sense is further subdivided into:
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4. It is a now-living Savior that Christians know can go before them, can closely lead them through life &mdash; as He did when He was on earth. This makes following Him practical and real.  
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*the ''[[allegory|allegorical]]'' sense, which includes [[Typology (theology)|typology]]. An example would be the [[Passage of the Red Sea|parting of the Red Sea]] being understood as a "type" (sign) of baptism.<ref>{{niv|1_Corinthians|10:2|1 Corinthians 10:2}}</ref>
 
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*the ''[[moral]]'' sense, which understands the scripture to contain some ethical teaching.
 
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*the ''[[anagoge|anagogical]]'' sense, which applies to [[eschatology]], eternity and the [[Apocalypse|consummation of the world]]
 
  
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Regarding [[exegesis]], following the rules of sound interpretation, Roman Catholic theology holds:
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5. The New Testament reveals that it is the Risen Christ who received from the Father the Holy Spirit and He, through Himself, ascended to the Father, has given the Holy Spirit to us. This gives the believer in Christ both the knowledge and the power to live a godly life and live a life that can be an intimately and personally directed one.
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*the injunction that all other senses of sacred scripture are based on the ''literal''<ref>Thomas Aquinas, [http://www.newadvent.org/summa/100110.htm "Whether in Holy Scripture a word may have several senses"]</ref><ref>''Catechism of the Catholic Church,'' [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#III §116]</ref>
 
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*that the historicity of the Gospels must be absolutely and constantly held<ref>[[Second Vatican Council]], [http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html ''Dei Verbum'' (V.19)].</ref>
 
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*that scripture must be read within the "living Tradition of the whole Church"<ref> ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'', [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#III "The Holy Spirit, Interpreter of Scripture" § 113].</ref> and
 
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*that "the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the [[Bishop of Rome]]".<ref>''Catechism of the Catholic Church,'' [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a2.htm#III "The Interpretation of the Heritage of Faith" § 85].</ref>
 
  
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==== Protestant interpretation ====
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6. The resurrected Christ was no mere reassembling of the molecules and particles of the Body that had been crucified. It was, indeed, a physical body, but one that was fully glorified. It was a "spiritual body". Christians know that likewise, they will one day be granted the nature of a spiritual body, and be full of health. They therefore are full of hope and consolation, and consider that, even now in this life, there is an overcoming through Him.
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;Clarity of Scripture:Protestant Christians believe that the Bible is a self-sufficient revelation, the final authority on all Christian doctrine, and  [[Revelation|revealed all truth]] necessary for salvation. This concept is known as [[Sola scriptura]].<ref>Mathison. ''The Shape of Sola Scriptura''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}</ref> Protestants characteristically believe that ordinary believers may reach an adequate understanding of Scripture because Scripture itself is clear (or "perspicuous"), because of the help of the Holy Spirit, or both. Martin Luther believed that without God's help Scripture would be "enveloped in darkness."<ref name="Foutz" /> He advocated "one definite and simple understanding of Scripture."<ref name="Foutz">Foutz, [http://www.quodlibet.net/luther.shtml '' Martin Luther and Scripture''].</ref> [[John Calvin]] wrote, "all who...follow the Holy Spirit as their guide, find in the Scripture a clear light."<ref>John Calvin, [http://www.ccel.org/c/calvin/comment3/comm_vol45/htm/vii.iv.iv.htm '' Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles'' 2 Peter 3:14-18]</ref> The Second Helvetic (Latin for "Swiss")<ref>http://mb-soft.com/believe/txh/helvconf.htm Article about Helvetic confessions</ref> Confession, composed by the pastor of the Reformed church in Zurich (successor to Protestant reformer [[Zwingli]]) was adopted as a declaration of doctrine by most European Reformed churches.<ref>Second Helvetic Confession, [http://www.creeds.net/reformed/helvetic/c02.htm ''Of Interpreting the Holy Scriptures; and of Fathers, Councils, and Traditions'']</ref>
 
  
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;Original intended meaning:Protestants stress the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture, the [[historical-grammatical method]].<ref>Sproul. ''Knowing Scripture'', p. 45-61; Bahnsen, ''[http://www.cmfnow.com/articles/pt173.htm A Reformed Confession Regarding Hermeneutics'' (article 6)].</ref> The historical-grammatical method or grammatico-historical method is a effort in [[Biblical hermeneutics]] to find the intended original meaning in the text. <ref> {{Cite book
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==Worship and the Sacraments==
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| publisher = Baker Book House
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Christians normally attend worship services at once a week, typically on Sundays.  Some denominations, such as the [[Seventh Day Adventist]]s, worship on Saturdays. Commonly, [[megachurch]]es often hold services on both Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings to accommodate growing crowds. More conservative denominations, such as independent Baptists and churches of Christ, hold services on Sunday evenings and Wednesday evenings as well.
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| isbn = 0801034132
 
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| last = Elwell
 
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| first = Walter A.
 
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| title = Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
 
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| location = Grand Rapids, Mich.
 
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| date = 1984
 
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}}</ref> This original intended meaning of the text is drawn out through examination of the passage in light of the grammatical and syntactical aspects, the historical background, the literary genre as well as theological (canonical) considerations.<ref>{{Cite book
 
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| publisher = Academie Books
 
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| isbn = 9780310341604
 
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| last = Johnson
 
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| first = Elliott
 
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| title = Expository hermeneutics : an introduction
 
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| location = Grand Rapids  Mich.
 
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}} </ref> The historical-grammatical method distinguishes between the one original meaning and the significance of the text. The significance of the text includes the ensuing use of the text or application. The original passage is seen as having only a single meaning or sense. As Milton S. Terry said: "A fundamental principle in grammatico-historical exposition is that the words and sentences can have but one significance in one and the same connection. The moment we neglect this principle we drift out upon a sea of uncertainty and conjecture." <ref>{{Cite book
 
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| publisher = Zondervan Pub. House
 
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| last = Terry
 
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| first = Milton
 
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| title = Biblical hermeneutics : a treatise on the interpretation of the Old and New Testaments
 
−
| location = Grand Rapids  Mich.
 
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| date = 1974
 
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}} page 205 </ref> Technically speaking, the grammatical-historical method of interpretation is distinct from the determination of the passage's significance in light of that interpretation. Taken together, both define the term (Biblical) hermeneutics. <ref>{{Cite book
 
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| publisher = Baker Book House
 
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| isbn = 0801034132
 
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| last = Elwell
 
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| first = Walter A.
 
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| title = Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
 
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| location = Grand Rapids, Mich.
 
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| date = 1984
 
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}}  p. 565</ref>
 
  
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Some Protestant interpreters make use of typology.<ref>E.g., in his [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/matthew/mh/matthew1.htm commentary on Matthew 1] (§III.3) [[Matthew Henry]] interprets the twin-sons of Judah, Phares and Zara, as an allegory of the Gentile and [[Jewish Christians]]. For a contemporary treatment, see Glenny, ''[http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_typology_glenny.html Typology: A Summary Of The Present Evangelical Discussion]''.</ref>
+
The [[Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox]] denominations have seven sacraments: [[baptism]], [[eucharist]], [[confirmation]], [[Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation|confession]], [[Anointing of the Sick|anointing of the sick]], [[marriage]], and [[Holy Orders|holy orders]]. Of these, Protestants observe only baptism and eucharist as sacraments,<ref>The term "eucharist" is rarely used within Protestant circles; common terms include Communion (often used in more traditional denominations) and The Lord's Supper (more frequent in conservative denominations who consider Communion to be a Catholic term).</ref> which are the only two for which they find Scriptural support.<ref>Although Protestants, especially conservative ones, hold to high views of marriage and believe it is taught in the Bible, they do not consider it to be a sacrament.</ref>
  
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=== Afterlife and Eschaton ===
+
==Evangelism==
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{{main|Christian eschatology}}
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In what is called the [[Great Commission]], Jesus sent his disciples out into the world to preach the Gospel (literally "good news") and make disciples.
 +
:'''Great Commission'''
 +
:''But the eleven disciples proceeded to [[Galilee]], to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in [[heaven]] and on [[earth]]." Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the [[#God the Father|Father]] and the [[#God the Son|Son]] and the [[#God the Holy Spirit|Holy Spirit]], teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."'' --[[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 28:16-20 [[New American Standard Bible|NASB]]
 +
[[Image:Gleyre The Departure of the Apostles.jpg|thumb|240px|The Departure of the Apostles by [[Charles Gleyre]].]]
 +
<br>
  
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Most Christians  believe that human beings experience divine judgement and are rewarded either with [[heaven|eternal life]] or [[hell|eternal damnation]]. This includes the [[Last Judgment|general judgement]] at the [[Resurrection of the dead]] (see below) as well as the belief (held by Catholics<ref name="CEParticularJudgement">''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'', "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08550a.htm Particular Judgment]".</ref><ref name="Ott">Ott, ''Grundriß der Dogmatik'', p. 566.</ref>, Orthodox<ref>David Moser, ''[http://www.orthodox.net/articles/about-prayer-for-the-dead.html What the Orthodox believe concerning prayer for the dead]''.</ref><ref>Ken Collins, ''[http://www.kencollins.com/question-45.htm What Happens to Me When I Die?]''.</ref> and some Protestants) in a [[particular judgment|judgement particular to the individual soul]] upon physical death.
+
==Internet Evangelism==
  
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In Roman Catholicism, those who die in a state of grace, i.e. without any mortal sin separating them from God, but are still imperfectly purified from the effects of sin, undergo purification through the intermediate state of [[purgatory]] to achieve the holiness necessary for entrance into God's presence.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_04081999_en.html Audience of 4 August 1999]</ref> Those who have attained this goal are called ''saints'' (Latin ''sanctus'', "holy").<ref>''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'', "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04171a.htm The Communion of Saints]".</ref>
+
{{See also|Internet evangelism}}
  
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Some churches who do not believe in particular judgment, e.g. [[Jehovahs Witnesses]], hold that the [[soul sleep]]s until this time.<ref name="spitz">Spitz. ''The Protestant Reformation''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}</ref> These groups avoid the term ''saints''.{{Fact|date=September 2008}}
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Campus Crusade for Christ International (CCCI) is one of the world's largest evangelism organizations within Christendom and has over 25,000 full-time missionaries. In 2006, Alan Beeber of CCCI predicted that internet evangelism will result in more conversion that all other forms of evangelism for CCCI combined.<ref>http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/pdf/issues/LWP0206.pdf</ref> [[Eternal Word Television Network]] (EWTN) is a worldwide broadcast and internet online and Facebook ministry proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord 24 hours a day with [[Christian apologetics]] programs, News Nightly news broadcast from a Catholic Christian perspective, The World Over with Raymond Arroyo, and daily broadcast worship and prayer seven days a week four times a day.<ref>https://www.ewtn.com<br>https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline</ref> EWTN claims to be the largest religious media network in the world.
  
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Christians believe that at the [[Second Coming|second coming of Christ]] at the [[eschatology|end of time]], all who have died will be [[Resurrection of the dead|resurrected bodily from the dead]] for the [[Last Judgment]], whereupon Jesus will fully establish the [[Kingdom of God]] in fulfillment of [[Bible prophecy|scriptural prophecies]].<ref name="res">[[Thomas Aquinas]], [http://www.newadvent.org/summa/5.htm ''Summa Theologicum, Supplementum Tertiae Partis''] questions 69 through 99</ref><ref>{{cite web  | last =Calvin  | first =John  | authorlink =  | coauthors =  | title =Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book Three, Ch. 25  | work =  | publisher =www.reformed.org  | date =  | url =http://www.reformed.org/books/institutes/books/book3/bk3ch25.html  | format =  | doi =  | accessdate =2008-01-01 }}</ref>
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== Growth of worldwide Christianity ==
 +
[[File:Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|[[Hong Kong]] Christians at Gateway Camp. In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were [[Western World]] Christians.<ref>https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077</ref>]]
 +
''see also:'' [[Growth of Christianity]] and [[Historical examples of the exponential growth of Christianity]] and [[Global Christianity]] and [[Internet evangelism]] and [[Evangelical Christians]] and [[Resources on becoming a Christian]]
  
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[[Universal Reconciliation]], also called [[Apocatastasis#Christianity|Apocatastasis]], is the view that all will eventually experience salvation, rejecting the concept that hell is everlasting.<ref>Farrar. ''[http://www.tentmaker.org/books/mercyandjudgment/mercy_and_judgment_ch1.html Mercy and Judgment]'', p. 378-382.</ref><ref>Talbott. ''[http://www.willamette.edu/~ttalbott/PICTURES.pdf Three Pictures of God in Western Theology]'', p. 13-15.</ref> Such a view was held in the 3rd century by [[Origen]]  but was condemned as heretical. The notion was revived after the Reformation, e.g. by the [[Anabaptist]] theologian [[Hans Denck]]. Christians espousing this view are known as Universalists.<ref> http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/chr-univ.html, retrieved 11 April 2009</ref>
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Christianity has seen tremendous growth over its 2000-year history (See: [[Growth of Christianity]]).<ref>http://users.adam.com.au/bstett/BChristianIncrease12.htm</ref> Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the [[Western World]].<ref>
 +
*[http://pewforum.org/Christian/Faith-and-Conflict-The-Global-Rise-of-Christianity.aspx The global rise of Christianity - Pew Forum]
 +
*[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]
 +
*[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/The-stunning-growth-of-Christianity-in-China.aspx The stunning growth of Christianity in China]
 +
*[http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th century Africa]</ref> In 2000, there were twice as many non-Western Christians as Western Christians.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref> In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western Christians as there were [[Western World]] Christians.<ref>https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077</ref> There are now more non-Western missionaries than Western missionaries.<ref>https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077</ref>
  
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== Worship ==
+
In 2023, the [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] at [[Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary]] reported that there are over 2.6 billion Christians worldwide and this number will increase to 3.3 billion Christians by 2050.<ref>*[https://www.brnunited.org/news/good-news-christianity-is-growing-around-the-world/#:~:text=The%20population%20growth%20rate%20is,top%203%20billion%20before%202050! Good news! Christianity is growing around the world!], Baptist Resource Network</ref><ref>[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2023.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2023, in the Context of 1900–2050], [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] at [[Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary]]</ref>
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{{main|Christian worship}}
 
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[[Justin Martyr]] described 2nd century Christian [[liturgy]] in his ''[[First Apology]]'' (''c''. 150) to [[Roman Emperor|Emperor]] [[Antoninus Pius]], and his description remains relevant to the basic structure of Christian liturgical worship:
 
  
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[[Image:Thebible33.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Samples of Christian religious objects- The [[Bible|Holy Bible]], a [[Crucifix]], and a [[Rosary]].]]
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In 2011, the ''American Spectator'' declared concerning research published in the ''International Bulletin of Missionary Research'': "The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new [[Islam|Muslims]] every day, and 300 fewer [[atheism|atheists]] every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the [[Western World|West]], while religion is thriving in the Global South, where [[Charismatic movement|charismatic Christianity]] is exploding."<ref>http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity</ref>
  
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: "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."<ref name=justin>Justin Martyr, [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-firstapology.html ''First Apology''] §LXVII</ref>
+
Despite strong persecution in the [[Middle East]], thousands of [[Muslims]] are turning to Christ.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/11/thousands-muslims-reportedly-turning-to-christ-in-middle-east.html Thousands of Muslims reportedly turning to Christ in Middle East]. ''Fox News'' (from ''The Christian Post''). January 11, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2017.</ref>
  
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Thus, as Justin described, Christians assemble for communal worship on Sunday, the day of the resurrection, though other liturgical practices often occur outside this setting. Scripture readings are drawn from the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s, but especially the Gospels. Often these are arranged on an [[annual cycle]], using a book called a [[lectionary]]. Instruction is given based on these readings, called a [[sermon]], or homily. There are a variety of congregational [[prayer]]s, including thanksgiving, confession, and intercession, which occur throughout the service and take a variety of forms including recited, responsive, silent, or sung. The [[Lord's Prayer]], or Our Father, is regularly prayed. The [[Eucharist]] (called [[Holy Communion]], or the [[Eucharist|Lord's Supper]]) is the part of liturgical worship that consists of a consecrated meal, usually bread and wine. Justin Martyr described the Eucharist:
+
=== Growth of Christianity ===
  
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{{cquote|"And this food is called among us Eukaristia [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh."<ref name=justin/>}}
+
''See also:'' [[Growth of Christianity]]
  
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Some [[Christian denominations]] view communion as indicating those who are already united in the church, restricting participation to their members not in a state of [[mortal sin]] ([[closed communion]]). Most other churches view communion as a means to unity, rather than an end, and invite all Christians or even anyone to participate ([[open communion]]). In some denominations, participation is decided by prior arrangement with a church leader.
+
In March 2024, Frontier Partners International reported:
 +
{{Cquote|The [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] at [[Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary]] recently reported that global Christianity is experiencing remarkable growth, defying expectations and surpassing population rates.
  
