Christianity

Christianity is a major world religion that stems

from life, teachings, and death of Jesus of Nazareth
(the Christ, the anointed One of God). This religion
has become the largest of the world’s religion.
Christianity is geographically the most widely
diffused of all religions. It has a population of more
than 2 billion believers and still increasing. It ms
largest groups are the Roman Catholic Church, the
Eastern Orthodox churches, and the various
Protestant Churches. Moreover, there are numerous
independent churches, like those of Eastern
Christianity, as well as many sects throughout globe.
ELEMENTS OF CHRISTIANITY
Founder: Jesus Christ (approx.c.7 BC-
30 A.D.)
In Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the promised
‘Messiah’, and thus its central figure. Actually a title for Jesus,
the name ‘Chris’ comes from the greek word Christos,
meaning ‘the anointed one’, or Messiah in Hebrew.

Christ’s life, message, and ministry are chronicled in the New

Testament, especially in the four gospels. Jesus is depicted as
a Jewish teacher from Galilee who performed many miracles
of healing and deliverance. He called 12 Jewish men to follow
him, working closely with them, to be trained and prepared to
carry on the ministry. These men were later referred to as
apostles.
Sacred Texts: Bible (old testament and
New testament)
The old and new testaments comprise the Christian bible. The
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox versions of the Old
Testament are nonetheless a little larger because of their
acceptance of certain books and parts of books considered by
Protestants as ‘apocryphal,’ that is, of unknown authorship, or of
doubtful authenticity.
The Old Testament is based principally upon the Hebrew Bible, a
collection of religious writings by ancient Israelites believed by most
Christians (and observant Jews) to be the sacred word of God.
Because of the insertion of the apocryphal books, the Old
Testament canon varies among churches. Protestants have a version
with 39 books, Catholics have a version with 46 books, and both the
eastern orthodox and oriental orthodox churches select the Old
Testament version with 49 books.
Christians traditionally divide the Old testaments into
four sections: (1) the Pentateuch (Torah), the first five
books; (2) the history books relating the history of the
Israelites, from their conquest of Canaan to their
defeat and exile in Babylon; (3) the poetic and
‘wisdom’ books discussing, in different forms, the
questions of good and evil in the world; (4) and the
books of the prophets, warning of the costs of turning
away from God.
The New Testament is the second major part of the
Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings
and person of Jesus, as well as events in the first-
century church of Christ. Christians consider both
the old and new testaments together as sacred
scripture.
The New Testament serves as a reference for
Christian theology and morality. Readings from the
New Testament (along with readings from the Old
Testament) are parts of various Christian church
services.
The New Testament consist of the
following:
1. Four narratives of the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ, and referred to as the ‘Gospels’ (or ‘Good News’) accounts;
2. An account of the apostles’ ministries in the early church, called the
‘Acts of the Apostles’, and probably written by the same writer as the
Gospel of Luke;
3. Twenty-one letters, often called ‘Epistles’ from Greek
“epistole”,written by various authors (but most of which by the
apostle Paul), and consisting of Christian Doctrines, counsels,
instructions, and even conflict resolutions; and
4. An Apocalypse, the Book of Revelation, which is a book of prophecy,
involving some instructions to seven local congregations of Asia Minor
(Ephesus, Smyrna, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea), but mostly
containing prophetical symbology, about the end times.
Doctrines: Trinity, Virgin Birth, Deity of
Christ, Resurrection, Last Judgment
The Trinity is the religious belief that God is one God in three persons: the
Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy spirit. It refers to the teaching that
“the one God comprises three distinct, eternally co-existing persons; the
Father, the Son (incarnate in Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Together,
these three persons are sometimes called the Godhead, although there is
no single term in use in Scripture to denote the unified Godhead”
