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Christianity Resource Package
Christianity is the world's biggest religion, with about 2.2 billion
followers worldwide. It is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ
who lived in the Holy Land 2,000 years ago.
Through its missionary activity Christianity has spread to most parts
of the globe.
Place of Origin
Israel
Founder
Jesus of Nazareth
Sacred Text
The Bible - Old and New Testaments
Sacred Building
Church, Chapel, Cathedral
Holy Places
Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Lourdes (a
popular place of pilgrimage), Rome, Canterbury
Major Festivals
Easter, Christmas,
Main Branches
(Denominations)
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Free Churches,
Orthodox, Reformed,
Who is the founder of Christianity?
Jesus Christ, who was crucified around A.D. 30 in Jerusalem, is the
founder of Christianity.
Who is Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came to earth to teach about love
and fellowship. He represents the person that all Christians must
strive to be.
Jesus was a Jew who was born about 2000 years ago in Bethlehem.
Jesus lived for 33 years before being crucified by the Romans.
What other names is Jesus known by?
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Son of God
Light of the World
Lamb of God
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The Good Shepherd.
Why are Christians called Christians?
Christians get their name from Jesus Christ who is God's son.
What do Christians believe?
Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and that:
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God sent his Son to earth to save humanity from the
consequences of its sins
Jesus was fully human, and experienced this world in the same
way as other human beings of his time
Jesus was tortured and gave his life on the Cross (At the
Crucifixion)
Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his Crucifixion
(the Resurrection)
Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old
Testament
Christians believe that there is only one God, but that this one God
consists of 3 "persons"
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God the Father
God the Son
The Holy Spirit
Christians believe that God made the world.
Where do Christians worship?
The Christian place of worship is called a Church. They are often built
in the shape of a cross with the altar facing east towards the rising
sun.
The Christian spiritual leaders are called priests or ministers. (vicars).
What is Christian worship like?
Christian worship involves praising God in music, speech, readings
from scripture, prayers of various sorts, a sermon and various holy
ceremonies.
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What is the Christian holy book called?
The Bible is the Christian holy book. It is divided into the Old and New
Testaments. Parts of the writing contained in the Old Testament are
also sacred to Jewish andMuslim people.
What are the Christian symbols?
The cross is the main symbol. It reminds Christians that
Jesus died on the cross to save them.
The dove is the symbol of the holy spirit and
peace.
The fish symbol was created using the Greek
letters which spell out ICHTHUS : Jesus Christ
God's Son Saviour.
The Romans persecuted the Christians and it
became dangerous for them to meet. So the Christians devised a
secret code. They drew half a fish in the sand. If a person completed
the fish, they knew he or she was a believer too. Under the fish sign
the Christians wrote the Greek word fish.
These letters stood for: Jesus Christ God's Son Saviour
What are the 10 Commandments?
From the Holy Bible, King James version. Exodus 20:3-18 (abridged)
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain
4. Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy
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5. Honour thy father and thy mother
6. Thou shalt not kill
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery
8. Thou shalt not steal
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour
10. Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbour's
How is Christianity similar to other religions?
Christianity shares a number of beliefs and practices with other
religions, particularly Judaism and Islam. With Judaism and Islam,
Christians believe in one God, who created the universe and all that
is in it. All believe that this God is active in history, guiding and
teaching his people.
Christianity and Judaism share the same roots. The Old Testament
and the Torah (Jewish Holy Book) have the same content. The Jews
are awaiting the coming of a Messiah or Saviour, while Christians
believe that Jesus Christ was the Saviour and are now waiting for his
second coming.
Which religion did Christianity develop from?
Christianity originally developed as a part of Judaism. Jesus was a
Jew.
How is Christianity different from Judaism?
Christianity came to regard Jesus as in some sense God's presence
in human form. This was unacceptable to most Jews.
Judaism is defined by a covenant made between God and the Jewish
people. Part of this covenant is the Law, a set of religious and ethical
rules and principles. Most Christians came to regard both this
covenant and Law as in some sense superseded by Jesus' teaching
and the community that he established. On the night he died, Jesus
talked about establishing a "new covenant" based on his death and
resurrection.
Jews believe that there is one God like Christians do, but they do not
believe that this one God consists of 3 "persons".
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Why are there different branches of Christianity?
There are different branches of Christianity because some Christians
worship in different ways.
What are the different branches (denominations) of Christians?
There are several denominations of the Christian faith, however all
Christians share common beliefs.
Church of England - Anglicanism
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in
England.
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the western world. It
can trace its history back almost 2000 years.
