CHRISTIANITY

Background/History.
Christianity is currently the most popular religion in the world based on the number of
worshippers found throughout the world. It is the dominant religion in Europe, North
America and some parts of the Middle East. This popular monotheistic religion developed
from the early teachings of Judaism, however there are several key differences between
the two belief systems. The Christian and Jewish belief systems share the teachings and
readings found in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. The Jewish followers call this book
the Torah. So both Jewish and Christian followers believe in and follow the 10
commandments. In addition, predictions from Jewish prophets contained in several
books of the Old Testament stated that God would send a savior, or messiah, to the
people of Israel. While Judaism clearly states that this event has not yet occurred,
Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth
The 10 Commandments.
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make yourself any graven
image (worship idols).
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord
your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it
holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. You shall not commit murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not witness falsely against your
neighbor.
10. You shall not covet anything that is
your neighbor's.

was the Son of God, the messiah sent to

redeem the world of sin.

Jesus Christ.
Christianity is said to have begun in
Palestine, Jerusalem to be specific, around
29AD with the teachings of a Jew named
Jesus. According to Christian traditions
Jesus mother, Mary had been told before
his birth that he would be the Messiah.
Even though Jesus
grew up practicing

and following Jewish law, around age 30 he began to travel

preaching new beliefs, claiming he was the son of God. Many
Jews and Romans started seeing Jesus as a dangerous threat.
Eventually the Romans arrested him and crucified him.
Crucifixion, during this time was a commonly used method of

execution in which a person was tied or nailed to a cross and left to die. It was a slow
and painful death.
After that Jesus was viewed by the people as a
Martyr, someone who is willing to give their life to
further a cause. Jesus followers continued to spread
his teachings throughout the Roman Empire, often
suffering persecution until AD 392 when Roman
Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official
religion of the Roman Empire.

The Teachings of Jesus Christ.

The teaching of Jesus were rooted in the Jewish traditions and teachings. For example
the 10 commandments are shared by both Jewish and Christian believers. At the same
time Jesus began preaching new ideas. He was claiming to be the son of God, the
messiah promised to the Hebrew people. This has led the Christian faith to proclaim that
there is a Holy Trinity, formed by the Creator (Father), Redeemer (Son), and Sustainer
(Holy Spirit). Christians believe that these three entities are all part of a single higher
power (God).
Jesus claimed that it was his mission to bring salvation and eternal life to anyone
who would follow his teachings. He taught people to show mercy and sympathy for the
poor and helpless. Most importantly Jesus claimed that all people were equal in the eyes
of god. It was for these reasons that the Christian religion was so appealing to the lower
class poor members of society. This helped Christianity become one of the most wide
spread religions in the world.

Misc. Facts.
Christians practice their faith in temples usually referred to as churches. Members of the
church are known as Clergy. This can include but is not limited to: priests, ministers,
deacons, nuns, monks, bishops, ect..
Christians are expected to attend church services regularly, usually on Sundays and holy
days such as Christmas and Easter. On these occasions Christians take part in
sacraments, which are religious practices such as baptism, and receiving the Eucharist.