"CHRISTIANITY"

WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY?
 Christianity is a Diverse, 2000 years old religion
Christianity is Followed by almost 1/3 of the world's
population - 2.4 billion
It is based on the life, teaching. death, and
resurrection of Jesus
- believed to be the Christ (messiah or the savior) by
his followers (Thus called "Christians")
 ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY

Christianity is the religion based on the teaching of its founder, Jesus

Christ. His life and teachings were written in the four books of the
Gospels (Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John) under the New Testament of
the Christian Bible. Jesus was immaculately conceived and wad born in
a manger. Jesus started teachings and performing miracles such as
healing at the age of 30 with the company of his 12 apostles. About
three years later, he was condemned to death via crucifixion
 SACRED TEXTS OF CHRISTIANITY
The sacred texts of Christianity are contained in the Christian Bible, usually referred to as the HOLY BIBLE.
The Holy bible is divided into two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament
contains all the books of the Hebrew Bible with some modification in the arrangement. The New
Testament contains the life and teachings of Jesus, the early development of Christianity, The New
testament contains the essential principles of core of Christian Teachings; and the Old Testament
provides the foundational principles that properly guide people in understanding Christianity’s essential
principles. The Old Testament contains prophecies that are fulfilled in the New Testament. Foremost of
these prophecies is the coming of the Messiah who would sacrifice Himself for the sins of mankind, which
is fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus. The New Testament is divided into four main parts;
namely; (1) the Gospels, which are narrations or descriptions of the life and teachings of Jesus ; (2) the
Acts of Apostles, which is generally historical account of the early growth of Christianity ; (3) the Epistles ;
which are letters written mostly by the apostle Paul to the early Christians; and (4) the Revelation, which
symbolically speaks of the Christian vision of how in the end of time the good will eventually prevail over
evil or how the Kingdom of God will eventually reign in the world.
Basic Doctrines of Christianity
A. THE NATURE OF GOD.There is only one God (monotheism) but God has three
persons (theHoly Trinity). God father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

B The Nature of Jesus. Jesus is God the Son who became man to save the
mankind from the consequences of sin. Jesus is wholly God and wholly human
(not half-human and half-God). Jesus is the prophesized Messiah. Three days
after his death on the cross, He resurrected and later on ascended into the
heaven. He will come again to establish the Kingdom of God in this world.

C. The Human Condition. Humans are made in the image and likeness of God.
Their sins separate them from God and make them deserving of eternal
punishment. To reunite with God and be spared of the eternal punishment and
consequently to be able to enter the Kingdom of God, they must ask forgiveness
from God and accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
 D. Resurrection of the Dead and Last Judgement. During the second coming of Jesus, the
Messiah, dead humans will be resurrected (their souls will reunite with their physical but
now “glorified “bodies) to face, along with those still alive during such time, the Last
Judgement. In this judgement, it will be finally determined whether people deserve to go
to hell or heaven.
E. Angels. Angels are spiritual beings created by God to serve Him and help humans, Like
humans, angels have free will which make them accountable for their actions.
Consequently, there are good and bad angels. The leader of bad angels is Lucifer or Satan.
Good angels include Gabriel and Michael.
F.The Two Great Commandments. The first is: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The second is: Love your neighbour as
yourself”.
G. The Primacy of Love. As Paul writes in Corinthians 13 (1-7): “if I speak in tongues of
men or of angels, but do nothave love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and I have
faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing, if I give all I possess
to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I
gain nothing.”
 Christianity Practices

There are many Christian practices, and

different denominations differ in
certain areas. Let us briefly describe
the following:
A.Baptism: a ritual for moral purification and that
serves as an initiation rite for Christians in their
entry into the Christian community. Different
forms of Christianity differ on how baptism should
be done and what exactly does to a person.
B. Lord’s Supper/ Eucharist; this practice sharing a
meal of bread or wine, imitates the Last supper
that Jesus had with his disciples before his death,
to recall Jesus’ sacrifice leading to his death and
resurrection.
C. Lenten Season: the forty days of repentance and
preparation for Easter – the resurrection of Jesus
from the dead. The week before Easter, which falls
on a Sunday, is called the Holy Week.
D. Christmas: a celebration of the birth
of Jesus, traditionally done on
December 25 of every year
E. Ascension: celebrates Jesus’ ascension into
heaven forty days after Easter or the day Jesus
resurrected from the dead.
F. Pentecost. Recalls the first preaching of the
apostles, and is celebrated ten days after the
feast of Ascension.
G. Other Practices. Some Christians (the Catholics)
celebrates Mary’s birthday. Called the feast of the Nativity
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which falls on September8. In
addition, they also venerate the saints, who they regard as
the martyrs or heroes of the faith. The veneration is done
either individually, in which all the saints, known and
unknown, are given honor. The general veneration, called
‘All Saints Day’ or ‘All Hallows’ Day,” is done every
November 1
Denominations of Christianity Eastern
Western CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
Churches
Churches EASTERN
NONTRADITIONAL
ORTHODOX
OTHER