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Some groups depart from this traditional liturgical structure. A division is often made between "[[High church|High]]" [[church service]]s, characterized by greater solemnity and ritual, and "[[Low church|Low]]" services, but even within these two categories there is great diversity in forms of worship. [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]] meet on Saturday (the original [[Sabbath in Christianity|Sabbath]]), while others do not meet on a weekly basis. [[Charismatic movement|Charismatic]] or [[Pentecostal]] congregations may spontaneously feel led by the Holy Spirit to action rather than follow a formal order of service, including spontaneous prayer. [[Society of Friends|Quakers]] sit quietly until moved by the Holy Spirit to speak. Some [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] services resemble concerts with [[Christian rock|rock and pop music]], dancing, and use of multimedia. For groups which do not recognize a priesthood distinct from ordinary believers the services are generally lead by a [[minister of religion|minister]], [[preacher]], or [[pastor]]. Still others may lack any formal leaders, either in principle or by local necessity. Some churches use only [[a cappella]] music, either on principle (e.g. many [[Churches of Christ]] object to the use of instruments in worship) or by tradition (as in Orthodoxy).
+
Contrary to the anticipated slowdown, the Christian population is projected to climb from over 2.52 billion to 2.63 billion, representing a 1.08 percent growth, and is expected to surpass 3 billion by 2050.
  
−
Worship can be varied for special events like [[baptism]]s or [[wedding]]s in the service or significant [[Calendar of saints|feast days]]. In the [[Early Christianity|early church]] Christians and those yet to complete initiation would separate for the Eucharistic part of the worship. In many churches today, adults and children will separate for all or some of the service to receive age-appropriate teaching. Such children's worship is often called [[Sunday school]] or [[Sabbath School|Sabbath school]] (Sunday schools are often held before rather than during services).
+
Within Christianity, certain denominations are witnessing even more rapid expansion. Notably, [[Protestant]]s (1.63 percent), independents (1.96 percent), [[evangelicals]] (1.66 percent), and [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]]/[[Charismatic movement|charismatics]] (1.48 percent) are identified as the fastest-growing groups, showcasing the diverse nature of the faith’s evolution.
  
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=== Sacraments ===
+
The growth of Christianity is particularly pronounced in the global south, with Africa and Asia emerging as the fastest-growing regions.
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{{main|Sacrament}}
 
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{{seealso|Sacraments of the Catholic Church}}
 
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[[Image:Fractio-panis1.JPG|right|thumb|200px|The [[Eucharist]]]]
 
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In [[Christian]] belief and practice, a '''sacrament''' is a [[rite]], instituted by Christ, that mediates [[divine grace|grace]], constituting a [[Sacred Mysteries|sacred mystery]]. The term is derived from the [[Latin]] word ''sacramentum'', which was used to translate the Greek word for ''mystery''. Views concerning both what rites are sacramental, and what it means for an act to be a sacrament vary among Christian denominations and traditions.<ref name="ODCC1435">Cross/Livingstone. ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church''. p. 1435f.</ref>
 
  
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The most conventional functional definition of a sacrament is that it is an outward sign, instituted by Christ, that conveys an inward, spiritual grace through Christ. The two most widely accepted sacraments are [[Baptism]] and the [[Eucharist]], however, the majority of Christians recognize seven Sacraments or Divine Mysteries:  [[Baptism]], [[Confirmation (Christian sacrament)|Confirmation]] ([[Chrismation]] in the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] tradition), and the [[Eucharist]], [[Holy Orders]], [[Confession|Reconciliation of a Penitent]] (confession), [[Anointing of the Sick]], and [[Christian views of marriage|Matrimony]].<ref name="ODCC1435" /> Taken together, these are the [[Seven Sacraments]] as recognised by churches in the [[High church]] tradition - notably [[Sacraments of the Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], [[Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]], [[Oriental Orthodox]], [[Independent Catholic Churches|Independent Catholic]], [[Old Catholic]] and some [[Anglican sacraments|Anglican]]s. Most other denominations and traditions typically affirm only Baptism and Eucharist as sacraments, while some Protestant groups, such as the Quakers, reject sacramental theology.<ref name="ODCC1435" /> Some [[Christian denominations]] who believe these rites do not communicate grace prefer to call them ''[[Ordinance (Christian)|ordinances]]''.
+
Africa, in particular, has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from having less than 10 million Christians at the turn of the 20th century to now being home to 734 million Christians, growing at a rate of 2.64 percent.
  
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=== Liturgical calendar ===
+
By 2050, Africa is projected to host more Christians than Asia and Latin America combined.
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{{main|Liturgical year}}
 
  
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Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Eastern Christians, and traditional Protestant communities frame worship around a [[Liturgical year|liturgical calendar]]. This includes [[Holy Day of Obligation|holy days]], such as [[Solemnity|solemnities]] which commemorate an event in the life of Jesus or the [[saint]]s, periods of [[fasting]] such as [[Lent]], and other pious events such as [[memoria]] or lesser festivals commemorating saints. Christian groups that do not follow a liturgical tradition often retain certain celebrations, such as [[Christmas]], [[Easter]] and [[Pentecost]]. A few churches make no use of a liturgical calendar.<ref>Hickman. ''Handbook of the Christian Year''.</ref>
+
Intriguingly, the report indicates that Christianity is not only growing in numbers but is also expanding geographically.
  
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=== Symbols ===
+
In 1900, 95 percent of the world’s Christians lived in predominantly Christian countries. However, the trend is shifting, with a decline of 0.17 percent between 2020 and 2024, indicating that more Christians are residing in diverse, non-Christian majority nations.<ref>[https://www.frontierpartners.org/global-christianity-surges Global Christianity surges beyond projections in 2024], LiCAS.news • Mar 15, 2024, Frontiers Patners Intertnational, 2024</ref>}}
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{{main|Christian symbolism}}
 
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[[Image:Ephesus IchthysCrop.jpg|thumb|right|An early circular [[ichthys]] symbol, created by combining the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ into a wheel. [[Ephesus]], Asia Minor.]]
 
  
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The [[Christian cross|cross]], which is today one of the most widely recognised symbols in the world, was used as a Christian symbol from the earliest times.<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-04/anf04-34.htm ANF04. Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Part Fourth; Minucius Felix; Commodian; Origen, Parts First and Second | Christian Classics Ethereal Library<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>Minucius Felix speaks of the cross of Jesus in its familiar form, likening it to objects with a crossbeam or to a man with arms outstretched in prayer ([http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-04/anf04-34.htm#P5713_906729 Octavius of Minucius Felix,] chapter XXIX).</ref> Tertuallian, in his book ''De Corona'', tells how it was already a tradition for Christians to trace repeatedly on their foreheads the sign of the cross.<ref>"At every forward step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes, when we bathe, when we sit at table, when we light the lamps, on couch, on seat, in all the ordinary actions of daily life, we trace upon the forehead the sign." (Tertullian, [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.iv.vi.iii.html ''De Corona'', chapter 3])</ref> Although the cross was known to the early Christians, the [[crucifix]] did not appear in use until the fifth century.<ref name="soc">Dilasser. ''The Symbols of the Church''.</ref>
+
=== Where Christianity is growing the most ===
  
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Among the symbols employed by the primitive Christians, that of the fish seems to have ranked first in importance. From monumental sources such as tombs it is known that the symbolic fish was familiar to Christians from the earliest times. The fish was depicted as a Christian symbol in the first decades of the second century.<ref name="cefish">''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'', "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06083a.htm Symbolism of the Fish]".</ref> Its popularity among Christians was due principally, it would seem, to the famous acrostic consisting of the initial letters of five Greek words forming the word for fish (Ichthys), which words briefly but clearly described the character of Christ and the claim to worship of believers: ''Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter'', meaning, ''Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour''.<ref name="cefish" />
+
*[https://www.patheos.com/blogs/geneveith/2024/04/where-christianity-is-growing-the-most/ Where Christianity Is Growing the Most], 2024
  
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Christians from the very beginning adorned their [[catacombs|tombs]] with paintings of Christ, of the saints, of scenes from the [[Bible]] and allegorical groups. The catacombs are the cradle of all Christian art. The first Christians had no prejudice against images, pictures, or statues. The idea that they must have feared the danger of idolatry among their new converts is disproved in the simplest way by the pictures even statues, that remain from the first centuries.<ref name="ceimage">''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'', "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07664a.htm Veneration of Images].</ref> Other major Christian symbols include the [[Chrismon|chi-rho monogram]], the [[dove]] (symbolic of the Holy Spirit), the sacrificial lamb (symbolic of Christ's sacrifice), the [[vine]] (symbolising the necessary connectedness of the Christian with Christ) and many others. These all derive from writings found in the [[New Testament]].<ref name="soc"/>
+
=== Center for Global Christianity - Annual statistics - including projected growth of Christianity statistics ===
  
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== History and origins ==
+
''See also:'' [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] and [[Growth of Christianity]]
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{{main|History of Christianity}}
 
  
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[[Image:Ignatius.jpg|thumb|right|[[Martyr]]dom of [[Ignatius of Antioch|St. Ignatius]], bishop of Antioch appointed by [[St. Peter]].]]
+
The [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] (CSGC) declares about their organization that it is "an academic research center that monitors worldwide demographic trends in Christianity, including outreach and mission. We provide a comprehensive collection of information on the past, present, and future of Christianity in every country of the world."<ref>[http://www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/research/About-Us.cfm Center for the Study of Global Christianity - About]</ref>
  
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===Early Church and Christological Councils ===
+
Every year in the ''International Bulletin of Mission Research'' the Center for the Study of Global Christianity publishes an annual snapshot of global Christianity which includes projected [[growth of Christianity]] statistics.
  
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Christianity began as a [[Jewish]] sect in the eastern [[History of the Mediterranean region|Mediterranean]] in the mid-first century.<ref name="Robinson"/><ref name="Esler"/><ref name="name"/> Under the leadership of the Apostles, especially [[Saint Peter|Peter]] and [[Paul the Apostle|Paul]], and the early [[bishop]]s, which they saw as [[Apostolic Succession|successors]] of the [[Twelve Apostles]].
+
'''Center for the Study of Global Christianity, annual snapshot of Christianity in the world:'''
  
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From the beginning, Christians were subject to various [[Persecution of Christians|persecutions]]. This involved even death for Christians such as [[Stephen]]<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|7:59}}</ref> and [[James, son of Zebedee]].<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|12:2}}</ref> Larger-scale persecutions followed at the hands of the authorities of the [[Roman Empire]], beginning with the year 64, when [[Emperor Nero]] blamed them for the [[Great Fire of Rome]]. According to Church tradition, it was under Nero's persecution that early Church leaders [[St. Peter|Peter]] and [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]] were each martyred in [[Rome]]. Further widespread [[Persecution of early Christians by the Romans|persecutions]] of the Church occurred under nine subsequent Roman emperors, most intensely under [[Decius]] and [[Diocletian]]. From the year 150, Christian teachers began to produce theological and apologetic works aimed at defending the faith. These authors are known as the [[Church Fathers]], and study of them is called Patristics. Notable early Fathers include [[Ignatius of Antioch]], [[Polycarp]], [[Justin Martyr]], [[Irenaeus]], [[Tertullian]], [[Clement of Alexandria]] and [[Origen]].
+
*[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/center-for-global-christianity/resources/status-of-global-christianity/ Center for Global Christianity - Annual statistics]
  
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Christianity was legalized in the fourth century, when [[Constantine I]] issued an [[Edict of Milan|edict of toleration]] in 313. On 27 February 380, Emperor [[Theodosius I]] enacted a law establishing Catholic Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire.<ref>[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/theodcodeXVI.html Theodosian Code XVI.i.2], in: Bettenson. ''Documents of the Christian Church''. p. 31.</ref> From at least the 4th century, Christianity has played a prominent role in the [[history of Western civilization|shaping of Western civilization]].<ref name="Orlandis">Orlandis, ''A Short History of the Catholic Church'' (1993), preface.</ref>
+
=== Christianity by continent ===
  
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Constantine was also instrumental in the convocation of the [[First Council of Nicaea]] in 325, which sought to address the [[Arianism|Arian]] heresy and formulated the [[Nicene Creed]], which is still used by the [[Roman Catholic Church]], [[Eastern Orthodoxy]], [[Anglican Communion]], and many [[Protestant]] churches.<ref name="UMC - Our Common Heritage as Christians"/> Nicaea was the first of a series of [[Ecumenical council|Ecumenical (worldwide) Councils]] which formally defined critical elements of the theology of the Church, notably concerning [[Christology]].<ref name= "McManners37">McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity'', p. 37f.</ref> The [[Assyrian Church of the East]] did not accept the third and following Ecumenical Councils, and are still separate today.
+
''See also:'' [[Christianity by continent]]
  
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===Early Middle Ages===
+
Below are articles on Christianity in the seven continents:
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With the decline and fall of the Roman Empire in the west, the papacy became a political player, first visible in [[Pope Leo I|Pope Leo]]'s diplomatic dealings with [[Attila the Hun|Huns]] and [[Vandals]].<ref name = "Gonzalez-p238"/> The church also entered into a long period of missionary activity and expansion among the former barbarian tribes. Catholicism spread among the [[Germanic peoples]] (initially in competition with Arianism<ref name = "Gonzalez-p238">Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 238-242.</ref>), the [[Celts|Celtic]] and [[Slavic peoples]], the [[Hungarians]] and the [[Scandinavia]]n and [[Baltic peoples]].
 