The Athanasian Creed, an early statement of catholic belief, pronounces,
“The Father is God, the son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there
are not three Gods but one God” The three persons “are distinct from
another: the Father has no source, the Son is begotten of the Father, and
the Spirit proceeds from the Father. Though distinct, the three persons
cannot be divided from one another in being or in operation. 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”
Virgin Birth
The virgin birth of Jesus or simply ‘Virgin Birth’
designates the doctrine of traditional Christianity
that Jesus Christ has no natural father, but was
conceived in the womb of his mother Mary through
the power of the Holy Spirit, and born while Mary
was yet a virgin. This religious belief that Mary was
the sole biological parent of Jesus is based on the
infancy narratives recounted in the Gospel,
particularly in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38.i
it is believed to follow the prophetic message in
Isaiah 7:14.
Deity of Jesus
Also known as the ‘divinity of Christ,’ this doctrine
states that Jesus Christ is God, and He was and is the
Son of God incarnate.
Christians believes that there is a personal God,
Creator and Ruler of the universe, a God who is
infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. So when
someone says that Jesus Christ is God , or that he
believes in the ‘Deity of Christ,’ he means that “that
same person who is known to history as Jesus of
Nazareth existed, before He became man, from all
eternity as infinite, eternal and unchangeable God,
the second person of the Holy trinity
The Holy Scriptures argue, for instance,
that:
1. God is eternal, has no beginning (origin) or end (Psalms
90:2), while Jesus came from God (John 8:42)
2. The everlasting God will not grow tired or weary (Isiah
40:28), but Jesus Christ got tired (John 4:6).
3. God does not recognize any other God (Isaiah 44:8) while
Christ deifies God: “Jesus cried out in a loud voice. My
God, my God, why have you forsake me? (Mark 15:34).
4. God is omniscient or knows everything (I John3:20),
while there is something Jesus does not know: “No one
knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in
heaven, nor the Son, but the only Father” (Matt.24:36).
5. God is not a man… nor a son of man”
(Num.23:19), whereas Jesus is referred to as
“Son of Man” (Matt. 16:13-16).
6. “God is spirit” (John 4:24), whereas Jesus proved
He is not spirit: “Handle Me and see, for a spirit
does not have flesh and bones as you see I have”
(Luke 24:38-39).
7. While God declares that He is not man (Hos.
11:9) and that man is not God (Ezek.28:2), Jesus
explicitly described himself as “a Man who has
told you the truth which I heard from God” (John
8:40).
 Resurrection
Generally, ‘resurrection’ designates the concept of a living
being coming back to life after death. The resurrection of the
dead is a standard eschatological belief in the Abrahamic
religions.
The resurrection of Jesus, an instance of resurrection, is the
chief focus of Christianity. It is true that Jesus died and was
buried, in common with all other men, but unlike other men,
He returned from death or Hades.
The bodily resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ is the
crowning proof of Christianity. Christian theologians argue
that if the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is
a false religion. But if it did take place, then Christian faith is
absolute truth.
 Last Judgment
The last judgment, also called Final judgment, Day of Judgment,
judgment day, or the day of the Lord, is part of the eschatological
belief of the Abrahamic religions and even Zoroastrianism. In
Christianity, it is the final and eternal judgment by God, through
Jesus Christ, of the people in every nation resulting in the
glorification or receiving of ultimate reward of some and the
punishment of others:
“In Christian eschatology, the last judgment or judgment day is the
ethical-judicial trial, judgment, and punishment/reward of individual
humans (assignment to heaven or to hell) by a divine tribunal (God)
at the end of time, following the destruction of humans’ present
earthly existence.” (“Last Judgment,” n.d.)
The doctrine and iconographic features of the Last judgment are
taken from many books of the Bible. It appears most openly in the
apocalyptic sections of the Gospel of Matthew.
God: Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit);
Monotheism (Only One God – the Father)

