CHAPTER 3:

CHRISTIANITY
Philippians 2:5-11 New Revised Standard Version
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Christian symbolism is the use of symbols,
including archetypes, acts, artwork or events,
by Christianity. It invests objects or actions
with an inner meaning expressing Christian
ideas.
The symbolism of the early Church was
characterized by being understood by initiates
only, while after the legalization of
Christianity in the 4th-century more
recognizable symbols entered in
use. Christianity has borrowed from the
common stock of significant symbols known
to most periods and to all regions of the world.
Christianity has not generally
practiced Aniconism, or the
avoidance or prohibition of types
of images, even if the early Jewish
Christians sects, as well as some
modern denominations, preferred
to some extent not to use figures
in their symbols, by invoking
the Decalogue’s prohibition
of idolatry.
Ichtus
Among the symbols employed by the early
Christians, that of the fish seems to have ranked
first in importance. Its popularity among Christians
was due principally to the
famous acrostic consisting of the initial letters of
five Greek words forming the word for fish
(Ichthus), which words briefly but clearly described
the character of Christ and the claim to worship of
believers: "Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ",
(Iēsous Christos Theou Huios Sōtēr),
meaning, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour. This
explanation is given among others by Augustinein
his Civitate Dei, where he also notes that the
generating sentence "Ίησοῦς Χρειστὸς [sic] Θεοῦ
Υἱὸς Σωτήρ" has 27 letters, i.e. 3 x 3 x 3, which in
that age indicated power.
Chirho
The Chi Rho is formed by superimposing
the first two (capital)
letters chi and rho (ΧΡ) of the Greek
word "ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ" =Christ in such a way to
produce the monogram. Widespread in
ancient Christianity, it was the symbol
used by the Roman
emperor Constantine I as vexillum
(named Labarum).
Alpha and Omega
The use since the earliest Christianity of
the first and the last letters of the Greek
alphabet, alpha (α or Α)
and omega (ω or Ω), derives from the
statement said by Jesus (or God)
himself "I am Alpha and Omega, the
First and the Last, the Beginning and
the End" (Revelation 22:13, also 1:8
and 21:6).
Richie Fernando
 Bro. Richard "Richie" Michael
Fernando, S.J. (February 27, 1970 -
October 17, 1996) was
a Filipino Jesuit cleric and missionary
recognized for his act of saving
children in Cambodia which resulted
to his death. He is now already in the
preliminary stages for sainthood
within the Congregation for the
Causes of Saints.
Richard Fernando was born on February
27, 1970. He attended elementary
school in Dominican School, and
finished his secondary education
in Claret School. He graduated with a
degree in Developmental Studies
from Ateneo de Manila University, then
entered the Society of Jesus right after
college and took up Philosophical
Studies.
Fernando and other Jesuit missionaries
went to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for his
Regency in May 1995. It took him only
three months to master the Khmer
language. He served in the Technical
School for the Handicapped which was
run by Jesuits in the city. Here at Banta
Prieb or "Center of the Dove" Fernando
catered to the material and pastoral
needs of his students who were mostly
landmine victims.
On October 17, 1996, at around 9:30 a.m.,
Sarom, a troubled student who was holding a
grenade, rushed into Fernando's classroom.
Sarom, a student in the school, was habitually
involved in gambling. While everyone else was
in panic trying to get out of the room,
Fernando was determined to pacify Sarom. He
embraced Sarom, and after moments of
struggle, the grenade dropped and bounced
back at Fernando. The grenade exploded and
Fernando was hit by shrapnel in the head,
upper and lower back, and legs. He later died
in a local hospital.
Fernando's remains were brought
back to the Philippines and his body
was laid to rest at the Sacred Heart
Novitiate in Novaliches, Quezon City.
Some of the departed man's blood
from the scene of the grenade blast
was taken and is now enshrined on
top of a small mound in a tomb in
Cambodia to serve as a sort of
monument for his mission.
Fernando's death may be one of
the first examples of Pope Francis'
new criteria for canonization.
Father Antonio Moreno, head of
the Society of Jesus in the
Philippines, said that days before
the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola,
founder of the Jesuits, that the
order will start to work on having
Fernando beatified.
CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is
an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on
the life, teachings and miracles of Jesus of Naza
reth known by Christians as the Christ, or