  
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Around 500, [[St. Benedict]] set out his Monastic Rule, establishing a system of regulations for the foundation and running of [[monasteries]].<ref name = "Gonzalez-p238"/> [[Monasticism]] became a powerful force throughout Europe,<ref name = "Gonzalez-p238"/> and gave rise to many early centers of learning, most famously in [[Ireland]], [[Scotland]] and [[Gaul]], contributing to the [[Carolingian Renaissance]] of the 9th century.
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*[[Christianity in Africa]]
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*[[Christianity in Antarctica]]
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*[[Christianity in Asia]]
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*[[Christianity in Australia | Christianity in Australia, Oceania, New Zealand]]
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*[[Christianity in Europe]]
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*[[Christianity in North America | Christianity in North America, Caribbean]]
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*[[Christianity in South America | Christianity in South America, Central America]]
  
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From the 7th century onwards, [[Islam]] conquered the Christian lands of the Middle East, North Africa and much of Spain<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 248-250.</ref>, resulting in oppression of Christianity and numerous military struggles, including the [[Crusades]], the Spanish [[Reconquista]] and wars against the [[Turks]].
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=== Projected growth of Christianity graph ===
  
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The [[Middle Ages]] brought about major changes within the church. [[Pope Gregory the Great]] dramatically reformed ecclesiastical structure and administration.<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 244-247.</ref> In the early 8th century, [[iconoclasm]] became a divisive issue, when it was sponsored by the [[Byzantium|Byzantine]] emperors. The [[Second Council of Nicaea|Second Ecumenical Council of Nicaea]] (787) finally pronounced in favour of icons.<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 260.</ref> In the early 10th century, western monasticism was further rejuvenated through the leadership of the great Benedictine monastery of [[Cluny]].<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 278-281.</ref>
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''See also:'' [[Growth of Christianity]] and [[Future of Christianity]]
  
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===High and Late Middle Ages===
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[[File:Growth of Christianity.png|thumbnail|center|400px|Projected [[growth of Christianity]] graph.<ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/figure/shows-the-growth-of-the-total-number-of-Christians-worldwide-25-At-first-glance-it-may_fig5_301560058 Total Christian population graph]</ref>]]
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In the west, from the 11th century onward, older cathedral schools developed into [[universities]] (see [[University of Paris]], [[University of Oxford]], and [[University of Bologna]].) Originally teaching only [[theology]], these steadily added subjects including [[medicine]], [[philosophy]] and [[law]], becoming the direct ancestors of modern western institutions of learning.<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 305, 312, 314f..</ref>
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{{Clear}}
  
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Accompanying the rise of the "new towns" throughout Western Europe, [[mendicant order]]s were founded, bringing the [[Consecrated life (Catholic Church)|consecrated religious life]] out of the monastery and into the new urban setting. The two principal mendicant movements were the [[Franciscans]]<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 303-307, 310f., 384-386.</ref> and the [[Dominican Order|Dominicans]]<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 305, 310f., 316f.</ref> founded by [[St. Francis]] and [[St. Dominic]] respectively. Both orders made significant contributions to the development of the great universities of Europe. Another new order were the [[Cistercians]], whose large isolated monasteries spearheaded the settlement of former wilderness areas. In this period church building and ecclesiastical architecture reached new heights, culminating in the orders of [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] and [[Gothic architecture]] and the building of the great European cathedrals.<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 321-323, 365f.</ref>
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==Early Church Community and Commitment: The Biblical Period==
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[[File:Hoffman Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.jpg|thumb|left|110px|[[Jesus Christ]] ]]
  
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[[Image:CouncilofClermont.jpg|thumb|right|180px|[[Pope Urban II]] at the [[Council of Clermont]], where he preached the [[First Crusade]].]]
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The Bible records that that, at least initially, the church saw itself as united. In the community:
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From 1095 under the pontificate of [[Urban II]], the [[Crusades]] were launched.<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 292-300.</ref> These were a series of military campaigns in the [[Holy Land]] and elsewhere, initiated in response to pleas from the Byzantine Emperor [[Alexios I]] for aid against [[Turkish people|Turkish]] expansion. The Crusades ultimately failed to stifle [[Islam]]ic aggression and even contributed to Christian enmity with the sacking of [[Constantinople]] during the [[Fourth Crusade]].<ref>Riley-Smith. ''The Oxford History of the Crusades''.</ref>
 
  
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Over a period stretching from the 7th to the 13th century, the Christian Church underwent gradual alienation, resulting in a [[East-West Schism|schism]] dividing it into a [[Western Christianity|Western]], largely Latin branch, the Roman Catholic Church, and an [[Eastern Christianity|Eastern]], largely Greek, branch, the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Church]]. These two churches disagree on a number of administrative, liturgical, and doctrinal issues, most notably [[papal primacy|papal primacy of jurisdiction]].<ref name="Orthodox Information Centre-Great Schism">{{cite web|url = http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/general/greatschism.aspx| title = The Great Schism: The Estrangement of Eastern and Western Christendom|publisher = Orthodox Information Centre|accessdate = 2007-05-26}}</ref><ref name="SandSp91">Duffy, ''Saints and Sinners'' (1997), p. 91</ref> The [[Second Council of Lyon]] (1274) and the [[Council of Florence]] (1439) attempted to reunite the churches, but in both cases the Eastern Orthodox refused to implement the decisions and the two principal churches remain in schism to the present day. However, the Roman Catholic Church has achieved union with various [[Eastern Catholic Churches|smaller eastern churches]].
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"...they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. {43} And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. {44} And all that believed were together, and had all things common; {45} And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. {46} And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."(Acts 2:42-47; 4:32)
  
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Beginning around 1184, following the crusade brought about by the [[Cathars|Cathar]] heresy,<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 300, 304-305.</ref> various institutions, broadly referred to as the [[Inquisition]], were established with the aim of suppressing [[heresy]] and securing religious and doctrinal unity within Christianity through [[religious conversion|conversion]] and prosecution.<ref>Gonzalez, ''The Story of Christianity'', p. 310, 383, 385, 391.</ref>
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This community was soon "scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles," due to determined persecution which resulted in the dispersed disciples going "every where preaching the word." (Acts 8:1,4) Christian communities were primarily to be found in two separate cultural and liguistic entities—the Greek and Latin-speaking empires of Europe and the mid-east, and the Aramaic speaking sphere of the Parthian empire of the mid-east and far-east. This latter sphere encompassed not only the eastern portions of Syria, the Arabian peninsula, and Persia, but also extended to portions of southern India and even China. To this day there are many [[Aramaic Church]] members in the Kerala province of south India.
  
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=== Protestant Reformation and Counter-Reformation ===
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==Early Church Community and Commitment: the Post-Biblical Period==
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{{Main|Protestant Reformation|Counter-Reformation}}
 
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[[Image:Nicaea icon.jpg|right|thumb|An icon depicting the [[First Council of Nicaea]]]]
 
  
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The 15th-century [[Renaissance]] brought about a renewed interest in ancient and classical learning. Another major schism, the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]], resulted in the splintering of the Western Christendom into several [[Christian denominations]].<ref name="Simon-120-121">Simon. ''Great Ages of Man: The Reformation''. p. 7.</ref> [[Martin Luther]] in 1517 [[95 Theses|protested]] against the sale of [[indulgences]] and soon moved on to deny several key points of Roman Catholic [[doctrine]]. Others like [[Zwingli]] and [[Calvin]] further criticized Roman Catholic teaching and worship. These challenges developed into the movement called [[Protestantism]], which repudiated the [[papal primacy|primacy of the pope]], the role of tradition, the [[seven sacraments]], and other doctrines and practices.<ref name="Simon">Simon. ''Great Ages of Man: The Reformation''. p. 39, 55-61.</ref> [[English Reformation|Reformation in England]] began in 1534, when [[King Henry VIII]] had himself [[Act of Supremacy|declared head]] of the [[Church of England]]. Beginning in 1536, the monasteries throughout England, [[Wales]], and [[Ireland]] were [[Dissolution of the monasteries|dissolved]]. <ref name="Schama">Schama. ''A History of Britain''. p. 306-310.</ref>
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[[Image:Orthodox churches icon artwork.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Orthodox Church's icon artwork.]]
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'''Justin martyr  100 A.D. - 165 A.D.   From the "First Apology" (Defense)
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'''  
  
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Partly in response to the [[Protestant Reformation]], the Roman Catholic Church engaged in a substantial process of reform and renewal, known as the [[Counter-Reformation]] or Catholic Reform.<ref name="Bokenkotter242">Bokenkotter, ''A Concise History of the Catholic Church'', p. 242-244.</ref> The [[Council of Trent]] clarified and reasserted Roman Catholic doctrine. During the following centuries, competition between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism became deeply entangled with political struggles among European states.<ref name="Simon3">Simon. ''Great Ages of Man: The Reformation''. p. 109-120.</ref>  
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<blockquote>
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But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized [illuminated] person, and for all others in every place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to genoito [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion. (Chapt. LXV - administration of the sacraments)</blockquote>  
  
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Meanwhile, the discovery of America by [[Christopher Columbus]] in 1492 brought about a new wave of missionary activity. Partly from missionary zeal, but under the impetus of [[Colonialism|colonial expansion]] by the European powers, Christianity spread to the Americas, Oceania, [[East Asia]], and [[sub-Saharan Africa]].
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<blockquote>
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And this food is called among us Eukaristia [the Eucharist = the Thanksgiving], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;" and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone... (Chapt. LXVl - of the Eucharist)
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</blockquote>
  
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Throughout Europe, the divides caused by the Reformation led to outbreaks of [[religious violence]] and the establishment of separate state religions in Western Europe: [[Lutheranism]] in parts of Germany and in Scandinavia and [[Anglicanism]] in England in 1534. Ultimately, these differences led to the outbreak of [[religious war|conflict]]s in which religion played a key factor. The [[Thirty Years' War]], the [[English Civil War]], and the [[French Wars of Religion]] are prominent examples. These events intensified the [[Christian debate on persecution and toleration]].<ref>A general overview about the English discussion is given in Coffey, ''Persecution and Toleration in Protestant England 1558-1689''.</ref>
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<blockquote>
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And we afterwards continually remind each other of these things. And the wealthy among us help the needy; and we always keep together; and for all things wherewith we are supplied, we bless the Maker of all through His Son Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Ghost. 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. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead...(Chapt.LXVll - weekly worship of the Christians)
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</blockquote>
  
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===Christianity in the Modern Era===
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'''Tertullian (A.D. 160 -220), an Early ecclesiastical leader and writer, in his ''Apology'' (response to pagan charges) in describing the early church community wrote, ca. AD 197: '''
  
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In the [[Modern Era]], Christianity was confronted with various forms of [[skepticism]] and with certain modern [[Ideology|political ideologies]] such as [[liberalism]], [[nationalism]] and [[socialism]]. Events ranged from mere [[anti-clericalism]] to violent outbursts against Christianity such as the [[Dechristianisation of France during the French Revolution|Dechristianisation]] during the [[French Revolution]]<ref>Mortimer Chambers, ''The Western Experience'' (vol. 2) chapter 21.</ref>, the [[Spanish Civil War]], and general hostility of Marxist movements, especially [[Russian Revolution (1917)|the Russian Revolution]].
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:We are a body knit together by one faith, one discipline and one hope. We meet together as a congregation, uniting together to offer prayer to God. We pray for the emperors and all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for peace and for the delay of the final end. We read our holy scriptures to nourish our faith, hope, steadfastness and good habits. We hear exhortations and rebukes. We take such judging very seriously – as befits those who believe they are in the sight of God – especially seriously when anyone sins so grievously we have to cut them off from our prayer, our congregation and all sacred things. Our elders preside over us, obtaining that honor not by money, but by their established character. There is no buying and selling in the things of God. Though we have a fund, but not because people can buy religion. Once a month, anyone who wants to makes a small donation – but only he who is able and willing; there is no compulsion. It is not spent on feasts, but to support and bury poor people, to provide for orphans, the elderly old persons, victims of shipwreck and those in prison for their faith.<ref>Defense by Tertullian (39), Trans. Rev. S. Thelwall. Modernized, abridged and introduced by Stephen Tomkins. Edited and prepared for the web by Dan Graves.</ref>
  
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Christian commitment in Europe dropped as modernity and secularism came into their own{{Clarifyme|date=May 2008}} in Western Europe, while religious commitments in America have been generally high in comparison to Western Europe. The late 20th century has shown the shift of Christian adherence to the Third World and southern hemisphere in general, with western civilization no longer the chief standard bearer of Christianity.
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'''Pliny the Younger, the Roman governor of Pontus & Bithynia  (northern Turkey) from A.D. 111–113, reporting to emperor Trajan of Christians, whom such pagan rulers found intolerable:'''
  
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==Demographics==
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:... Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for this purpose together with statues of the gods, and moreover cursed Christ--none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do--these I thought should be discharged. Others named by the informer declared that they were Christians, but then denied it, asserting that they had been but had ceased to be, some three years before, others many years, some as much as twenty-five years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Christ.
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{{see|Christianity by country}}
 
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<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Christian distribution map.png|thumb|right|500px|Christianity percentage by country]] -->
 
  
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With an estimated number of adherents that ranges between 1.5 billion<ref name="Adherents.com Christians">[http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_173.html Adherents.com{{ndash}} Number of Christians in the world]</ref> and 2.1 billion,<ref name="Adherents.com Christians"/> split into around 34,000 separate [[Christian denominations|denominations]], Christianity is the [[major religious groups|world's largest religion]].<ref name="Adherents - Religion Sizes">{{cite web|url = http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html| title = Major Religions Ranked by Size|publisher = Adherents|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> The Christian share of the world's population has stood at around 33 per cent for the last hundred years. This masks a major shift in the demographics of Christianity; large increases in the developing world have been accompanied by substantial declines in the developed world, mainly in Europe and North America.<ref>Ustorf. "A missiological postscript", p. 219f.</ref> It is still the predominant religion in [[Europe]], the [[Americas]], the [[Philippines]], and [[Southern Africa]].<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/table?tocId=9394911 Encyclopedia Britannica] table of religions, by region; retrieved November 2007</ref> However it is declining in some areas including [[Oceania]] (Australia and [[New Zealand]]), [[Northern Europe]] (including [[Great Britain]],<ref>[http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/news/uk/061223/christendom New UK opinion poll shows continuing collapse of 'Christendom']</ref> [[Scandinavia]] and other places), France, Germany, the Canadian provinces of [[Ontario]], [[British Columbia]], and [[Quebec]], the [[Western United States|Western]] and [[Northern United States|Northern]] portions of the United States, and parts of [[Asia]] (especially the [[Middle East]]<ref>Barrett/Kurian.''World Christian Encyclopedia'', p. 139 (Britain), 281 (France), 299 (Germany).</ref>,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4499668.stm BBC NEWS - Guide: Christians in the Middle East]</ref><ref>[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4425100.html Is Christianity dying in the birthplace of Jesus?]</ref> [[South Korea]],<ref>[http://www.omf.org/omf/uk/about_asia/countries/korea/south_korea_profile Number of Christians among young Koreans decreases by 5% per year]</ref> [[Taiwan]]<ref>[http://americanbuddhist.net/christianity-fading-taiwan Christianity fading in Taiwan | American Buddhist Net<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and [[Macau]]<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/world/asia/26macao.html?_r=1&oref=slogin A Gambling-Fueled Boom Adds to a Church’s Bane]</ref>).
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:They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food &mdash; but ordinary and innocent food.<ref>Pliny the Younger Letters, 10.96</ref>
  