The concepts of trinity and monotheism define

Christianity’s theological belief. As previously
discussed, trinity expresses the belief that God is one
being made up of three distinct persons who exist in
co-equal essence and co-eternal communion as the
Father Son, and Holy Spirit.
The concept of the trinity chief to most Christian
denominations and faith groups, although not all.
Those who reject this doctrine explain that the Bible
categorically espouses monotheism while Trinity is
not authentically monotheistic.
Monotheism is the “belief in single God: the belief that there is only
one God” (Monotheism, 2009). The oxford Dictionary of the Christian
church defines it as the “belief in one personal and transcendent
God.” Within theism, monotheism is opposed to polytheism and
pantheism (the belief that God is everything).
The term monotheism comes from the greek word (mono) meaning
“Single” and (theos) meaning “god”. It characterizes the traditions of
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – religions that had grown up in
opposition to polytheistic paganism.
Chritian tradition hold that monotheism was the original religion of
humanity, but was lost after ‘the fall of man’ or after the first couple
(Adam and Eve) transgressed the will of the single Omnipotent God.
Monotheism is well founded tenet of Muslims and Jews and
elements of the belief are discernible in other religions like
Zoroastrianism.
Some Christian groups believe that “the doctrine of the Trinity is
indeed incompatible with monotheism” and thus “reject
trinitarianism”(“Monotheism,” 2008).
Sects: Roman Catholic, Greek/Eastern
Orthodox, Protestantism, etc.
Academically, Christianity is traditionally divided into its so-
called three major branches: Roman Catholism, Easthern
Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. There are however fast rising
international Christian religions, sects, or denominations
which declare to be not in any way affiliated to these three
major religions.
Roman catholism is a Christian-professing church that has
been a key spiritual force in the history of western
civilization. It claims to trace its history to Jesus Christ and the
apostles. Over the course of centuries it developed a highly
sophisticated theology and an elaborate organizational
structure headed by the papacy, the oldest continuing
absolute monarchy in the world (Roman Catholism,” n.d).
‘Eastern Orthodoxy’ is another major doctrinal and
jurisdictional group of Christianity. Officially named the
‘orthodox Catholic church,’ it is characterized by its
claimed continuity with the apostolic church, its liturgy,
and its territorial churches. The majority of Eastern
Orthodox Catholics live in Greece, Eastern Europe, the
Caucasus and Russia, with less numerous communities
in the former Byzantine regions of the Middle East, and
around the Eastern Mediterranean.
‘Protestantism’ is one of the three major branches of
‘Christianity’ along with Roman Catholicism and Eastern
Orthodoxy, it is a religious movement that started in
northern Europe in the early 16th century as a reaction
to medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices.
Issues: Ecumenism, Sexuality Issues
(e.g. Contraception, Homosexuality,
Ordination of women)
The term Ecumenism designates the movement or
tendency toward worldwide Christian unity or
cooperation. The concept, of the recent origin, stresses
what is beheld as the universality of the Christian
churches.
Etymologically, the word ecumenism is derived from the
greek words oikoumene (‘the inhabited world’) and oikos
(‘house’). The ecumenical movement strives to regain the
apostolic sense of the early church for unity in diversity,
and it deasl with the frustrations, problems, and ironies
of the modern pluralistic world.
Sexuality Issues
Christianity also has position on sexuality and gender issues
such as contraception, homosexuality, and ordination of
women. But then again, the stand on these issues vary
depending on the Christian sects’ interpretation of the Bible
and assessment of the issues.
On contraception, ‘Christian’ churches’ teachings on birth
control are usually based on various understandings of the
meaning of marriage, sex, and family.
Almost all churches disapprove of artificial contraception until
the start of 20th century. Today, different Christian churches
hold varied views about the rightness and wrongness of using
birth control.
On the other hand, the Roman Catholic Church permits only
‘natural’ birth control, by which it means only having sex
during the infertile period of woman’s monthly cycle. All
artificial methods of contraception are forbidden. Hence,
the only way for a catholic couple to avoid having children
whole keeping to be faithful to the Church’s teachings on
human sexuality is to use ‘natural’ family planning. “Many
Catholics have decided to disobey church teaching in this part
of their lives, causing a substantial breach between laity and
the Church establishment”
On homosexuality, Christian views sometimes differ among
denominations, though they are more normally observed
between liberal and conservative branches of each
denomination. Again, the debate centers on how the bible
ought to be interpreted regarding the issue.
Opposing homosexuality has been positioned affirmed by
most, if not all, Christian denominations, including the
Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox, and most
protestant denominations. However, a small number of
churches, notably the Metropolitan Community Church,
have taken the approach that homosexuality can be seen as
moral.
Generally, Christian churches have considered homosexual
sex as sinful, based o their interpretation of certain biblical
passages. Passages from the bible usually used in the debate
over homosexuality include I Corinthians 6, Leviticus 18 and
21, and Romans 1.
The Apostle’s Creed, The Lord’s Prayer,
and the Beatitudes

