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Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the world. Over 2 billion people follow these practices. Christian faith centers it’s beliefs around the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The beliefs of Christians Followers of Chrisianity are monotheistic, meaning they believe there is only one god, and he created the heavens and the Earth. This Godhead consists of three parts: the father (God himself), the son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. Christianity revolves around life, death and Christian beliefs on the resurrection of Jesus. Christians believe God sent Jesus, the messiah, to save humans from their sins. Christians believe that Jesus will return to Earth again, this is known as the Second Coming. Christians and Jews both follow the Old Testimate of the bible, but Christians also embrace the New Testimate. The cross is a symbol of Christianity. The two most important Christian holidays include Christmas (Celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ) and Easter (Which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ). Jesus. Who is he? Most historians believe Jesus was a real person, who was born in between 2 B.C and 7 B.C. Much of the knowledge we know about Jesus comes from the new testament. According to the bible, Jesus was born unto a young Jewish virgin named Mary in the town of Bethlehem, south of Jerusalem in modern day Palestine. Christians believe the conception was a supernatural event, with god impregnating Mary Via the Holy Spirit. Not much is known about the childhood of Jesus. Scriptures reveal that Jesus grew up in the town of Nazareth. Him and his family fled persecution from King Herod and moved to Egypt. Jesus’ “early” father, Joseph, was a carpenter. Jesus was raised Jewish, and according to scholars, he aimed to reform Judaism. When Jesus was around 30, he started his public ministry after being baptized in the Jordan River by the Prophet John the Baptist. For around three years, Jesus traveled with 12 appointed disciples (also known as the 12 apostles), teaching large groups of people and performing what witnesses believed were miracles. Some of the incredible miracles include raising a dead man (Raising Lazarus) John 11:1-44 and Jesus walking on water on top of the Sea of Galilee Matthew 14:22-36. What did Jesus teach? Jesus used short stories and parables when ministering. Some of the main themes of Jesus’s teachings, which Christians later embraced are: Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. Forgive others who have wronged you. Love your enemies. Ask God for Forgiveness of your sins. Jesus is the messiah and has the authority to forgive others. Repent of your sins. Don’t be a hypocrite. Don’t Judge others. The death and resurrection It is believed Jesus died between 30 A.D. and 33 A.D., but the exact date has been debated among theologians. The bible states, Jesus was arrested, tried and condemned to death. Roman governor Pontinus Pilate issued the order to kill Jesus after being pressured by Jewish leaders who alleged that Jesus was guilty of a variety of crimes, including blasphemy. Jesus was crucified by Roman Soldiers in Jerusalem and his body was laid in a tomb. The bible states, three days after his crucifixion, Jesus’s body was gone. The days after his death, people reported sightings and encounters with him. The bible states he was ascended to heaven. Bible The bible is a collection of 66 books written by various authors. There are two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament which is recognized by followers of Judaism, describes the history of Jewish people, outlines important laws Christians follow. It also shares stories of Prophets, and predicts the coming of the messiah. The new testament was written after Jesus’s death. The first four books Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John, are known as the “Gospels” which means “good news.” These texts, composed sometime between 70 A.D. and 100 A.D., provides accounts of the life and death of Jesus. Letters written by early Christian leaders, which are known as “epistles,” make up a large part of the New Testament. These letters offer instructions for how the church should operate. The Acts of the Apostles is a book in the New Testament that gives an account of the apostles’ ministry after Jesus’s death. The author of Acts is the same author as one of the Gospels—it is effectively “part two” to the Gospels, what happened after Jesus’s death and resurrection. The final book in the New Testament, Revelation, describes a vision and prophecies that will occur at the end of the world, as well as metaphors to describe the state of the world. History According to the Bible, the first church organized itself 50 days after Jesus’s death on the Day of Pentecost—when the Holy Spirit was said to descend onto Jesus’s followers. Most of the first Christians were Jewish converts, and the church was centered in Jerusalem. Shortly after the creation of the church, many Gentiles (non-Jews) embraced Christianity. Early Christians considered it their calling to spread and teach the gospel. One of the most important missionaries was the apostle Paul, a former persecutor of Christians. Paul’s conversion to Christianity after he had a supernatural encounter with Jesus is described in Acts of the Apostles. Paul preached the gospel and established churches throughout the Roman Empire, Europe and Africa. Many historians believe Christianity wouldn’t be as widespread without the work of Paul. In addition to preaching, Paul is thought to have written 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament. Persecution of Christians Early Christians were persecuted for their faith by both Jewish and Roman leaders. In 64 A.D., Emperor Nero blamed Christians for a fire that broke out in Rome. Many were brutally tortured and killed during this time. Under Emperor Domitian, Christianity was illegal. If a person confessed to being a Christian, he or she was executed. Starting in 303 A.D., Christians faced the most severe persecutions to date under the co-emperors Diocletian and Galerius. This became known as the Great Persecution. Constantine Embraces Christianity When Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, religious tolerance shifted in the Roman Empire. During this time, there were several groups of Christians with different ideas about how to interpret scripture and the role of the church. In 313 A.D., Constantine lifted the ban on Christianity with the Edict of Milan. He later tried to unify Christianity and resolve issues that divided the church by establishing the Nicene Creed. Many scholars believe Constantine’s conversion was a turning point in Christian history. The Catholic Church In 380 A.D., Emperor Theodosius I declared Catholicism the state religion of the Roman Empire. The Pope, or Bishop of Rome, operated as the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Catholics expressed a deep devotion for the Virgin Mary, recognized the seven sacraments, and honored relics and sacred sites. When the Roman Empire collapsed in 476 A.D., differences emerged among Eastern and Western Christians. In 1054 A.D., the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox church split into two groups. The Crusades Between about 1095 A.D. and 1230 A.D., the Crusades, a series of holy wars, took place. In these battles, Christians fought against Islamic rulers and their Muslim soldiers to reclaim holy land in the city of Jerusalem. The Christians were successful in occupying Jerusalem during some of the Crusades, but they were ultimately defeated. After the Crusades, the Catholic Church’s power and wealth increased. The Reformation In 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther published 95 Theses—a text that criticized certain acts of the Pope and protested some of the practices and priorities of the Roman Catholic church. Later, Luther publicly said that the Bible didn’t give the Pope the sole right to read and interpret scripture. Luther’s ideas triggered the Reformation—a movement that aimed to reform the Catholic church. As a result, Protestantism was created, and different denominations of Christianity eventually began to form. Types of Christianity Christianity is broadly split into three branches: Catholic, Protestant and (Eastern) Orthodox. The Catholic branch is governed by the Pope and Catholic bishops around the world. The Orthodox (or Eastern Orthodox) is split into independent units each governed by a Holy Synod; there is no central governing structure akin to the Pope. There are numerous denominations within Protestant Christianity, many of which differ in their interpretation of the Bible and understanding of the church. Some of the many denominations that fall under the category of Protestant Christianity include: Baptist Episcopalian Evangelist Methodist Presbyterian Pentecostal/Charismatic Lutheran Anglican Evangelical Assemblies of God Christian Reform/Dutch Reform Church of the Nazarene Disciples of Christ United Church of Christ Mennonite Christian Science Quaker Seventh-Day Adventist Although the many sects of Christianity have differing views, uphold separate traditions and worship in distinct ways, the core of their faith is centered around the life and teachings of Jesus.