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In most countries in the developed world, church attendance among people who continue to identify themselves as Christians has been falling over the last few decades.<ref>Putnam, ''Democracies in Flux: The Evolution of Social Capital in Contemporary Society'', p. 408.</ref> Some sources view this simply as part of a drift away from traditional membership institutions<ref>McGrath, ''Christianity: An Introduction'', p. xvi.</ref>, while others link it to signs of a decline in belief in the importance of religion in general.<ref>Peter Marber, ''Money Changes Everything: How Global Prosperity Is Reshaping Our Needs, Values and Lifestyles'', p. 99.</ref>
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=== Implications of the growth of worldwide Christianity ===
  
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==Denominations==
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''see also:'' [[Global Christianity]] and [[Internet evangelism]]
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{{main|Christian denomination}}
 
  
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There is a diversity of [[doctrine]]s and practices among groups calling themselves Christian. These groups are sometimes classified under [[Christian denomination|denomination]]s, though for theological reasons many groups reject this classification system.<ref>Sydney E. Ahlstrom ({{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}, p. 381.) characterized [[denominationalism]] in America as "a virtual ecclesiology" that "first of all repudiates the insistences of the Roman Catholic church, the churches of the 'magisterial' Reformation, and of most sects that they alone are the true Church." For specific citations, on the Roman Catholic Church see the ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' §816; other examples: Donald Nash, [http://www.crownhillchurch.com/Why_the_Churches_of_Christ_Are_Not_A_Denomination.pdf#search=%22church%20of%20christ%20not%20a%20denomination%22 Why the Churches of Christ are not a Denomination]; Wendell Winkler, [http://www.thebible.net/introchurch/ch4.html Christ's Church is not a Denomination]; and David E. Pratt, [http://www.biblestudylessons.com/cgi-bin/gospel_way/denominations.php What does God think about many Christian denominations?]</ref>  
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Given the increase in the public's access to global communications, it is thought that the more [[theology|theologically]] [[conservative]] non-Western Christian churches could influence Western Christianity to move in a more theologically [[conservative]] direction.<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18774</ref> For example, non-Western [[Anglican]]s are exerting influence within the worldwide Anglican Communion against the stance of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion's North American provinces with regard to [[homosexual]] practices.<ref>http://www.maravipost.com/malawi-politics/district/5751-bishop-mw-anglicans-totally-against-homosexuality.html</ref><ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2156406/Anglican-church-schism-declared-over-homosexuality.html</ref>
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Christianity may be broadly represented as being [[Schism (religion)|divided]] into five main groupings: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Protestantism and Restorationism.<ref name="North Virgina College - Four Sects">{{cite web|url = http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/Rel232/resource/Xiandivision.htm| title = Divisions of Christianity|publisher = North Virginia College|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="Religious Tolerance - Four Sects">{{cite web|url = http://www.religioustolerance.org/ldswho.htm| title = The LDS Restorationist movement,
 
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including Mormon denominations|publisher = Religious Tolerance|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>  
 
  
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{{Denominations of Christianity}}
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== History of Christianity timeline ==
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[[Image:ChristianityBranches.svg|500px|thumb|left|A simplified chart of historical developments of major groups within Christianity.]]
 
  
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{{clear}}
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[[File:Branches of Christianity.jpg|center|900px]]
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{{Clear}}
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=== Early Christianity ===
  
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===Roman Catholicism and other Catholic groups===
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See: [[Early Christianity]]
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{{main|Roman Catholic Church}}
 
  
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The [[Roman Catholic Church|(Roman) Catholic Church]] is comprised of those [[Particular Church|particular churches]], headed by bishops, in communion with the [[Pope]], the Bishop of Rome, as its highest authority in matters of faith, morality and Church governance.<ref name="LumenG">[[Second Vatican Council]], ''[http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html  Lumen Gentium]''.</ref><ref name="SandSp1">Duffy, ''Saints and Sinners'', p. 1.</ref> Like the [[Eastern Orthodox]], the Roman Catholic Church through [[Apostolic succession]] traces its origins to the Christian community founded by Jesus Christ.<ref name="NatGeographic281">Hitchcock, ''Geography of Religion'', p. 281.</ref><ref name="Norman11">Norman, ''The Roman Catholic Church an Illustrated History'', p. 11, 14.</ref> Catholics maintain that the "[[Four Marks of the Church|one, holy, catholic and apostolic church]]" founded by Jesus [["Subsistit in" in Lumen Gentium|subsists fully]] in the Roman Catholic Church, but also acknowledges other Christian churches and communities<ref name = "LumenGentium">[[Second Vatican Council]], ''[http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html Lumen Gentium], chapter 2, paragraph 15.</ref><ref>[[Catechism of the Catholic Church]], [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm#IV paragraph 865].</ref> and works towards [[ecumenism|reconciliation]] among all Christians.<ref name = "LumenGentium"/> The Roman Catholic faith is detailed in the ''[[Catechism of the Catholic Church]]''.<ref name="cat">Marthaler, ''Introducing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Traditional Themes and Contemporary Issues'' (1994), preface.</ref><ref>{{cite web | last = John Paul II| first =Pope | title =Laetamur Magnopere | publisher =Vatican | year =1997 | url =http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/laetamurmagnopere.htm | accessdate =2008-03-09 }}</ref>
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== Positive effects of Christianity on societies  ==
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[[Image:Stbasil.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Saint Basil|St. Basil]] of Caesarea founded the first hospital. Christian hospitals subsequently spread quickly throughout both the East and the West.<ref>[http://biblemesh.com/blog/the-christian-origins-of-hospitals/ The Christian origin of hospitals]</ref> See: [[Christianity and hospitals]] ]]
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''See also:'' [[Christianity statistics]]
  
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The 2,782 [[Episcopal see|sees]]<ref>''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' (2007), p. 1172.</ref> are grouped into 23 [[Particular Church|particular rites]], the largest being the [[Latin Rite]], each with distinct traditions regarding the [[liturgy]] and the administering the [[Sacraments of the Catholic Church|sacraments]].<ref name="OneFaith71">Barry, ''One Faith, One Lord'' (2001), p. 71</ref> With more than one billion baptized members, the Roman Catholic Church is the largest [[Ecclesia (church)|church]] representing over half of all Christians and one sixth of the [[world population|world's population]].<ref name="Adherents">Adherents.com, [http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html ''Religions by Adherents'']</ref><ref>''Zenit.org'', "[http://www.zenit.org/article-18894?l=english Number of Catholics and Priests Rises]", 12 February 2007.</ref><ref name="CIA">[[Central Intelligence Agency]], ''[[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html#People CIA World Factbook]]'' (2007).</ref>
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Historically, Christianity has had a positive effect on societies and there are a number of statistics which demonstrate this matter (see: [[Christianity statistics]]).
  
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Various smaller communities, such as the [[Old Catholic Church|Old Catholic]] and [[Independent Catholic Churches]], include the word ''Catholic'' in their title, and share much in common with Roman Catholicism but are no longer in [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] with the [[Holy See|See of Rome]]. The [[Old Catholic Church]] is in communion with the [[Anglican Communion]].<ref>According to the Bonn Accord of 1931, cited at [http://www.churchofthebeatitudes.org/id19.html Old Catholic Church of the Beatitudes].</ref><ref>[http://www.caecg.de/ Council of Anglican Episcopal Churches in Germany].</ref>
+
=== Christianity and social stability ===
  
−
===Eastern Orthodoxy===
+
See: [[Christianity and social stability]]
−
{{main|Eastern Orthodox Church}}
 
  
−
[[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodoxy]] is comprised of those churches in communion with the Patriarchal Sees of the East, such as the [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople]].<ref name="ODCC1199">Cross/Livingstone. ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church'', p. 1199.</ref> Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church also traces its heritage to the foundation of Christianity through [[Apostolic succession]] and has an [[Episcopal polity|episcopal]] structure, though the [[autocephaly|autonomy]] of the individual, mostly national churches is emphasized. A number of conflicts with Western Christianity over questions of doctrine and authority culminated in the [[East-West Schism|Great Schism]]. Eastern Orthodoxy is the second largest single denomination in Christianity, with over 200 million adherents.<ref name="Adherents"/>
+
=== Christianity and hospitals ===
  
−
===Oriental Orthodoxy===
+
See: [[Christianity and hospitals]]
  
−
The [[Oriental Orthodox Church]]es (also called ''Old Oriental Churches'') are those eastern churches that recognize the first three ecumenical councils — [[First Council of Nicaea|Nicaea]], [[First Council of Constantinople|Constantinople]] and [[Council of Ephesus|Ephesus]] — but reject the dogmatic definitions of the [[Council of Chalcedon]] and instead espouse a [[Miaphysite]] christology.
+
== Atheism vs. Christianity ==
  
−
===Protestantism===
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism vs. Christianity]]
  
−
In the 16th century, [[Martin Luther]], [[Huldrych Zwingli]], and [[John Calvin]] inaugurated what has come to be called [[Protestantism]]. Luther's primary theological heirs are known as [[Lutheranism|Lutherans]]. Zwingli and Calvin's heirs are far broader denominationally, and are broadly referred to as the [[Reformed|Reformed Tradition]].<ref name="McManners251">McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity''. p. 251-259.</ref> Most Protestant traditions branch out from the Reformed tradition in some way. In addition to the Lutheran and Reformed branches of the Reformation, there is [[Anglicanism]] after the [[English Reformation]]. The [[Anabaptist]] tradition was largely ostracized by the other Protestant parties at the time, but has achieved a measure of affirmation in more recent history.
+
In the latter half of the 1600s, there was [[French atheism#Clandestine French atheism in the 1600s and 1700s|an increase]] in the degree of ideological conflict between [[atheism]] and Christianity in the [[Western World]]. At first the conflict was of a secretive nature via the use of clandestine tracts.<ref>[http://fivebooks.com/interview/jonathan-israel-on-the-enlightenment/ Jonathan Israel on The Enlightenment]</ref><ref>The material was formerly at the University of Cambridge's Investigation Atheism website. A website which closed down. The material has been transferred to [http://www.mmfase.com/18th-century.html 18th Century History], Investigating Atheism</ref>
  
−
The oldest Protestant groups separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century [[Protestant Reformation]], followed in many cases by further divisions.<ref name="McManners251"/> For example, the [[Methodist Church]] grew out of Anglican minister [[John Wesley]]'s [[Evangelism|evangelical]] and [[Holiness Movement|revival movement]] in the [[Anglican Church]].<ref name="Methodist Central Hall Westminster - Methodism">{{cite web|url = http://www.methodist-central-hall.org.uk/history/WhatisMethodism.htm| title = About The Methodist Church|publisher = Methodist Central Hall Westminster|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="Public Service Projects - Holiness Movement">{{cite web|url = http://mb-soft.com/believe/text/holiness.htm| title = American Holiness Movement|publisher = Finding Your Way, Inc.|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>  Several [[Pentecostal]] and non-denominational Churches, which emphasize the cleansing power of the [[Holy Spirit]], in turn grew out of the [[Methodist Church]].<ref name="FYW - Pentecostalism">{{cite web|url = http://www.findingyourwayinc.org/christianity.htm| title = Christianity: Pentecostal Churches|publisher = Finding Your Way, Inc.|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="Public Service Projects - Holiness Movement" /> Because Methodists, Pentecostals, and other [[evangelicals]] stress "accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior"<ref name="CUMC Accepting Christ">{{cite web|url = http://www.cambridgechristumc.com/statementofbelief.htm| title = Statement of Belief|publisher = Cambridge Christ United Methodist Church|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>, which comes from [[John Wesley]]'s emphasis of the [[New Birth]]<ref name="UMC GBGM-The New Birth">{{cite web|url = http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/45/| title = The New Birth by John Wesley (Sermon 45)|publisher = The United Methodist Church GBGM|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>, they often refer to themselves as being [[Born again Christianity|born-again]].<ref name="UMC GBGM-Grace">{{cite web|url = http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/walk.stm| title = God's Preparing, Accepting, and Sustaining Grace|publisher = The United Methodist Church GBGM|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="Warren Wilson College - Total Experience of the Spirit">{{cite web|url = http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~religion/newifo/religions/christianity/index/pentecostal/essay.shtml| title = Total Experience of the Spirtit|publisher = Warren Wilson College|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>
+
As a result of [[militant atheism]] in the 20th century, there was widespread persecution against Christians in [[Communist]] countries such as the former [[Soviet Union]] and various Communist countries such as China continue to persecute Christians (see: [[Communism and religious persecution]]).
  
−
Estimates of the total number of Protestants are very uncertain, partly because of the difficulty in determining which denominations should be placed in these categories, but it seems clear that Protestantism is the second largest major group of Christians after Roman Catholicism in number of followers (although the Eastern Orthodox Church is larger than any single Protestant denomination).<ref name="Adherents" />
+
The 21st century is projected to be a century of [[desecularization]] and atheists are expected to lose influence in the West (and the world as a whole) as a result of religious immigration and the religious conservatives having a much higher fertility rate (see also: [[Growth of global desecularization]]).
  