"Messiah", who is the focal point of the Christian
faiths. It is the world's largest religion, with over
2.4 billion followers or 33% of the global
population, known as Christians. Christians
make up a majority of the population in about
two-thirds of the countries and territories in the
world. They believe that Jesus is the Son of
God and the savior of humanity, whose coming
as the Messiah (the Christ) was prophesied in
the Old Testament. Christianity has played
a prominent role in the shaping of Western
civilization
Christianity grew out of Judaism and began as
a Second Temple Judaic sect in the mid-
1st century. Originating in the Roman province
of Judea, it quickly
spread to Syria, Europe, Anatolia, Mesopotami
a, Transcaucasia, Egypt, Ethiopia and
the Indian subcontinent, and by the end of the
4th century it had become the official state
religion of the Roman Empire. Following
the Age of Discovery, Christianity spread to the
Americas, Oceania, Sub-Saharan Africa and
the rest of the world through missionary
work and colonization.
Christian Theology is summarized in creeds such as
the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. These professions
of faith state that Jesus suffered, died, was buried, descended
into hell and rose from the dead in order to grant eternal life to
those who believe in him and trust in him for the remission of
their sins. The creeds further maintain that Jesus
physically ascended into heaven, where he reigns with God
the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit and that he
will return to judge the living and the dead and grant eternal
life to his followers. His incarnation, earthly
ministry, crucifixion and resurrection are often referred to as
"the gospel", meaning "good news". The term gospel also
refers to written accounts of Jesus' life and teaching, four of
which—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—are
considered canonical and included in the Christian Bible,
as established by the 5th century for the ancient
undivided Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions, a period
sometimes referred to as the Great Church, before the East–
West Schism in 1054
Throughout the history of
Christianity, theological and ecclesiological dispute
s have resulted in schisms, with many
distinct denominations. Worldwide, the four largest
branches of Christianity are the Catholic
Church, Protestantism, the Eastern Orthodox
Church and Oriental Orthodoxy. The Catholic,
Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches
broke communion with each other in the East–
West Schism of 1054 and the Chalcedonian-
schism in 451. Protestantism, while not a single
denomination but a collective term, emerged in
the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century,
splitting from the Catholic Church.
Disciples of Christ
In Christian theology and ecclesiology,
the apostles (Greek: ἀπόστολος, translit. apóstolos, lit. '
one who is sent away'), particularly the Twelve
Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply
the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus, the
central figure in Christianity. During the life and ministry
of Jesus in the 1st century AD, the apostles were his
closest followers and became the primary teachers
of the gospel message of Jesus. The word disciple is
sometimes used interchangeably with apostle; for
instance, the Gospel of John makes no distinction
between the two terms. In modern usage,
prominent missionaries are often called apostles, a
practice which stems from the Latin equivalent
of apostle, i.e. missio, the source of
the English word missionary.
While Christian tradition often refers to the apostles as
being twelve in number, different gospel writers give
different names for the same individual, and apostles
mentioned in one gospel are not mentioned in others.
The commissioning of the Twelve Apostles during the
ministry of Jesus is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels.
After his resurrection, Jesus sent eleven of them
(minus Judas Iscariot, who by then had died) by
the Great Commission to spread his teachings to all
nations. This event is commonly called the Dispersion of
the Apostles. There is also an Eastern Christian tradition
derived from the Gospel of Luke of there having been as
many as 70 apostles during the time of Jesus' ministry.
Prominent figures in early Christianity, notably Paul,
were often called apostles, even though their ministry or
mission came after the life of Jesus.
The period of early Christianity
during the lifetimes of the apostles
is called the Apostolic Age. During
the 1st century AD, the apostles
established churches throughout
the territories of the Roman
Empire and, according to tradition,
through the Middle East, Africa,
and India.
 Books of New Testament
GOSPELS
Matthew (75-80 CE)
Mark (65-70 CE)
Luke (85 CE)
John (90-100 CE)