Important texts in Christianity include the so-

called Lord’s Prayer and the Beatitudes. In
Catholicism, the so called the Apostle’s Creed
is also deemed significant.
 Here’s the Apostle’s Creed in full:
I believe in God, And sits at the right hand of God the
The Father Almighty Father Almighty,
The Creator of heaven and earth, Hence He shall come to judge the
And in Jesus Christ living and the dead.
God’s only Son I believe in the Holy spirit,
Our Lord: The holy catholic church,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, The communion of saints,
Born of the Virgin Mary The forgiveness f sins,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, The resurrection of the body,
Was crucified, died, And life everlasting
And was buried, he descended into Amen.
hell.
The third day He rose again from the
dead, he ascended into heaven
The term ‘creed’ comes from the word ‘credo,’ which
means to make a statement of belief or a statement
of faith. Catholics believe that the first Catholic creed
came from the teaching of the Apostles, hence the
title “Apostle’s Creed.” There are debates that the
creed may have changed and developed over the
centuries. Nonetheless, Catholics believe that it is
fundamentally a summary of the essential truths
which Jesus entrusted to the apostles , containing
the major tenets or faith. Traditionally, the creed has
been a declaration of belief to which all converts to
Catholicism were required to profess before being
baptized into the Catholic church.
On the other hand, the Lord’s Prayer which is recorded
in Matthew 6:9-13, is commonly divided in seven
clauses:
1. Our Father
2. Which art in Heaven,
3. Hallowed be Thy name.
4. Thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done on Earth as
it is in Heaven.
5. Give us this day our daily bread.
6. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors.
7. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil.
This serves as the formula or outline in properly
praying to God. It involves , among others, (1)
acknowledging God as our Father or Creator, (2)
recognizing that he is always in a ‘higher position’
than ours, (3) that we have the obligation to glorify
and worship Him, (4) that we ought to fulfill His will
or commandments, (5) that we must ask from Him
our material and spiritual needs, (6) that we should
ask God for forgiveness of the sins we commited,
and (7) that we must ask him, through prayers, to
save us from temptations and sins.
The Core Teaching of
Christianity
• The central teachings of traditional Christianity are that Jesus is the
Son of God, the second person of the Trinity of God the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit ; that his life on earth, his
crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven are proof of God's
love for humanity and God's forgiveness of human sins; and that by
faith in Jesus one may attain salvation and eternal life. This teaching is
embodied in the Bible , specifically in the New Testament, but
Christians accept also the Old Testament as sacred and authoritative
Scripture.
• Christian ethics derive to a large extent from the Jewish tradition as
presented in the Old Testament, particularly the Ten
Commandments , but with some difference of interpretation based
on the practice and teachings of Jesus. Christianity may be further
generally defined in terms of its practice of corporate worship and
rites that usually include the use of sacraments and that are usually
conducted by trained clergy within organized churches. There are,
however, many different forms of worship, many interpretations of
the role of the organized clergy, and many variations in polity and
church organization within Christianity.
Thank You!