−
A special grouping are the [[Anglicanism|Anglican churches]] descended from the [[Church of England]] and organised in the [[Anglican Communion]].. Some Anglican churches consider themselves both Protestant and Catholic.<ref>Sykes/Booty/Knight. ''The Study of Anglicanism'', p. 219.</ref> Some Anglicans consider their church a [[Branch theory|branch of the "One Holy Catholic Church"]] alongside of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, a concept rejected by the Roman Catholic Church and some Eastern Orthodox.<ref>Gregory Hallam, ''[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/ecumenical/hallam_orthodoxy_ecumenism.htm Orthodoxy and Ecumenism]''.</ref><ref>Gregory Mathewes-Green, "[http://www.westernorthodox.com/branch.html Whither the Branch Theory?]", ''Anglican Orthodox Pilgrim'' Vol. 2, No. 4.</ref>
+
In 2011, the ''American Spectator'' declared about the global population:
 +
{{cquote|The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new [[Islam|Muslims]] every day, and 300 fewer atheists every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the [[Western World|West]], while religion is thriving in the Global South, where [[Charismatic movement|charismatic Christianity]] is exploding."<ref>[http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity Thriving Christianity]</ref>}}
  
−
Some Christians who come out of the Protestant tradition identify themselves simply as "Christian", or "[[born-again]] Christian"; they typically distance themselves from the [[confessionalism (religion)|confessionalism]] and/or [[creed]]alism of other Christian communities<ref>Confessionalism is a term employed by historians to describe "the creation of fixed identities and systems of beliefs for separate churches which had previously been more fluid in their self-understanding, and which had not begun by seeking separate identities for themselves — they had wanted to be truly Catholic and reformed." (MacCulloch, ''The Reformation: A History'', p. xxiv.)</ref> by calling themselves "[[Non-denominational Christianity|non-denominational]]" — often founded by individual pastors, they have little affiliation with historic denominations.
+
In 2022, the left-leaning Pew Research Center projected that Christianity would lose its majority in the [[United States]] by 2070, but that assumes a lack of renewed [[evangelism]].<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/14/christian-population-minority-2070-model-pew/10380295002/</ref>
  
−
===Restorationism===
+
== Resources related to becoming a Christian ==
  
−
[[Restorationism]] is composed of various unrelated churches that believe they are restoring the original church of Jesus Christ and not reforming any of the churches existing at the time of their perceived restorations.<ref>McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity'', p. 91f.</ref> They teach that the other divisions of Christianity have introduced defects into Christianity, which is known as the [[Great Apostasy]].<ref name="Religious Tolerance - Restorationism">{{cite web|url = http://www.religioustolerance.org/chrrest.htm| title = The Restorationist Movements|publisher = Religious Tolerance|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="Got Questions Ministries - Restorationism">{{cite web|url = http://www.gotquestions.org/restorationism.html| title = What is Restorationism?|publisher = Got Questions Ministries|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Some of these are historically connected to early-19th century camp meetings in the Midwest and Upstate New York. American [[Millennialism]] and [[Adventist|Adventism]], which arose from Evangelical Protestantism, produced the [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] movement (with 6.6 million members<ref>JW-Media.org [http://www.jw-media.org/people/statistics.htm#Jehovah%Witness%Membership%2005 Membership 2005]</ref>), and, as a reaction specifically to [[William Miller]], [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]]. Additionally, there are the following groups: [[Christadelphians]], [[Churches of Christ]] with 2.6 million members, [[Disciples of Christ]] with 800,000 members,<ref> ''Statistical Report: Annual Council of the General Conference Committee Silver Spring, Marlyand, 6 October—11, 2006''</ref> and  [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], the largest denomination of the [[Latter Day Saint movement]] with over 13 million members. Though Restorationists have some superficial similarities, their doctrine and practices vary significantly.
+
''see also:'' [[Essay: Resources on becoming a Christian|Resources on becoming a Christian]]
  
−
[[Mainstream]] Christianity is widely used to refer collectively to the common views of major denominations of Christianity (such as [[Roman Catholicism]], [[Protestantism]], [[Anglicanism]], [[Orthodox Christianity]]) as against the particular tenets of other sects or [[Christian denomination]]. The context is dependent on the particular issues addressed, but usually contrasts the [[orthodox]] majority view against [[heterodox]] minority views of groups like Restorationists. In the most common sense, "mainstream" refers to [[Nicene Christianity]], or rather the traditions which continue to claim adherence to the [[Nicene Creed]].<ref>
+
'''Below are some resources on becoming a [[Christian]]:'''
−
{{cite web  | last =  | first =  | authorlink =  | coauthors =  | title =Nicene Creed  | work =Encyclopædia Britannica Online  | publisher =Encyclopædia Britannica  |date=2007  | url =http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9055702  | format =  | doi =  | accessdate =2007-12-31}}</ref>
 
  
−
==Ecumenism==
+
*[https://creation.com/good-news Are you a good person?]
−
{{main|Ecumenism}}
 
  
−
Most churches have long expressed ideals of being reconciled with each other, and in the 20th century Christian [[ecumenism]] advanced in two ways.<ref name="McManners581">McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity'', p. 581-584.</ref> One way was greater cooperation between groups, such as the [[Edinburgh Missionary Conference]] of Protestants in 1910, the Justice, Peace and Creation Commission of the [[World Council of Churches]] founded in 1948 by Protestant and Orthodox churches, and similar national councils like the [[National Council of Churches in Australia]] which includes Roman Catholics.<ref name="McManners581"/>
+
*[http://www.newchristian.org.uk/ New Christian - UK]
  
−
The other way was institutional union with new [[United and uniting churches]]. [[Congregational church|Congregationalist]], [[Methodist]], and [[Presbyterian]] churches united in 1925 to form the [[United Church of Canada]],<ref>McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity''. p. 413f.</ref> and in 1977 to form the [[Uniting Church in Australia]]. The [[Church of South India]] was formed in 1947 by the union of [[Anglicanism|Anglican]], [[Methodism|Methodist]], [[Congregational church|Congregationalist]], [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]], and [[Reformed Church|Reformed]] churches.<ref>McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity'', p. 498.</ref>
+
*[http://www.thewordfortoday.org/?page=C2000 Free audio Bible and Bible audio streaming]
  
−
Steps towards reconciliation on a global level were taken in 1965 by the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches mutually revoking the excommunications that marked their [[East-West Schism|Great Schism]] in 1054;<ref>McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity'', p. 373.</ref> the [[Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission]] (ARCIC) working towards full communion between those churches since 1970;<ref>McManners, ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity'', p. 583.</ref> and the [[Lutheran World Federation|Lutheran]] and [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] churches signing The [[Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification]] in 1999 to address conflicts at the root of the [[Protestant Reformation]]. In 2006 the [[World Methodist Council|Methodist church]] adopted the declaration.<ref>[http://www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/OEA/Methodist-Statement-2006-EN.pdf Methodist Statement]</ref>
+
*[http://www.allaboutgod.com/ AllAboutGod.com]
 +
 
 +
*[[Christian apologetics|Evidence for Christianity]]
 +
 
 +
*[[Christian video testimonies]]
 +
 
 +
*[https://www.gotquestions.org/repentance.html Repentance]
 +
 
 +
* [https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/what-if-you-die-today/ What Must You Do To Be SAVED?]
 +
 
 +
'''Tips on choosing a Christian church:'''
 +
 
 +
*[http://www.allaboutreligion.org/choosing-a-christian-church-faq.htm Choosing a Christian Church]
 +
 
 +
=== Books ===
 +
 
 +
*''The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ'' by Bill Hull. ‎NavPress; Annotated edition (November 6, 2006)
 +
*''The Pursuit of Holiness'' by Jerry Bridges. NavPress; Enlarged edition (November 3, 2016)
 +
*''The Practice of Godliness'' by Jerry Bridges. NavPress (June 1, 2016)
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
−
{{Christianityportal}}
+
[[File:1024px-Pentarchy 565 CE.png|thumbnail|700px|[[Pentarchy]] in 565 AD.]]
−
*[[Freedom of religion]]
+
'''Denominations or branches of Christianity'''
−
*[[Criticism of Christianity]]
+
*[[Roman Catholic Church]]
−
*[[Good news (Christianity)]], concerning the gospel message of Christianity
+
*[[Pentarchy]]
 +
*[[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Churches  -- Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East]]
 +
*[[Protestantism|Protestant]]
 +
**[[Anglican]] ([[Church of England]])
 +
***[[Episcopal Church]] (USA affiliate)
 +
**[[Baptist]]
 +
**[[Congregationalist]]
 +
**[[Disciples of Christ]] and [[Churches of Christ]]
 +
**[[Evangelical Christianity]]
 +
**[[Religious Society of Friends|Friends (Quaker)]]
 +
**[[Fundamentalism]]
 +
**[[Lutheran]]
 +
**[[Mennonite]]
 +
***[[Amish]]
 +
**[[Messianic Judaism]]
 +
**[[Methodist]]
 +
**[[Pentecostal]]
 +
**[[Plymouth Brethren]]
 +
**[[Presbyterian]]
 +
**[[Reformed]]
 +
*[[Coptic_Church | Coptic Church]]
 +
*[[Ethiopian_Orthodox_Tewahedo_Church | Ethiopian Church ]]
 +
*[[Indian_Orthodox_Church | Indian Orthodox Church]]
 +
*[[Independent_Catholic_churches |Independent Catholic Churches]]
 +
'''Disputed'''
 +
*[[Christian Science]]
 +
*[[Jehovah's Witnesses]]
 +
*[[Latter-day Saints]]
 +
*[[Unitarian]]
 +
*[[Seventh-day Adventist]]
 +
*[[Society_of_St._Pius_X |SSPX traditionalist Catholicism Latin mass]]
 +
*[[Liberal Catholic Church]]
 +
*Oneness [[Pentecostalism]]
 +
*[[Liberal Christianity]]
 +
'''Christianity in the World'''
  
−
==Notes==
+
*[[Global Christianity]]
 +
*[[List of countries by number of Christians]]
  
−
{{reflist|2}}
+
'''American Christianity:'''
 +
 
 +
*[[American Christianity]]
 +
'''Christianity by continent'''
 +
*[[Christianity in Africa]]
 +
*[[Christianity in Asia]]
 +
*[[Christianity in Australia | Christianity in Australia, Oceania, New Zealand]]
 +
*[[Christianity in Europe]]
 +
*[[Christianity in North America | Christianity in North America, Caribbean]]
 +
*[[Christianity in South America | Christianity in South America, Central America]]
  
−
==References==
+
'''Other articles'''
−
;General refence:
+
[[File:All Souls College, Oxford.jpg|thumbnail|right|300px|The prominent historian Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the History of the Church at [[Oxford University]], indicates that he believes Christianity faces a "bright future" worldwide (See also: [[Global Christianity]]).  
−
<small>
+
<br />
−
*''American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'', Houghton Mifflin Company (2006).
+
<br />
−
*''Catechism of the Catholic Church''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
According to MacCulloch, "Christianity, the world's largest religion, is rapidly expanding – by all indications, its future is very bright."<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/catholic-schism-diarmaid-macculloh-silence-in-christian-history_n_1663231.html Historian predicts 'bright future' for Christianity]</ref>
−
*''Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
<br />
−
*''Encyclopedia of Religion''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
<br />
−
*''New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
See also: [[Future of Christianity]] ]]
−
*''New Dictionary of Theology''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Future of Christianity]]
−
*Barrett, David; Kurian, Tom et al. (ed.). ''World Christian Encyclopedia''. Oxford University Press (2001).
+
*[[Christianity and social stability]]
−
</small>
+
*[[Resurrection Sunday | Easter]]
−
;Monographies and articles:
+
*[[Christmas]]
−
<small>
+
*[[Adiabene]]
−
*Ahlstrom, Sydney E. {{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Essay: The earliest Christian Church, a prison in Armageddon]]
−
*Albright, William F. ''From the Stone Age to Christianity''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Aramaic Church]]
−
*Alexander, T. Desmond. ''New Dictionary of Biblical Theology''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Cathedral]]
−
*Anidjar, 2001.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Catholicism]]
−
*[[Greg Bahnsen|Bahnsen, Greg]]. ''[http://www.cmfnow.com/articles/pt173.htm A Reformed Confession Regarding Hermeneutics'' (article 6)].
+
*[[Apostolic Tradition]]
−
<small>
+
*[[Christian apologetics]] (Defense of Christianity)
−
*Balge, Richard D. ''[http://www.wlsessays.net/subjects/IJ/ijsubind.htm#Justification Martin Luther, Augustinian]''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Christians and the Law of Moses: an essay]]
−
*Ball, Bryan; Johnsson, William (ed.). ''The Essential Jesus''. Pacific Press (2002). ISBN 0816319294.
+
*[[Christianity and Science]]
−
*Barry, John F. ''One Faith, One Lord: A Study of Basic Catholic Belief''. William H. Sadlier (2001). ISBN 0-8215-2207-8
+
*[[Christianity and women's rights]]
−
*Bettenson, Henry (ed.). ''Documents of the Christian Church''. Oxford University Press (1943).
+
*[[Christian marriage]]
−
*Bokenkotter, Thomas. ''A Concise History of the Catholic Church ''. Doubleday (2004). ISBN 0385505841 
+
*[[Church]]
−
*Bruce, F.F. ''The Canon of Scripture''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Conservative Christianity]]
−
*Chambers, Mortimer; Crew, Herlihy, Rabb, Woloch. ''The Western Experience. Volume II: The Early Modern Period''. Alfred A. Knopf (1974). ISBN 0-394-31734-3.
+
*[[Eucharist]]
−
*Coffey, John. ''Persecution and Toleration in Protestant England 1558-1689''. Pearson Education (2000).
+
*[[Evangelical Apostolic Church of North America (Syro-Chaldean)]]
−
*Cross, F. L.; Livingstone, E. A. (ed.). ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church''. Oxford University Press (1997). ISBN 019211655X.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Ex opere operato and ex opere operantis]]
−
*Deppermann, Klaus. ''Melchior Hoffman: Social Unrest and Apocalyptic Vision in the Age of Reformation''. ISBN 0-567-08654-2.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Christian apologetics|Evidence for Christianity]]
−
*Dilasser, Maurice. ''The Symbols of the Church''. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press (1999). ISBN 0-8146-2538-X
+
*[[Gospel reading in the Church: the Turgama]]
−
*Duffy, Eamon. ''Saints and Sinners, a History of the Popes''. Yale University Press (1997). ISBN 0-3000-7332-1 
+
*[[Infant baptism]]
−
*Elwell, Walter A.; Comfort, Philip Wesley. ''Tyndale Bible Dictionary'', Tyndale House Publishers (2001). ISBN 0842370897.
+
*[[Inspiration of Holy Scripture: An Eastern Christian and Jewish Perspective]]
−
*Esler, Phillip F. ''The Early Christian World''. Routledge (2004).
+
*[[Jesus Christ]]
−
*Farrar, F.W. ''[http://www.tentmaker.org/books/mercyandjudgment/mercy_and_judgment_ch1.html Mercy and Judgment. A Few Last Words On Christian Eschatology With Reference to Dr. Pusey's, "What Is Of Faith?"]''. Macmillan, London/New York (1904).
+
*[[Judaism]]
−
*Foutz, Scott. ''[http://www.quodlibet.net/luther.shtml '' Martin Luther and Scripture]'' Martin Luther and Scripture''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Messiah]]
−
<small>
+
*[[Head covering (Christianity)]]
−
*Fowler, Jeaneane D. ''World Religions: An Introduction for Students'', Sussex Academic Press (1997). ISBN 1898723486.
+
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
−
*[[Reginald H. Fuller|Fuller, Reginald H.]] ''[[Reginald H. Fuller#The Foundations of New Testament Christology (1965)|The Foundations of New Testament Christology]]'' Scribners (1965). ISBN 068415532X.
+
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
−
*Froehle, Bryan; Gautier, Mary, ''Global Catholicism, Portrait of a World Church'', Orbis books; Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, Georgetown University  (2003) ISBN=157075375x
+
*[[Jewish Biblical way of interpretation: a solution for New Testament understanding]]
−
*Funk, Robert. ''The Acts of Jesus: What Did Jesus Really Do?''. Polebridge Press (1998). ISBN 0060629789.
+
*[[Early Aramaic Jewish Christian prophesying]]
−
*Glenny, W. Edward. ''Typology: A Summary Of The Present Evangelical Discussion''.
+
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
−
*Gonzalez, Justo L. ''The Story of Christianity: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation'',  Harper Collins Publishers, New York (1984).
+
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
−
*Hanegraaff, Hank. ''Resurrection: The Capstone in the Arch of Christianity''. Thomas Nelson (2000). IBSN 0849916437.
+
*[[God on earth, the original!: an essay]]
−
*Harnack, Adolf von. ''[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/harnack/dogma1.ii.iii.iii.html History of Dogma]'' (1894).{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Passover Seder]]
−
*Hickman, Hoyt L. et al. ''Handbook of the Christian Year''. Abingdon Press (1986). ISBN 0-687-16575-X
+
*[[Persecution of Christians]]
−
*Hinnells, John R. ''The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion'' (2005).{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Revelation, Book of (historical exegesis)]]
−
*Hitchcock, Susan Tyler. ''Geography of Religion''. [[National Geographic Society]] (2004) ISBN 0-7922-7313-3
+
*[[Red-letter Christian]]
−
*Kelly, J.N.D. ''Early Christian Doctrines''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Sign of the Cross]]
−
*Kelly, J.N.D. ''The Athanasian Creed''. Harper & Row, New York (1964).
+
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
−
*Kirsch, Jonathan. ''God Against the Gods''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Essay: The Way of Salvation]]
−
*Kreeft, Peter. ''Catholic Christianity''. Ignatius Press (2001) ISBN 0-89870-798-6 
+
*[[Gates of Hell]]
−
*Letham, Robert. ''The Holy Trinity in Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship''. P & R Publishing (2005). ISBN 0875520006.
+
*[[Anti Abortion activism: a personal essay]]
−
*Lorenzen, Thorwald. ''Resurrection, Discipleship, Justice: Affirming the Resurrection Jesus Christ Today''. Smyth & Helwys (2003). ISBN 1573123994.
+
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
−
*McLaughlin, R. Emmet, ''Caspar Schwenckfeld, reluctant radical: his life to 1540'', New Haven: Yale University Press (1986). ISBN 0-300-03367-2.
+
*[[Singing the Hebrew Scriptures]]
−
*MacCulloch, Diarmaid, ''The Reformation: A History''. Viking Adult (2004).
+
*[[Christmas in the Holy Land: an essay]]
−
*Marber, Peter. ''Money Changes Everything: How Global Prosperity Is Reshaping Our Needs, Values and Lifestyles''. FT Press (2003). ISBN 0130654809
+
*[[Essay: How to "get" a church]]
−
*Marthaler, Berard. ''Introducing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Traditional Themes and Contemporary Issues''. Paulist Press (1994). ISBN 0809134950
+
*[[Essay: How to choose a Bible]]
−
*Mathison, Keith. ''The Shape of Sola Scriptura'' (2001).{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Essay: Water baptism cannot save, the Church cannot save, Born again by faith alone]]
−
*McClintock, John, ''Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature''. Harper &Brothers, original from Harvard University (1889)
+
*[[Bible translations]]
−
*McGrath, Alister E. ''Christianity: An Introduction''. Blackwell Publishing (2006). ISBN 1405108991.
+
*[[Essay: The superiority of the King James Bible: Looking through!]]
−
*McGrath, Alister E. ''Historical Theology''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Essay:Christianity Needs Conservatism]]
−
*McManners, John. ''Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity''. Oxford University Press (1990). IBSN 0198229283.
+
*[[Essay:Christian First, Conservative Second]]
−
*Meconi, David Vincent. "Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity", in: ''Journal of Early Christian Studies''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Essay:How Many Christians In The World]]
−
*Metzger, Bruce M., Michael Coogan (ed.). ''Oxford Companion to the Bible''. Oxford University Press (1993). ISBN 0195046455.
+
*[[Essay:How Conservatism Is Essential to the Future of Christianity]]
−
*Norman, Edward. ''The Roman Catholic Church, An Illustrated History''. University of California (2007) ISBN 978-0-520-25251-6
+
*[[Essay:Important Christian Cities]]
−
*Olson, Roger E., ''The Mosaic of Christian Belief''. InterVarsity Press (2002). ISBN 9780830826957.
+
*[[Essay:Virtue: Christian vs secular]]
−
*Orlandis, Jose, ''A Short History of the Catholic Church''. Scepter Publishers (1993) ISBN 1851821252
+
*[[Essay:Counter-cultural Christianity]]
−
*Ott, Ludwig. ''Grundriß der Dogmatik''. Herder, Freiburg (1965).{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
+
*[[Essay:Why Christianity is incompatible with Liberalism]]
−
*Pelikan, Jaroslav; Hotchkiss, Valerie (ed.) ''Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition''. Yale University Press (2003). ISBN 0300093896.
+
</div>
−
*Putnam, Robert D. ''Democracies in Flux: The Evolution of Social Capital in Contemporary Society''.  Oxford University Press (2002).
 