HISTORY
Acts of Apostles (85 CE)
EPISTLES
Pauline Epistles (50 c-125 CE)
1-2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1-2 Thessalonians
1-2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
Universal Epistles (90 c-125 CE)
James
1-2 Peter
1-2 John
Jude

PROPECY

Revelations (95 c CE)

It is no exaggeration to say that, historically
speaking, next to the Bible the early Christian
creeds are the most important texts of Christianity.
In the Latin Church, the Roman creed, which was
recited at baptism, was considered so important
that in Late Antiquity people claimed that it had
been composed by the apostles themselves; thus
it came to be called the Apostles’ Creed. Later the
individual clauses of this creed were even ascribed
to individual apostles (although there was
considerable confusion as to which apostle had
said what and the number of the clauses didn’t
quite fit either). In the East, the Creed of Nicaea-
Constantinople, which had been adopted at the
Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople in
381 and based on the Creed of the Council of
Nicaea of 325, continues to hold pride of place in
the liturgy.
The Nicene
Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and
earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of
Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one
substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and
was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius
Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose
again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven,
and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come
again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose
kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who
proceeds from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father
and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke
by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I
acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look
for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to
come. Amen.
Most Christians believe that human
beings experience divine judgment and
are rewarded either with eternal life
or eternal damnation. This includes
the general judgement at
the resurrection of the dead as well as
the belief (held by Catholics, Orthodox
and most Protestants) in a judgment
particular to the individual soul upon
physical death.
In Catholicism, those who die in a state
of grace, i.e., without any mortal sin
separating them from God, but are still
imperfectly purified from the effects of
sin, undergo purification through the
intermediate state of purgatory to
achieve the holiness necessary for
entrance into God's presence. Those
who have attained this goal are
called saints (Latin sanctus , "holy").
Some Christian groups, such as
Seventh-day Adventists, hold to
mortalism , the belief that the human
soul is not naturally immortal, and is
unconscious during the intermediate
state between bodily death and
resurrection. These Christians also hold
to Annihilationism , the belief that
subsequent to the final judgement, the
wicked will cease to exist rather than
suffer everlasting torment. Jehovah's
Witnesses hold to a similar view
c.210 Calling of Abraham - the Father of the Jewish
0 BC nation.
Birth of Jacob, later to be called Israel. The
c.200
twelve tribes of Israel are named after Jacob's
0 BC
sons.
c.190 Joseph is sold into slavery in Egypt. Israelites
0 BC eventually become captives in the land.
c.144
6 or The Exodus begins. Led by Moses, the Israelites
1290 leave Egypt and eventually settle in Canaan.
BC
c.101 David becomes king of Israel, making Jerusalem
0 BC his capital.
c.970 David's son Solomon becomes king. He later builds a temple in
BC Jerusalem to honour God.

c.930 Following Solomon's death, the Kingdom is divided into two

BC sections: Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah).

753 BC Traditional date for the founding of Rome.

722 BC Fall of the kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians.

612 BC Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, falls to the Babylonians.

 Babylonians take Jerusalem and destroy Solomon's temple.
586 BC
Jewish nation is taken into captivity in Babylon (the exile).

c.538
Return of some of the exiles. Start of reconstruction of the temple.
BC

c.512
Completion of the temple.
BC

c.330 Conquest by Alexander the Great. Rise of Hellenism (Greek

BC culture).

c.250 Work begins to translate the Old Testament from Hebrew into
BC Greek. This is known as the Septuagint or LXX.
63 BC Roman rule of Israel begins.

c.4 BC Birth of Jesus Christ, in Bethlehem.

c.30 AD Death of Jesus Christ.

Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).

c.33
Sometimes known as the Birthday of the Church.

c.33 Stephen - First Christian martyr (Acts 7).

Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).

c.48
Gentile Christians accepted alongside those in the Jewish tradition.

c.60 First Gospel published (often thought to be that written by Mark).

62 Martyrdom of James, "The Lord's Brother".

c.67-68 Apostles Peter and Paul* martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero.

Jewish rebellion against the Roman empire ends. Destruction of the temple in
70
Jerusalem.

From 70 Centre of Christianity moves to Antioch, Alexandria and Rome.

c.90 Book of Revelation and Gospel of Saint John written.

Widespread persecution of Christians under Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius.

161-80 (Severe persecutions also occurred under the emperors Decius (249-251) and
Diocletian (284-305)).

Armenia becomes the world's first country to officially adopt Christianity as the
301
state religion.
 Roman emperor Constantine receives a vision of a flaming cross with the words
312 'In hoc signo vinces' : 'By this sign conquer'.
Defeats rival Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge.