Baptists
For Baptists, the church is not just a particular place or building, but
rather a family of believers, committed to Christ, to one another and
to the service of God in the world.
Methodist
The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of
God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and
mission.
Orthodox
The Orthodox Church shares much with the other Christian churches
in the belief that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ, and a belief in
the incarnation of Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection.
Seventh-day Adventist
The belief which makes Seventh-day Adventists really stand out,
though it is not the most important part of the faith, is the belief that
Saturday is the Sabbath (the day of worship)
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http://www.uri.org/kids/world_chri_basi.htm
How did Christianity begin?
Christianity traces its beginning to the miraculous birth, adult ministry, death
and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, known as Jesus Christ. Over 2000
years ago in Palestine (today's Israel), Jesus was born into a humble Jewish
family. His mother was a young peasant woman named Mary. Christians
believe that his father was the Holy Spirit of God, making Jesus both fully
human and fully divine. His earliest followers came to believe that he was
the Messiah, or messenger, sent by God to free God's people from slavery,
sin, and death. God sent his son Jesus in human form so that people would
better understand God as a caring and loving parent. Jesus lived and
experienced the suffering of humans. Jesus healed the sick and told stories,
or parables, and preached sermons that taught what God wanted people to do
– to love God with all their hearts and love their neighbors as themselves.
Jesus taught by example. By being loving and forgiving himself, Jesus
taught others to be loving and forgiving - especially toward those who were
considered outcasts in society. This is the central message and style of Jesus'
teaching. During his adult ministry, Jesus built up a loyal following, led by
his twelve disciples. But Jesus also made enemies among the religious and
political leaders of his time. In the end, these powerful leaders were so
threatened by Jesus' growing following that the Roman governor sentenced
Jesus to death and had him crucified. The third day after Jesus' death, his
followers found his tomb empty and discovered that he had been raised from
the dead. Christians believe that the painful sacrifice of Jesus' life on the
cross shows how much God loves God's people. Jesus paid with his life on
Earth for the sins of the world. Christians believe that in raising Jesus' from
the dead, God showed that Jesus' message of love and forgiveness was more
powerful than death, and that believing in Jesus and following the example
of his life and his teaching would lead to eternal life after death. The
resurrection (rising from the dead) is the sign of God's salvation offered to
all people.
After his resurrection, Jesus Christ's followers spread his message
throughout the world, creating the Christian Church. Today there are about
two billion Christians living all over the world.
What do Christians believe?
Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God – fully human and
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fully divine – and that through believing in him and following his teachings
they can inherit eternal life. Christians believe that Jesus died for humanity,
that God raised him from the dead, and that Jesus will come again at the end
of time. In addition, Christians believe in the Trinity, or the three parts of
God: God the Father or Creator, God the Son (Jesus) or Redeemer, and God
the Holy Spirit or Sanctifier. The Holy Spirit is God's presence in the world.
The essence of Jesus' teaching comes from his summary of the Jewish law
he grew up with:
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Love God with all your heart, soul and mind.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Christians also seek to follow the ten commandments God gave
Moses to give the Israelites:
Worship no other God but me.
Do not make images to worship.
Do not misuse the name of God.
Observe the Sabbath Day (Sunday, for Christians). Keep it Holy.
Honor and respect your father and mother.
Do not murder.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not acuse anyone falsely. Do not tell lies about other people.
Do not envy other's possessions.
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What are the sacred texts of Christianity?
The sacred text of Christianity is the Holy Bible. The Christian Bible has
two parts: the Old Testament which is essentially the Hebrew scriptures of
Jesus' time; and the New Testament which contains writings about Jesus
Christ and about the early church. The four gospels (a word meaning ‘good
news') of the New Testament are accounts of Jesus' life and teaching, of his
death and resurrection. The New Testament also contains the Acts of the
Apostles, which describes the early growth of the Christian church; the
letters of Paul and other important leaders in the early church; the Letter to
the Hebrews; and the Book of Revelation. The New Testament teaches that
salvation comes through believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ and in following his teachings. It teaches that salvation is a gift God
extends freely through Jesus Christ to all people.
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Why are there so many different kinds of Christians?
From its beginning with a tiny group of Jesus' followers, Christianity has
spread all over the world. Today, it is practiced by two billion people. As
with any large group, Christianity has experienced many different
interpretations, disagreements and struggles for power over the centuries.
These have led to the growth of many different branches of Christianity
interpreting the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in different ways. There
are three basic streams of Christianity: Orthodox, Protestant and Roman
Catholic.