−
*Riley-Smith, Jonathan. ''The Oxford History of the Crusades''. New York: Oxford University Press, (1999).
 
−
*Robinson, George. ''Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs and Rituals''. New York: Pocket Books (2000).
 
−
*Schama, Simon . ''A History of Britain''. Hyperion (2000). ISBN 0-7868-6675-6.
 
−
*Servetus, Michael. ''Restoration of Christianity''. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press (2007).
 
−
*Simon, Edith. ''Great Ages of Man: The Reformation''. Time-Life Books (1966). ISBN 0662278208.
 
−
*Smith, J.Z. (1998).{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
 
−
*Spitz, Lewis. ''The Protestant Reformation''. Concordia Publishing House (2003). ISBN 0570033209.
 
−
*Sproul, R.C. ''Knowing Scripture''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
 
−
*[[Charles Spurgeon|Spurgeon, Charles]]. ''[http://www.spurgeon.org/calvinis.htm A Defense of Calvinism]''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
 
−
*Sykes, Stephen; Booty, John; Knight, Jonathan. ''The Study of Anglicanism''. Augsburg Fortress Publishers (1998). ISBN 080063151X.
 
−
*Talbott, Thomas. ''[http://www.willamette.edu/~ttalbott/PICTURES.pdf Three Pictures of God in Western Theology]" (1995).{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
 
−
<small>
 
−
*Ustorf, Werner. "A missiological postscript", in: McLeod, Hugh; Ustorf, Werner (ed.). ''The Decline of Christendom in Western Europe, 1750-2000''. Cambridge University Press (2003).
 
−
*White, Howard A. ''[http://www.appiusforum.com/restoration.html The History of the Church]''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
 
−
*Woodhead, Linda. ''An Introduction to Christianity''.{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
 
−
</small>
 
  
 
==Further reading==
 
==Further reading==
 +
===Encyclopedias===
 +
*  Bodensieck, Julius, ed. ''The Encyclopedia of the Lutheran Church,'' (3 vol 1965), ECLS perspective
 +
* Brauer, Jerald C. ''The Westminster Dictionary of Church History'' (1971), 880pp
 +
* [http://newadvent.org/cathen/index.html ''The Catholic Encyyclopedia'' (1907-1913)], old but highly detailed and online
 +
** '' New Catholic Encyclopedia'', edited by the Catholic University of America, 17 vol. 1967–1979.
 +
*Cross, F. L., and E. A. Livingstone, eds. ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church''  (3rd ed. 1997), 1840pp; [https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Dictionary-Christian-Church/dp/0192802909/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b excerpt and text search]; online at [[OUP]]
 +
* Elwell, Walter A., ed. ''Evangelical Dictionary of Theology‎'' (2001) 1312 pages; articles by over 200 Evangelical or Fundamentalist scholars
 +
*Hastings, Adrian et al. eds. ''The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought'' (2000) 808pp; 600 articles by 260 Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox scholars; [https://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0198600240/ref=sib_dp_pt/105-4292297-2766841#reader-link excerpt and text search]; online at [[OUP]]
 +
*''New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge'' (1911), major sources of older scholarly articles; mainline Protestant perspective 
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc01.toc.html Vol. 1: Aachen - Basilians]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc02.toc.html Vol. 2: Basilica - Chambers]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc03.toc.html Vol. 3: Chamier - Draendorf]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc04.toc.html Vol. 4: Draeseke - Goa]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc05.toc.html Vol. 5: Goar - Innocent]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc06.toc.html Vol. 6: Innocents - Liudger]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc07.toc.html Vol. 7: Liutprand - Moralities]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc08.toc.html Vol. 8: Morality - Petersen]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc09.toc.html Vol. 9: Petri - Reuchlin]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc10.toc.html Vol. 10: Reutsch - Son]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc11.toc.html Vol. 11: Son of Man - Tremellius]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc12.toc.html Vol. 12: Trench - Zwingli]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc13.toc.html Vol. 13: Index]
  
−
*{{cite book |author=Gill, Robin |title=The Cambridge companion to Christian ethics |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge, UK |year=2001 |pages= |isbn=0521779189 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
===Histories===
−
*{{cite book |author=Gunton, Colin E. |title=The Cambridge companion to Christian doctrine |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge, UK |year=1997 |pages= |isbn=0-521-47695-X |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
*Briggs, J. H. Y., Robert D. Linder, and David F. Wright. ''Introduction to the History of Christianity: First Century to the Present Day'' (2006) [https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-History-Christianity-Century-Present/dp/0800638123/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200823548&sr=8-4 excerpt and text search]
−
*{{cite book |author=MacMullen, Ramsay |title=Voting About God in Early Church Councils|publisher=Yale University Press |location=New Haven, CT |year=2006 |pages= |isbn=0300115962  |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
*Gonzalez, Justo L. '' A History of Christian Thought: Volume 1: From the Beginnings to the Council of Chalcedon'' (2nd ed. 1987); [https://www.amazon.com/History-Christian-Thought-Beginnings-Chalcedon/dp/0687171822/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200823941&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search vol 1]; ''A History of Christian Thought: Volume 2: From Augustine to the Eve of the Reformation'' (2nd ed. 1987) [https://www.amazon.com/History-Christian-Thought-Augustine-Reformation/dp/0687171830/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200823941&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search vol 2]; ''A History of Christian Thought: Volume 3: From the Protestant Reformation to the Twentieth Century'' (1987) [https://www.amazon.com/History-Christian-Thought-Protestant-Reformation/dp/0687171849/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-12 excerpt and text search vol 3]
−
*{{cite book |author=Padgett, Alan G.; Sally Bruyneel |title=Introducing Christianity |publisher=Orbis Books |location=Maryknoll, N.Y. |year= 2003 |pages= |isbn= 1570753954 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
*Horsley, Richard A. ''Christian Origins: A People's History Of Christianity, Vol. 1'' (2006), 318pp [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Origins-Peoples-History-Christianity/dp/080063411X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200886474&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
−
*{{cite book |author=Price, Matthew Arlen; Collins, Michael |title=The story of Christianity |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |location=New York |year=1999 |pages= |isbn=0-7513-0467-0 |oclc= |doi=}}
+
*Latourette, Kenneth Scott. ''A History of Christianity'' (2 vol 1975) [https://www.amazon.com/History-Christianity-Beginnings-1500-Revised/dp/0060649526/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200823548&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search vol 1, to 1500], by leading Baptist scholar
−
*{{cite book |author=[[Pope Benedict XVI|Ratzinger, Joseph]] |title=Introduction To Christianity (Communio Books) |publisher=Ignatius Press |location=San Francisco |year= 2004 |pages= |isbn=1586170295 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
*Latourette, Kenneth Scott. ''A history of the expansion of Christianity'' (7 vol 1939–1970), monumental history of missionary work worldwide
−
*{{cite book |author=Tucker, Karen; Wainwright, Geoffrey|title=The Oxford history of Christian worship |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford [Oxfordshire] |year=2006 |pages= |isbn=0-19-513886-4 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
*MacCulloch, Diarmaid. ''The Reformation'' (2005), influential recent survey [https://www.amazon.com/Reformation-Diarmaid-MacCulloch/dp/014303538X/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
−
*{{cite book |author=Wagner, Richard |title=Christianity for Dummies |publisher=For Dummies |location= |year= 2004|pages= |isbn=0764544829 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
*McGonigle, Thomas D., and James F. Quigley. ''A history of the Christian Tradition: From Its Jewish Orgins to the Reformation'' (1988); ''A History of the Christian Tradition, Vol. II: From the Reformation to the Present'' (1996) [https://www.amazon.com/History-Christian-Tradition-Vol-Reformation/dp/0809136481/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-15 excerpt and text search vol 2]
−
*{{cite book |author= Webb, Jeffrey B.  |title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to Christianity |publisher=Alpha Books |location=Indianapolis, Ind |year= 2004|pages= |isbn= 159257176X |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
*Pelikan, Jaroslav. ''Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine'' (5 vol 1975–91) [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Tradition-Development-Doctrine-Medieval/dp/0226653757/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201083460&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search v. 3, 600 AD -1300]; [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Tradition-Development-Reformation-1300-1700/dp/0226653773/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201083460&sr=8-4 excerpt and text search vol 4, 1300-1700]; [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Tradition-History-Development-Doctrine/dp/0226653803/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201083460&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search vol 5, 1700-present] This is the standard history of Christian doctrine.
−
*{{cite book |author=Woodhead, Linda |title=Christianity: a very short introduction |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford [Oxfordshire] |year=2004 |pages= |isbn=0192803220 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-01-03}}
+
*Ward, Keith. ''Christianity: A Beginner's Guide'' (2008), 195pp
  
−
== External links ==
+
===United States===
−
{{sisterlinks}}
+
* Ahlstrom,  Sydney E. ''A religious history of the American people‎'' (1979) 1192 pages; classic history from broad perspective [https://books.google.com/books?id=5kFF6a1viGcC&dq=inauthor:ahlstrom&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES excerpt and text search]
−
*{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/index.shtml |title=BBC - Religion & Ethics - Christianity |accessdate=2008-01-03 |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |pages= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }} A number of introductory articles on Christianity.
+
* Balmer, Randall. ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism'' (2nd ed.  2004), 655pp [http://www.questia.com/library/book/encyclopedia-of-evangelicalism-by-randall-balmer.jsp ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism''  online edition]
 +
* Lippy,  Charles H. and Peter W. Williams, eds. ''Encyclopedia of the American religious experience: studies of traditions and movements'' (3 vol 1988) 1872 pages; standard reference work; long essays by scholars
 +
* Noll, Mark A. '' A history of Christianity in the United States and Canada‎'' (1992), by leading Evangelical historian [https://books.google.com/books?id=VGF3wbzzy9QC&dq=intitle:christianity+inauthor:noll&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES excerpt and text search]
 +
* Queen, Edward L. et al., eds. Encyclopedia of American Religious History'' (3rd ed. 2 vol. 2009) 1200pp
 +
* Reid, Daniel G. et al. eds., ''Dictionary of Christianity in America'' (199)
 +
*  Wooley,  Davis C. ed. '' Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists‎'' (5 vol 1958–19820; 2565 pages)
  
−
*{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/montreal/features/religion/christianity.html  |title=CBC Montreal - Religion - Christianity |accessdate= 2008-01-03 |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |pages=  |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }} An overview of Christianity.
+
==References==
 +
{{reflist|2}}
  
−
*{{cite web |url=http://www.netzarim.co.il  |title=Netzarim  |accessdate= 2008-10-21 |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=- Click at 'History Museum' in the left menu |pages=  |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }} The origin of Christianity
+
==External links==
−
 
+
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/christians/ What Liberals Say - Category: Christians], [[Accuracy In Media]]
−
{{Christianityfooter|uncollapsed}}
+
*[http://www.churchbud.com Christian] Social Network
−
{{Religion topics}}
+
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/2012/11/jesus-through-fabric-of-our-lives.html Jesus through the Fabric of our Lives]
 +
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ Real Life and Death: the interplay of Bible, Israel, America]
 +
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.de/2013/05/who-can-be-saved-who-can-not-be-saved.html Who can be saved? Who can not be saved?]
  