313 Edict of Milan issued by Constantine - Christianity becomes a legal religion within the Roman empire.

Constantine calls the first ecumenical council at Nicea.

325 Arian heresy which declared Christ was a created being is refuted. Nicene Creed is drawn up, declaring Christ to
be "...Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father..."

367 Saint Athanasius is the first to list all 27 New Testament books in his festal letter.

381 Ecumenical Council at Constantinople revises the Nicene creed to its current form.

c.382 Saint Jerome begins a translation of the Bible into Latin.

397 Synod at Carthage ratifies the 27 books of the New Testament as sacred scripture.
 Ecumenical council held at Ephesus refutes Nestorianism.
431 (The doctrine that Christ was two persons (one human, the other divine) in one body). Mary is declared Theotokos i.e. 'God-bearer'
or more commonly, 'Mother of God'.

449 At Ephesus, Pope Leo I delivers his 'Tome', defending orthodox Christian belief. Leo also asserts Papal supremacy.

Ecumenical council at Chalcedon affirms Christ as having two distinct natures united in one person (known as the 'Hypostatic
451
Union').

553 Ecumenical council at Constantinople affirms teaching of previous councils.

563 Columba establishes a monastery at Iona.

589 Insertion of the filioque (Latin: 'and the son') into the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed at a council in Toledo.

597 Following a mission authorised by Pope Gregory I, St. Augustine becomes the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

664 Synod of Whitby ratifies the authority of the Pope in England.

680-81 Ecumenical council at Constantinople rejects Monothelite heresy of one will in Christ.

731 Bede writes his Ecclesiastical History.

787 Ecumenical council at Nicea ends the controversy over the use of icons in worship.

800 Charlemagne is crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Leo III.

988 Conversion of Prince Vladimir in Kiev. Growth of Christianity in Russia.

1054 Great Schism - Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic churches separate.

1095 Pope Urban II authorises the first Crusade to recover the Holy Land from Moslems.

1099 Crusaders conquer Jerusalem.

1182 Massacre of Latin inhabitants of Constantinople.

1187 Jerusalem recaptured by a Moslem army led by Saladin.

1189 Third Crusade led by Richard the Lionheart of England.

1204 Sack of Constantinople during the fourth crusade.

1216/23 Papal approval of the Dominican and Franciscan mendicant ('begging') orders.

1266-73 Thomas Aquinas writes his great work of systematic Theology: Summa Theologiae.

1305 Papacy moved to Avignon following a dispute with Philip IV of France.

c.1341 Defence of Orthodox spirituality by Gregory Palamas. Rise of Hesychasm.

c.1376 John Wycliffe writes 'Civil Dominion', arguing for reform of the church.

1378 Following the return of the Papacy to Rome, rival claimants (Antipopes) emerge. Dispute ends in 1417 with election of Martin V.

c.1380 John Wycliffe translates the Bible into Middle English.

1453 Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks.

1517 Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses in Wittenburg, Germany; beginning the Protestant reformation.

1521 Diet of Worms - Luther's final breach with the Catholic church.

1525 William Tyndale completes his translation of the Bible into English.

1534 Ignatius of Loyola founds the Jesuits.

1534 Act of Supremacy passed - Henry VIII becomes supreme head of the English church.

1536 John Calvin publishes his Institutes of the Christian Religion.

1545-63 Council of Trent - Roman Catholic counter reformation.

1549 Thomas Cranmer publishes the Book of Common Prayer in England (later revised in 1662).
1555 Peace of Augsburg ends religious wars in Germany.

1611 Publication of the King James Version of the Bible.

1618-48 Protestant/Catholic conflict in Germany (Thirty Years War).

1730-60 The 'Great Awakening' - A revival movement among Protestants in the USA.

John and Charles Wesley converted. They lead an Evangelical revival in England and form the
1738
Methodist church.

1854 Dogma of the Immaculate conception of Mary proclaimed by the Roman Catholic church.

1870-1 First Vatican council. Dogma of Papal infallibility proclaimed.

1906 Azusa street revival in Los Angeles. Beginnings of the Pentecostal movement.

1910 World mission conference held in Edinburgh.

 Billy Graham born. Later becomes one of the most prominent
1918
evangelists in Christian history.