CATHOLIC PROTESTANT ANGLICAN Mormon, Greek,

Armenian,
Jehovah’s Witness.
Lutheran, Church Russian, Egyptian,
Christian Science,
Calvinist
of England, Unity, Unitarian, Serbian, Coptic,
(Presbyterianism),
Unificationt
Sectarian (Baptist,
Other Romanian, Ethiopian,

Methodist, Quaker, Anglican Coptic,

Bulgarian
Pentecostal) Nestorian
Churches

Their differences concern various aspect of Christian

doctrines and practice, from the real nature of Jesus and
the Holy Spirit to what really happens during the
celebration of the Eucharist and baptism, just to name few.
The following are mere general characterizations of these
differences:
Catholic Church
Catholic Church; the central authority is the Pope (the
Bishop of Rome) who is believed to be infallible when it
comes to doctrinal matters; beliefs in the seven
sacraments, purgatory (in addition to heaven and hell),
and transubstiation; practices infant baptism and
devotion to Mary; and venerates the saints; among many
others.
Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church: adheres to the concept of
Pentarchy where the central authority is shared
among several Patriarchs or Bishops; and ejects the
Catholic views of Mary’s immaculate conceptions
and purgatory and practice of celibacy among its
priests; among many others.
Protestant Church
Protestant Church: does not recognize the authority of the
pope; rejects the doctrine of the catholic view of
transubstantiation in favor of either consubstantiation
(Lutheran Church) or transignification (Calvinist Church);
believes in salvation by faith alone; pastors can marry; does
notvenerate the saints and does not practice devotion to
Mary; practices two sacraments only- baptism (adult
baptism) and the Lord’s Supper; among many others. The
Protestant Church has many subchurches. Aside from the
Lutheran and Calvinist Churches, we also have under the
so-called Protestant Sectarianism, which include churches
of the Anabaptists, Baptists, Methodists, Quakers, Shakers,
and Pentecostals.
 Anglican Church

Anglican Church: developed when the King Henry

VIII of England challenged the authority of the Pope;
regarded as a middle way between the Catholic and
Protestant Churches; uses the King James Bible and
the Book of Common Prayer; ordain women as
priests and appoint female bishops; among many
others.
Non-traditional Christian Churches

Non-traditional Christian Churches: deviate from the

traditionally views, such as the belief in the Holy
Trinity and Divinity of Jesus, but still profess to
follow the teachings and examples of Jesus as the
key to salvation (whether they are still Christians is
subject to discussion); they include the churches of
the Mormon and Jehovah’s Witness.
 CHALLENGES
In addition to the challenges arising from the diversity of views of the many Christian denominations (the question,
for instance, about the real or true nature of Christianity or how Christian brotherhood, despite their doctrinal
differences, can be fostered arises), some of the issues that most Christian societies face nowadays concern the
following:
A. Issues arising from the use of modern technology in biomedicine, such as researches
involving human embryos (such as stem-cell research), the use of contraceptives, the
practices of invitro fertilization, surrogacy, and organ transplantation (especially in cases
where the organs come brain-dead patients and severely damaged infants);

B. Issues arising from the expanding scope of the concept of human rights (rightly or
wrongly in some cases) which include the right of women to assume leadership in
churches (women as priests and pastors, for example), the right to same sex marriage,
the right to gender preference in one’s sexual lifestyle (which includes homosexuality,
bisexuality, sex change, and others), the right to abortion, and the right to divorce; and

C. Issues about church-state relations, which basically come down to whether churches
should meddle with politics, which translates to endorsing. candidates during elections,
endorsing or condemning governmental policies or laws such those concerning death
penalty and reproduction.