 
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Latest revision as of 17:16, April 14, 2026

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Christianity

Foundations
Jesus Christ
The Gospel

Bible
Old Testament
New Testament
Ten Commandments

Christian Theology
Trinity: Father,
Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit
Atonement
Nicene Creed
Creation
Defense of Christianity
Salvation

History and Traditions
Messianic Judaism
Roman Catholic Church
Arianism
Orthodox Church
Crusades
Protestant Reformation
Counter Reformation
Protestantism
Missions
Great Awakening
Social Gospel
Mainline
Liberal Christians
Evangelical Christians
Fundamentalism

Important Figures
Saint Paul
Saint Athanasius
Saint Augustine
Thomas Aquinas
Martin Luther
John Calvin
Jonathan Edwards
John Wesley
Pope

Christianity is the world's largest religion, having approximately 2.6 billion followers in 2024.[1] In terms of its geographic distribution, Christianity is the most globally diverse religion.[2] Christianity has always been the best way to turn one's life around, to achieve more, to overcome addiction and anxiety, and to enjoy life to a much greater extent. Christianity originated faith and eternal life.

Christianity brings God closest to mankind through Jesus as the Son of God. Literally, Christianity means "of Christ," or "belonging to Christ," or "being like Christ."[3][4][5] The Book of Acts (Acts 11:26 ) records that "the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." The title Christian is also used in Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16. Christians believe in God, the virginal conception and the virginal birth of Jesus Christ, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, Heaven, survival of the soul after death, the Second Coming of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment, the reality of Hell, and the teachings of Jesus Christ as written in the Bible.

History of Christianity

See also: History of Christianity and Historicity of Jesus and Evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Christianity's teachings are derived from the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the 1st century A.D.[6]

The historicity of Jesus focuses on whether Jesus Christ existed as a real historical person, or whether he is simply a mythological imagination. The evidence for the existence of Jesus is overwhelming, as is agreed upon by every professor in every academic institution in every relevant field in the world.[7] In other words, for someone to argue that Jesus never existed (and thus is merely a myth) is to place himself against not only the field of scholarship and the historical record, but even against reason and common sense.

There is strong evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ (See: Evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ).

Main Christian Divisions

The three largest self-governing bodies of Christians are:

  • The Roman Catholic Church (approx. 1.1 billion baptized members) traces its roots back to Saint Peter whom Catholics believe was appointed as the first leader of the church by Jesus Christ and the succession of Popes as the spiritual leaders of Christendom.
Anglican Christ Church in Western Australia
  • Protestantism: the largest Communions are the Anglicans (approx. 115 million baptized members) and the Lutheran World Federation (approx. 68 million baptized members). Protestantism has its origins in the European Reformation. The Protestant movement broke from the Roman Catholic Church under Martin Luther when differences over the nature of faith and works in the role of salvation, as well as other practices of the Catholic Church that Luther saw as unBiblical, were raised. Within Protestantism are four major branches:
    • Mainline, which comprise many of the major denominations outside of the Baptists. These denominations usually have high church services and have increasingly become liberal in their theology and ecumenical in their dealings with other churches, even outside Protestantism.
    • Pentecostal, these groups are generally conservative in their theology, and are known primarily for their emphasis on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as a separate event from salvation, and speaking in tongues.
    • Fundamentalist, these groups are very conservative theologically, but are better known for their emphasis on "separation" from both the world (bordering on, if not crossing over, into legalism) and groups who do not believe as they do (which often includes other fundamentalist groups).
    • Evangelical, this term tends to be a catch-all for a church or denomination not falling into one of the other three categories, but generally also holding to traditional Christian theology. Most non-denominational churches are generally evangelical, as well as the largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention. As the name suggests, they have a major emphasis on Christian evangelism. They are also known for their belief that Christians should be active in the political arena, opposing such political views as abortion and homosexual marriage; in this arena they will work with any group—Protestant or otherwise—who will work with them.

Christian Beliefs

Christian beliefs are well supported via a large body of compelling evidence. Theologians, over two millennia, have debated a definitive summary of the Christian faith. While its interpretations vary drastically, probably the most commonly accepted statement of the faith is the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed.

Christians and Christian denominations agree on many points of doctrine while disagreeing on some. According to an online Harris poll from 2003, 99% of all American Christians believe in God, 96% in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 93% in Heaven, 93% in the virgin birth, 92% in the survival of the soul after death, 82% in Hell, 50% in ghosts, 27% in astrology and 21% in reincarnation.[9] Note that the latter two beliefs are in opposition to the religious tenets of most Christian denominations.

Nonetheless, the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed offers a general overall picture of what Christian theology looks like, and serves as a useful outline and historic standard. Other creeds may prove helpful in research. See the Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian Creed.

God

In the Bible, a dove is often a symbol of the Holy Spirit.[10]

See also: God and Trinity and God the Father and God the Son and Holy Spirit

God is a triune being. Though there is only one Divine nature there are three Divine Personages: God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three Persons are collectively called the Trinity or the Holy Trinity. While God is tripartite, this does not imply that Christians are polytheists. The doctrine of the Trinity is central to Christian theology, although several denominations that usually are considered Christian are non-Trinitarian. The God of the Christian is the creator of all things, is everywhere present, exists in all times, is transcendent, all-knowing (omniscient), just, and all-powerful (omnipotent).

A major theme of the Bible is love. In the Hebrew Old Testament the idea is expressed in the Hebrew word hessed, which is variously translated as loyal love, tender mercy, steadfast love, mercy, goodness, etc. in the New Testament the same idea is expressed in the Greek word agape, which translates to love, compassion and charity.

Jesus

Jesus' Baptism.jpg

During the reign of Caesar Augustus the Son (i.e. the second Person of the Trinity) took flesh from a virgin woman and was incarnated as a man. He was born in the town of Bethlehem and was given the name Jesus. At approximately the age of thirty he was baptised by his cousin John the Baptist and began to preach in the area of Judea and Galilee. About three years later, his teachings and works of mercy prompted the Jewish authorities to plot Jesus' death. Jesus was crucified. He rose from the dead and was seen by over 500 people. He ascended to Heaven. The four Gospels contain the basic account of what Jesus did and said.

Jesus summarized his moral teachings in two commandments from the Old Testament:

"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets". (Matthew 22:37-39; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18)

The night he celebrated his Last Supper with the Twelve Apostles before he suffered, he gave a new commandment:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." (John 13:34)

Morality

Jesus Christ and his apostles taught a gospel of love.[11]

The fundamental principle in Christian moral teaching is love and forgiveness, as expressed by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the New Testament.[12] In the Hebrew Old Testament the idea is expressed in the Hebrew word hessed, which is variously translated as loyal love, tender mercy, steadfast love, mercy, goodness, etc. in the New Testament the same idea is expressed in the Greek word agape, which is variously translated as love, compassion, charity, etc.

There has been endless debate over how a person should express love for God in his or her moral behavior. This moral dialogue found expression in the New Testament, where the Apostle Paul addressed such controversies as circumcision (Romans 2:25-29), eating meat that was sacrificed to pagan deities (1 Corinthians 8), speculating about myths and genealogies (1 Timothy 1:3-5), and observing ceremonial dates and seasons (Galatians 4:9-11).

Regardless of a person's ethical interpretations, adherents commonly point to New Testament passages John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as scriptural depictions of love. The former states that

"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life".

The latter characterizes love, saying

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things".

Jesus Christ affirmed, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another". (John 13:35) In trying to understand the reason for the growth of Christianity in a pagan culture, it has been noted that while love of one's neighbor is not an exclusively Christian virtue, it appears that the primitive Christian church practiced it much more effectively than any other group.[13]

In addition to sacrificially showing care for those within the community as well as to those without, (cf. Gal. 6:10) the Christians elevated the sanctity of life, opposing abortion, infanticide, child abandonment, suicide, and gladiatorial contests.[14][15] While the primitive church tolerated the existing and pervasive cultural economic institution of slavery in the Roman Empire, the mandate of equal pay and just treatment (Col. 4:1; Eph. 6:9) greatly ameliorated the treatment of slaves, while advising them to seek freedom if possible, (1Cor. 7:21) and requiring that the escaped slave Onesimus be received back not "as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved". (Philemon 1:6) The Christian ethos of love also motivated a great expansion in the building of hospitals.[16][17] By A.D. 500, most large towns in the Roman Empire had erected them.[18]

Atonement

The Christ of St. John of the Cross by Salvador Dalí, 1951.

Christians believe with the New Testament that the death of Jesus, in conjunction with His resurrection, is an indispensable event for the reconciliation of lost sinners with God. There are three elements they see to the understanding of His death on the cross.

- Jesus having the knowledge that His path would lead to his own death, desired and willed that that take place, and persevered in that path though there was opportunity for Him to avoid it. "I have power to take my life and I have power to lay down my life. I lay down my life for the sheep".

- Jesus saw that in His death there would be a way for people to be brought back to the God from whom they were alienated and lost because of their sins. This would involve a substitution of Himself to effect, i.e. atone for, that development. "For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many". How this would take place was not new to the Jews of His day from their understanding of contemporary everyday practice of substitute payment - as in redemption of the first-born (Pidyon Ha Ben), or in the understanding of what aggadic stories such as the Binding of Isaac implied (see Midrash), but it was not the prevalent view that the Messiah was to be that payment. Though while alive on earth, he had hinted at it in sayings such as "unless a seed falls and dies, it remains alone, but when it dies, it brings forth."; it was only after He had risen from the dead that He explained Scripture (the Old Testament) clearly about the necessity of His death to have taken place. The disciples would henceforth preach, and Peter among them, that the death of Jesus the Messiah and His resurrection was for-planned and for-ordained by God the Father, and foretold in the Scripture (Isaiah 53).

- Christians of all generations have looked to the perfect Atonement, and the hope for reconciliation, accomplished by Jesus on the cross, to provide the means of understanding the solution to the vexing problems of the mind and of life itself.

Salvation

The Bible teaches that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". (Romans 3:23) This is often interpreted to mean that everyone has displeased God and is now separated from him in a kind of alienation and enmity that results from the fundamental conflict between selfish human interests and God's interests (Romans 8:5-8; James 4:4). Jesus offered a solution to this Biblical dilemma in that, by repentance of sins and faith in him (Jesus), their sins would be forgiven. He said that "...the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins" (Mark 2:10). Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life" (John 5:24).

Jesus Christ taught that "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Repentance, or a turning away from sin and toward God is necessary. Protestant Evangelical Christianity often uses the terms "saved" and "born again" to mean conversion, with conscious acknowledgment of immediate divine juridical exoneration of all guilt, complete amnesty and full eternal pardon issued on acceptance of the redemptive, saving sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross in the place of each guilty sinner (Hebrews 1:3; 7:25-27), while other Christians, such as the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, use the phrase born again as a synonym for baptized, referring to the sacrament of baptism through which the divine life of God in the blood of Jesus is actually infused by the power of his grace directly into the soul of the baptized by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:25-27) and is entirely healed of the eternal deadly effect of all past sins, effecting an ontological change of spiritual birth by washing away the defect of sin, the power of God unto salvation flowing abundantly through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, through whom the baptized is united to Him and actually partakes of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

Christians are expected to continue living by Christ's teachings (John 8:31), as is appropriate for "children of Light". (Ephesians 5:8-10) Some believe that this is necessary in order to be saved. Others say that this is a common misconception of the text, that it refers instead to the "fruits" of saving faith. Still others say that the free, unmerited gift of salvation from sin and death in hell must be maintained or retained by actively producing the fruits of corporal and spiritual works of mercy according to ability, or it will be lost (Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 6:4-8), unless before death the fallen away believer repents and returns (James 5:19-20; 1 John 5:16-17). Christians in the Reformed tradition (following the teaching of the 16th century French lawyer and theologian John Calvin) say that salvation cannot be lost. One Bible passage often cited is John 10:28-29 in which Jesus said of his own Apostles that they could not be snatched from his hand.

Resurrection of Jesus Christ

See also: Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Christian Apologetics and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

"The Resurrection" by Carl Heinrich Bloch

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is critical to the Christian faith. The Apostle Paul wrote, "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain" (I Cor:15:14). Traditionally, Christianity has believed in a physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.[19]

In recent history, Gary Habermas is considered a leading Christian apologist for defending the resurrection of Jesus.[20][21][22][23][24] Other notable defenders of the resurrection include: William Lane Craig,[25] Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell,[26] Edwin M. Yamauchi,[27] N.T. Wright[28] and Michael Horner.[29]

The Meaning of the Resurrection for Christians

The fact of the Resurrection of Christ is also believed to produce certain effects on the lives of Christians.

1. It is because Jesus rose from the dead that believers now can resort to a living Savior to help and deliver them from sin and from situations overwhelming for them by their own powers.

2. The New Testament sees in the resurrection of Christ a certain vindication of what apparently to the world and to all beings was a failure and an overcoming of Him by His crucifixion.

3. The coming of Jesus back to life means to the believer that, indeed, his sins are totally forgiven. This is because believers know that His death was as a payment for sins - a "wage of death" for our sins that He received in our stead. If He remained dead, believers would know that the wage had not been fully paid.

4. It is a now-living Savior that Christians know can go before them, can closely lead them through life — as He did when He was on earth. This makes following Him practical and real.

5. The New Testament reveals that it is the Risen Christ who received from the Father the Holy Spirit and He, through Himself, ascended to the Father, has given the Holy Spirit to us. This gives the believer in Christ both the knowledge and the power to live a godly life and live a life that can be an intimately and personally directed one.

6. The resurrected Christ was no mere reassembling of the molecules and particles of the Body that had been crucified. It was, indeed, a physical body, but one that was fully glorified. It was a "spiritual body". Christians know that likewise, they will one day be granted the nature of a spiritual body, and be full of health. They therefore are full of hope and consolation, and consider that, even now in this life, there is an overcoming through Him.

Worship and the Sacraments

Christians normally attend worship services at once a week, typically on Sundays. Some denominations, such as the Seventh Day Adventists, worship on Saturdays. Commonly, megachurches often hold services on both Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings to accommodate growing crowds. More conservative denominations, such as independent Baptists and churches of Christ, hold services on Sunday evenings and Wednesday evenings as well.

The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox denominations have seven sacraments: baptism, eucharist, confirmation, confession, anointing of the sick, marriage, and holy orders. Of these, Protestants observe only baptism and eucharist as sacraments,[30] which are the only two for which they find Scriptural support.[31]

Evangelism

In what is called the Great Commission, Jesus sent his disciples out into the world to preach the Gospel (literally "good news") and make disciples.

Great Commission
But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." --Matthew 28:16-20 NASB
The Departure of the Apostles by Charles Gleyre.