1948 Formation of the World Council of Churches.

Dogma of the Assumption of Mary proclaimed by the Roman

1950
Catholic Church.

Second Vatican council. Major reforms in the Roman Catholic

church are initiated.
1962-5
Mutual anathemas of 1054 between Roman Catholic and
Orthodox churches lifted.
Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus (c. 4 BC – c. AD 30 / 33), also
referred to as Jesus of
Nazareth and Jesus Christ, was
a first-century Jewish preacher
and religious leader. He is the central
figure of Christianity. Most Christians
believe him to be
the incarnation of God the Son and
the awaited Messiah (Christ)
prophesied in the Old Testament].
Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree
that Jesus existed historically, although the quest for the
historical Jesus has produced little agreement on
the historical reliability of the Gospels and on how
closely the Jesus portrayed in the Bible reflects
the historical Jesus. Jesus was a Galilean Jew who
was baptized by John the Baptist and subsequently
began his own ministry, preaching his
message orally and often being referred to as
"rabbi". Jesus debated with fellow Jews on how to best
follow God, engaged in healings, taught in parables and
gathered followers. He was arrested and tried by
the Jewish authorities, turned over to the Roman
government, and was subsequently crucified on the
order of Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect. After his
death, his followers believed he rose from the dead, and
the community they formed eventually became the early
Church.
The birth of Jesus is celebrated
annually on December 25 (or various
dates in January by some eastern
churches) as a holiday known
as Christmas. His crucifixion is honored
on Good Friday, and his resurrection is
celebrated on Easter. The widely
used calendar era "AD", from the
Latin anno Domini ("in the year of the
Lord"), and the alternative "CE", are
based on the approximate birth date of
Jesus.
Christian doctrines include the beliefs that Jesus was
conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of a
virgin named Mary, performed miracles, founded the
Church, died by crucifixion as a sacrifice to
achieve atonement, rose from the dead,
and ascended into Heaven, from where he will
return. Most Christians believe Jesus enables people
to be reconciled to God. The Nicene Creed asserts
that Jesus will judge the living and the dead
either before or after their bodily resurrection, an
event tied to the Second Coming of Jesus in Christian
eschatology. The great majority of Christians worship
Jesus as the incarnation of God the Son, the second
of three persons of a Divine Trinity. A minority
of Christian denominations reject Trinitarianism,
wholly or partly, as non-scriptural.
Jesus also figures in non-Christian religions
and new religious movements. In Islam, Jesus
(commonly transliterated as Isa) is considered
one of God's important prophets and the
Messiah. Muslims believe Jesus was a bringer
of scripture and was born of a virgin, but was
not the Son of God. The Quran states that
Jesus himself never claimed divinity. Most
Muslims do not believe that he was crucified,
but believe that he was physically raised into
Heaven by God. In contrast, Judaism rejects
the belief that Jesus was the awaited Messiah,
arguing that he did not fulfill Messianic
prophecies, and was neither divine nor
resurrected.
Christian
Practices
A sacrament is a Christian rite recognized as
of particular importance and significance.
There are various views on the existence and
meaning of such rites. Many Christians
consider the sacraments to be a
visible symbol of the reality of God, as well as
a means by which God enacts his grace.
Many denominations, including the Anglican,
Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, and Reformed,
hold to the definition of sacrament formulated
by Augustine of Hippo: an outward sign of an
inward grace that has been instituted by Jesus
Christ. Sacraments signify God's grace in a
way that is outwardly observable to the
participant.
Baptism
Annointing of Sick
Eucharist
Confirmation
Reconciliation
Ordination
Matrimony
Liturgical
Year
Easter
Christmas
Advent
Lent
 Origin of
Christianity
Christianity arose in the syncretistic
Hellenistic world of the first century CE,
which was dominated by Roman law
and Greek culture. Hellenistic
culture had a profound impact on the
customs and practices of Jews, both in
the Land of Israel and in the Diaspora.
The inroads into Judaism gave rise to
Hellenistic Judaism in the Jewish
diaspora which sought to establish
a Hebraic-Jewish religious
tradition within the culture and
language of Hellenism.
Hellenistic Judaism spread
to Ptolemaic Egypt from the 3rd
century BCE, and became a
notable religio licita after
the Roman conquest of
