Christianity

• monotheistic religion that believes in the life and teachings of Christ

  • belief in Christ has several interpretations leading to several groups

    • Denominational

      • usually larger organizations that have sub-organizations

        • ex: Catholic church, United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, etc

      • Non-denominational

        • smaller organizations are not affiliated with larger organizations

          • ex: independent churches

• said to have begun in the Roman Province of Judea

1. Core Beliefs

   • Monotheism

     • belief in only one God

     • Holy Trinity

       • majority of Christian churches believe in the concept of the Holy Trinity (Catholicism)

         • Father

         • Son

         • Holy Spirit

   • Messiah

     • Jesus Christ

       • came to save people from their sins and return to save those who believe

   • Resurrection

     • Humans have souls

     • after death, souls will resurrect to have eternal life

   • Apostle’s Creed

     • reminder for the Catholics about their beliefs

   • Bible

     • sacred text of Christians

     • composed of Old and New Testament

     • different versions and translations = different interpretation

2. Important Figures

   • Jesus

     • the Messiah

     • teachings are central to a lot of Christian beliefs and doctrine

   • 12 disciples

     • original apostles

     • closest followers

     • primary teachers of the gospel

3. Sacred Places

   • The Vatican City

     • center of Roman Catholicism

       • dominant Christian denominations

       • Pope resides here and enacts papal missives from here

Demographics of Christianity

• Contexts

  • The Great Schism

    • Eastern and Western churches

      • forced conformity caused mutual excommunication

      • resulted in Latin West = Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox

  • The Reformation

    • started by Martin Luther who challenged the practices of the Catholic Church

      • Against indulgences

      • 95 theses

      • questioned beliefs of the Catholic Church

  1. Catholics

     • “all accepting”

     • believed to be original practitioners of Christianity via the way passed on from Jesus to Apostles

     • believes that Jesus had 2 natures (divine and human), rather than 1

  2. Protestants

     • follows Martin Luther’s teachings and beliefs

     • correct many wrongs done during the Medieval ages

     • forms a large demographic that doesn’t follow papal leadership

  3. Easter Orthodoxy

     • questions whose authority should be followed as head of the church

       • Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

       • main point is pope’s authority, and who he has authority over

       • all bishops are equal in rank and significance

       • Jesus had 2 characteristics: one divine and one human

         • dyophysitism

  4. Oriental Orthodoxy

     • Jesus is BOTH fully divine and fully human

       • inseparable; miaphysitism

  5. Nontrinitarianism

     • rejects Holy Trinity and other beliefs

     • Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, InC

  6. Other nondenominational Christian faiths