Internet Evangelism

See also: Internet evangelism

Campus Crusade for Christ International (CCCI) is one of the world's largest evangelism organizations within Christendom and has over 25,000 full-time missionaries. In 2006, Alan Beeber of CCCI predicted that internet evangelism will result in more conversion that all other forms of evangelism for CCCI combined.[32] Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) is a worldwide broadcast and internet online and Facebook ministry proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord 24 hours a day with Christian apologetics programs, News Nightly news broadcast from a Catholic Christian perspective, The World Over with Raymond Arroyo, and daily broadcast worship and prayer seven days a week four times a day.[33] EWTN claims to be the largest religious media network in the world.

Growth of worldwide Christianity

Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp. In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[34]

see also: Growth of Christianity and Historical examples of the exponential growth of Christianity and Global Christianity and Internet evangelism and Evangelical Christians and Resources on becoming a Christian

Christianity has seen tremendous growth over its 2000-year history (See: Growth of Christianity).[35] Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the Western World.[36] In 2000, there were twice as many non-Western Christians as Western Christians.[37] In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western Christians as there were Western World Christians.[38] There are now more non-Western missionaries than Western missionaries.[39]

In 2023, the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary reported that there are over 2.6 billion Christians worldwide and this number will increase to 3.3 billion Christians by 2050.[40][41]

In 2011, the American Spectator declared concerning research published in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research: "The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new Muslims every day, and 300 fewer atheists every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the West, while religion is thriving in the Global South, where charismatic Christianity is exploding."[42]

Despite strong persecution in the Middle East, thousands of Muslims are turning to Christ.[43]

Growth of Christianity

See also: Growth of Christianity

In March 2024, Frontier Partners International reported:

“ The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary recently reported that global Christianity is experiencing remarkable growth, defying expectations and surpassing population rates.

Contrary to the anticipated slowdown, the Christian population is projected to climb from over 2.52 billion to 2.63 billion, representing a 1.08 percent growth, and is expected to surpass 3 billion by 2050.

Within Christianity, certain denominations are witnessing even more rapid expansion. Notably, Protestants (1.63 percent), independents (1.96 percent), evangelicals (1.66 percent), and Pentecostal/charismatics (1.48 percent) are identified as the fastest-growing groups, showcasing the diverse nature of the faith’s evolution.

The growth of Christianity is particularly pronounced in the global south, with Africa and Asia emerging as the fastest-growing regions.

Africa, in particular, has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from having less than 10 million Christians at the turn of the 20th century to now being home to 734 million Christians, growing at a rate of 2.64 percent.

By 2050, Africa is projected to host more Christians than Asia and Latin America combined.

Intriguingly, the report indicates that Christianity is not only growing in numbers but is also expanding geographically.

In 1900, 95 percent of the world’s Christians lived in predominantly Christian countries. However, the trend is shifting, with a decline of 0.17 percent between 2020 and 2024, indicating that more Christians are residing in diverse, non-Christian majority nations.[44]

”

Where Christianity is growing the most

Center for Global Christianity - Annual statistics - including projected growth of Christianity statistics

See also: Center for the Study of Global Christianity and Growth of Christianity

The Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) declares about their organization that it is "an academic research center that monitors worldwide demographic trends in Christianity, including outreach and mission. We provide a comprehensive collection of information on the past, present, and future of Christianity in every country of the world."[45]

Every year in the International Bulletin of Mission Research the Center for the Study of Global Christianity publishes an annual snapshot of global Christianity which includes projected growth of Christianity statistics.

Center for the Study of Global Christianity, annual snapshot of Christianity in the world:

Christianity by continent

See also: Christianity by continent

Below are articles on Christianity in the seven continents:

Projected growth of Christianity graph

See also: Growth of Christianity and Future of Christianity

Projected growth of Christianity graph.[46]

Early Church Community and Commitment: The Biblical Period

Jesus Christ

The Bible records that that, at least initially, the church saw itself as united. In the community:

"...they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. {43} And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. {44} And all that believed were together, and had all things common; {45} And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. {46} And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."(Acts 2:42-47; 4:32)

This community was soon "scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles," due to determined persecution which resulted in the dispersed disciples going "every where preaching the word." (Acts 8:1,4) Christian communities were primarily to be found in two separate cultural and liguistic entities—the Greek and Latin-speaking empires of Europe and the mid-east, and the Aramaic speaking sphere of the Parthian empire of the mid-east and far-east. This latter sphere encompassed not only the eastern portions of Syria, the Arabian peninsula, and Persia, but also extended to portions of southern India and even China. To this day there are many Aramaic Church members in the Kerala province of south India.

Early Church Community and Commitment: the Post-Biblical Period

Orthodox Church's icon artwork.

Justin martyr 100 A.D. - 165 A.D. From the "First Apology" (Defense)

But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized [illuminated] person, and for all others in every place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to genoito [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion. (Chapt. LXV - administration of the sacraments)

And this food is called among us Eukaristia [the Eucharist = the Thanksgiving], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;" and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone... (Chapt. LXVl - of the Eucharist)

And we afterwards continually remind each other of these things. And the wealthy among us help the needy; and we always keep together; and for all things wherewith we are supplied, we bless the Maker of all through His Son Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Ghost. 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. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead...(Chapt.LXVll - weekly worship of the Christians)

Tertullian (A.D. 160 -220), an Early ecclesiastical leader and writer, in his Apology (response to pagan charges) in describing the early church community wrote, ca. AD 197:

We are a body knit together by one faith, one discipline and one hope. We meet together as a congregation, uniting together to offer prayer to God. We pray for the emperors and all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for peace and for the delay of the final end. We read our holy scriptures to nourish our faith, hope, steadfastness and good habits. We hear exhortations and rebukes. We take such judging very seriously – as befits those who believe they are in the sight of God – especially seriously when anyone sins so grievously we have to cut them off from our prayer, our congregation and all sacred things. Our elders preside over us, obtaining that honor not by money, but by their established character. There is no buying and selling in the things of God. Though we have a fund, but not because people can buy religion. Once a month, anyone who wants to makes a small donation – but only he who is able and willing; there is no compulsion. It is not spent on feasts, but to support and bury poor people, to provide for orphans, the elderly old persons, victims of shipwreck and those in prison for their faith.[47]

Pliny the Younger, the Roman governor of Pontus & Bithynia (northern Turkey) from A.D. 111–113, reporting to emperor Trajan of Christians, whom such pagan rulers found intolerable:

... Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for this purpose together with statues of the gods, and moreover cursed Christ--none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do--these I thought should be discharged. Others named by the informer declared that they were Christians, but then denied it, asserting that they had been but had ceased to be, some three years before, others many years, some as much as twenty-five years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Christ.
They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food — but ordinary and innocent food.[48]

Implications of the growth of worldwide Christianity

see also: Global Christianity and Internet evangelism

Given the increase in the public's access to global communications, it is thought that the more theologically conservative non-Western Christian churches could influence Western Christianity to move in a more theologically conservative direction.[49] For example, non-Western Anglicans are exerting influence within the worldwide Anglican Communion against the stance of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion's North American provinces with regard to homosexual practices.[50][51]

History of Christianity timeline

Branches of Christianity.jpg

Early Christianity

See: Early Christianity

Positive effects of Christianity on societies

St. Basil of Caesarea founded the first hospital. Christian hospitals subsequently spread quickly throughout both the East and the West.[52] See: Christianity and hospitals

See also: Christianity statistics

Historically, Christianity has had a positive effect on societies and there are a number of statistics which demonstrate this matter (see: Christianity statistics).

Christianity and social stability

See: Christianity and social stability

Christianity and hospitals

See: Christianity and hospitals

Atheism vs. Christianity

See also: Atheism vs. Christianity

In the latter half of the 1600s, there was an increase in the degree of ideological conflict between atheism and Christianity in the Western World. At first the conflict was of a secretive nature via the use of clandestine tracts.[53][54]

As a result of militant atheism in the 20th century, there was widespread persecution against Christians in Communist countries such as the former Soviet Union and various Communist countries such as China continue to persecute Christians (see: Communism and religious persecution).

The 21st century is projected to be a century of desecularization and atheists are expected to lose influence in the West (and the world as a whole) as a result of religious immigration and the religious conservatives having a much higher fertility rate (see also: Growth of global desecularization).

In 2011, the American Spectator declared about the global population:

“ The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new Muslims every day, and 300 fewer atheists every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the West, while religion is thriving in the Global South, where charismatic Christianity is exploding."[55] ”

In 2022, the left-leaning Pew Research Center projected that Christianity would lose its majority in the United States by 2070, but that assumes a lack of renewed evangelism.[56]

Resources related to becoming a Christian

see also: Resources on becoming a Christian

Below are some resources on becoming a Christian:

Tips on choosing a Christian church:

Books

  • The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ by Bill Hull. ‎NavPress; Annotated edition (November 6, 2006)
  • The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. NavPress; Enlarged edition (November 3, 2016)
  • The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges. NavPress (June 1, 2016)

See also

Pentarchy in 565 AD.

Denominations or branches of Christianity

Disputed

Christianity in the World

American Christianity:

Christianity by continent

Other articles

The prominent historian Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the History of the Church at Oxford University, indicates that he believes Christianity faces a "bright future" worldwide (See also: Global Christianity).

According to MacCulloch, "Christianity, the world's largest religion, is rapidly expanding – by all indications, its future is very bright."[57]

See also: Future of Christianity

Further reading

Encyclopedias

Histories

United States

  • Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A religious history of the American people‎ (1979) 1192 pages; classic history from broad perspective excerpt and text search
  • Balmer, Randall. Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism (2nd ed. 2004), 655pp Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism online edition
  • Lippy, Charles H. and Peter W. Williams, eds. Encyclopedia of the American religious experience: studies of traditions and movements (3 vol 1988) 1872 pages; standard reference work; long essays by scholars
  • Noll, Mark A. A history of Christianity in the United States and Canada‎ (1992), by leading Evangelical historian excerpt and text search
  • Queen, Edward L. et al., eds. Encyclopedia of American Religious History (3rd ed. 2 vol. 2009) 1200pp
  • Reid, Daniel G. et al. eds., Dictionary of Christianity in America (199)
  • Wooley, Davis C. ed. Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists‎ (5 vol 1958–19820; 2565 pages)

References

  1. ↑ Status of Global Christianity, 2024, in the Context of 1900–2050
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
  4. ↑ https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/christian-means-like-christ-bruce-ball-sermon-on-apologetics-general-84109
  5. ↑ The early Christian faith was sometimes called That Way (Acts 19:1,9,23; 24:22), and its adherents were also called Nazarenes (Acts 24:5), evidently after the city of Nazareth where Jesus lived.
  6. ↑ Christianity, Britannica
  7. ↑ Ehrman, Bart D. Did Jesus exist?: The historical argument for Jesus of Nazareth. Harper Collins, 2012. Second introductory page.
  8. ↑ Pentarchy (orthodoxWiki.org)
  9. ↑ http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=359
  10. ↑ Why Is the Dove Often a Symbol for the Holy Spirit?, Christianity.com
  11. ↑ The Triumph of the Gospel of Love by Monk Themistocles (Adamopoulo)
  12. ↑ The Triumph of the Gospel of Love by Monk Themistocles (Adamopoulo)
  13. ↑ E.R. Dodds, 1970:136-137
  14. ↑ Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity p. 244
  15. ↑ Ted Cabal, Chad Owen Brand, Paul Copan, The Apologetics Study Bible, 274
  16. ↑ Albert John Ochsner, Meyer Joseph Sturm, The organization, construction and management of hospitals, p. 17
  17. ↑ Roderick E. McGrew, Encyclopaedia of Medical Care, p. 135
  18. ↑ George D. Pozgar, Legal aspects of health care administration', p. 2
  19. ↑ http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0056a.txt
  20. ↑ Habermas, Gary, Experiences of the Risen Jesus: The Foundational Historical Issue in the Early Proclamation of the Resurrection, Dialog: A Journal of Theology, Vol. 45; No. 3 (Fall, 2006), pp. 288-297.
  21. ↑ "Wildcat" and Holding, J.P., Book review of "The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus", 22nd June, 2004 (Tektonics)
  22. ↑ Habermas, Gary, Jesus' Resurrection and Contemporary Criticism: An Apologetic Criswell Theological Review 4.1 (1989) 159-74.
  23. ↑ Habermas, Gary, Explaining Away Jesus' Resurrection: The Recent Revival of Hallucination Theories, Christian Research Journal / vol. 23, no. 4, 2001.
  24. ↑ Habermas, Gary, Why I Believe The New Testament Is Historically Reliable (Apologetics.com)
  25. ↑ Craig, William Lane, Articles: Historical Jesus
  26. ↑ McDowell, Josh, Evidence for the Resurrection, 1992.
  27. ↑ Jamauchi, Edwin M., Easter: Myth, Hallucination, or History?
  28. ↑ Wright, N.T., Early Traditions and the Origins of Christianity, Sewanee Theological Review 41.2, 1998.
  29. ↑ Horner, Michael, Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
  30. ↑ The term "eucharist" is rarely used within Protestant circles; common terms include Communion (often used in more traditional denominations) and The Lord's Supper (more frequent in conservative denominations who consider Communion to be a Catholic term).
  31. ↑ Although Protestants, especially conservative ones, hold to high views of marriage and believe it is taught in the Bible, they do not consider it to be a sacrament.
  32. ↑ http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/pdf/issues/LWP0206.pdf
  33. ↑ https://www.ewtn.com
    https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline
  34. ↑ https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077
  35. ↑ http://users.adam.com.au/bstett/BChristianIncrease12.htm
  36. ↑
  37. ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  38. ↑ https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077
  39. ↑ https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077
  40. ↑ *Good news! Christianity is growing around the world!, Baptist Resource Network
  41. ↑ Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2023, in the Context of 1900–2050, Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
  42. ↑ http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity
  43. ↑ Thousands of Muslims reportedly turning to Christ in Middle East. Fox News (from The Christian Post). January 11, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  44. ↑ Global Christianity surges beyond projections in 2024, LiCAS.news • Mar 15, 2024, Frontiers Patners Intertnational, 2024
  45. ↑ Center for the Study of Global Christianity - About
  46. ↑ Total Christian population graph
  47. ↑ Defense by Tertullian (39), Trans. Rev. S. Thelwall. Modernized, abridged and introduced by Stephen Tomkins. Edited and prepared for the web by Dan Graves.
  48. ↑ Pliny the Younger Letters, 10.96
  49. ↑ http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18774
  50. ↑ http://www.maravipost.com/malawi-politics/district/5751-bishop-mw-anglicans-totally-against-homosexuality.html
  51. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2156406/Anglican-church-schism-declared-over-homosexuality.html
  52. ↑ The Christian origin of hospitals
  53. ↑ Jonathan Israel on The Enlightenment
  54. ↑ The material was formerly at the University of Cambridge's Investigation Atheism website. A website which closed down. The material has been transferred to 18th Century History, Investigating Atheism
  55. ↑ Thriving Christianity
  56. ↑ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/14/christian-population-minority-2070-model-pew/10380295002/
  57. ↑ Historian predicts 'bright future' for Christianity

External links

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