Greece, Anatolia, Syria, Judea,
and Egypt, until its decline in the
3rd century parallel to the rise
of Gnosticism and Early
Christianity.
The Christian vision of Jesus' death
for the redemption of mankind was
only possible in a Hellenised
milieu. According to Price, "Once it
reached Hellenistic soil, the story
of Jesus attracted to itself a
number of mythic motifs that were
common to the syncretic religious
mood of the era.
Judaism at this time was divided into
antagonistic factions. The main camps were
the Pharisees, Saducees, and Zealots, but
also included other less influential sects, like
the Essenes. The 1st century BCE and 1st
century CE saw a number of charismatic
religious leaders, contributing to what would
become the Mishnah of Rabbinic Judaism,
including Yohanan ben Zakkai and Hanina be
Dosa. The ministry of Jesus, according to the
account of the Gospels, falls into this pattern
of sectarian preachers or teachers with
devoted disciples (students)
Although the gospels contain
strong condemnations of
the Pharisees, Paul the
Apostle claims proudly to be a
Pharisee, and there is a clear
influence of Hillel's interpretation
of the Torah in the Gospel-
sayings. Belief in the resurrection
of the dead in the messianic
age was a core Pharisaic doctrine.
Christian
Churches
Eastern Orthodox Church
It is the second-largest Christian Church, with over
250 million members. As one of the oldest
religious institutions in the world, it has played a
prominent role in the history and culture of Easter
Europe, Greece (including Anatolia), the Caucasus,
and the Near East. It operates as
a communion of autocephalous churches
("jurisdictions", or national churches), each
typically governed by its own group of Bishops
called a Holy Synod. The Church has no central
doctrinal or governance authority analogous to
the Roman Catholic Church's pope; however,
the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is
recognised by all as primus inter pares ("First
among equals") of the bishops.
Protestant Reformation
It was a schism in Western
Christianity initiated by Martin
Luther and continued
by Huldrych Zwingli, John
Calvin and other Protestant
Reformers in 16th
century Europe.
It is usually considered to have started with the
publication of the Ninety-five Theses by Martin
Luther in 1517 and lasted until the end of the Thirty
Years' War in 1648. It led to the division of Western
Christianity into different confessions
(Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Anabaptist
, Unitarian, etc.). By the time of its arrival, Western
Christianity was only compromised in the Lands of
the Bohemian Crown,
where Utraquist Hussitism was officially
acknowledged by both the Pope and the Holy
Roman Emperor; in addition, various movements
(including Lollards in England and Waldensians in
Italy and France) were still being actively
suppressed.
Although there had been earlier attempts to reform
the Catholic Church – such as those of Jan Hus, Peter
Waldo, John Wycliffe, and Girolamo Savonarola – Luther is
widely acknowledged to have started the Reformation with
the Ninety-five Theses. Luther began by criticising the sale
of indulgences, insisting that the Pope had no authority
over purgatory and that the Catholic doctrine of the merits of
the saints had no foundation in the Bible. The Reformation
incorporated doctrinal changes such as a complete reliance
on Scripture as the only source of proper belief (sola scriptura)
and the belief that faith in Jesus, and not good works, is the
only way to obtain God's pardon for sin (sola fide). The core
motivation behind these changes was theological, though
many other factors played a part, including the rise
of nationalism, the Western Schism that eroded loyalty to
the Papacy, the perceived corruption of the Roman Curia, the
impact of humanism, and the new learning of
the Renaissance that questioned much traditional thought.
The Catholic Church responded with
a Counter-Reformation, initiated by
the Council of Trent in 1545, and a new
order, the Jesuits, founded in
1540. Northern Europe, with the
exception of most of Ireland, came
under the influence of
Protestantism. Southern Europe
remained Catholic. Central
Europe became a site of a fierce conflict
that culminated in the Thirty Years' War.
Reformation movements throughout
continental Europe known as
the Radical Reformation gave rise to
various Anabaptist movements. Radical
Reformers, besides forming
communities outside state sanction,
often employed more extreme doctrinal
change, such as the rejection of
the tenets of the councils
of Nicaea and Chalcedon. Anabaptism
suffered a major blow early in
the German Peasants' War and was
persecuted for centuries after that.
Prepared by Group 2

Lenette Albino
Jenifer Cocoy
Milven Diaz
Ralph Justin Estocado
Kenneth Rosal
Angelica Irinco