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Christianity
Overview
• World's largest
religion
– over 2.2 billion
followers
– View a Flash
animation about
the spread of
religions
• http://www.maps
ofwar.com/images
/Religion.swf
Overview
• Centered around Jesus of Nazareth
• Monotheistic religion
• Related to Judaism and Islam through
Abraham and his sons Isaac and Ishmael
• Came out of Judaism
– Jesus was Jewish
• Now is divided into
– Roman Catholic
– Eastern Orthodox
– Protestant
The Trinity
• God the Father
– creator of Heaven and Earth,
created humans in his image
• God the Son
– Jesus – took human form so that he
could die as a sacrifice for peoples’
sins
• God the Holy Spirit
– the spiritual presence of God; God’s
active force
The Trinity
• St. Patrick used the shamrock
to explain this concept to the
Celts in Ireland
The Bible
• Old Testament
– known as
“the scriptures”
– stories about early
Hebrews (Isrealites)
such as Abraham, Noah, Moses, etc.
• New Testament
– written by the followers of Jesus
– about the life of Jesus, his teachings, about
living the Christian life, and about the early
Church
Jesus of Nazareth
Christ / Messiah
• “Christ”  from the Greek noun Χριστός
(Khristós) which means “anointed one”
• “Messiah”  from the Hebrew noun ‫משיח‬
(Moshiach) which means “savior” or
“anointed one”
• Christian means “belonging to Christ” or
“of Christ”
Christ / Messiah
• Believed to be the Son of God and the
Messiah (savior) of the Jews
• God in human form
• Atonement
– Jewish belief in a sacrifice meant to take the
place of sins
– Jesus is known as the “Lamb of God” who
took the place of animal sacrifice to become
the “ultimate sacrifice”
– Christians do not sacrifice animals, they
repent and ask for forgiveness
Birth
• Angels visited Mary & Joseph
• city of Bethlehem in modern Israel
– Augustus’ tax
– no room at the inn
• around 4 BC
• celebrated as Christmas
– “Christ’s Mass”
Birth
• earthly parents were
Mary and Joseph, but
Jesus is considered to
be the son of God
• Mary
– without sin
• Imaculate Conception
– a virgin
– venerated by Christians, but
not worshipped
• Joseph
– a carpenter
– descended from King David
– little is known
Youth
• not much is known
• grew up in Nazareth
• Joseph  a carpenter
Jesus  a carpenter ??
• knew the Jewish
scriptures (the Torah)
• Jesus was found
in a synagogue
teaching the rabbis
Adulthood
• rabbi  taught God’s love for man
• miracles  healing, multiplied food,
calmed storms, water into wine, walk on
water
• disciples  followers (“discipline”)
– 12 Apostles  most important disciples
Death
INRI
IESVS·NAZARENVS·REX·IVDÆORV
M
(Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum)
• Jewish high priests
became jealous
• accused of blasphemy
(speaking against the
teachings of Judaism)
• Pontius Pilate  Roman
Governor of Judaea
• crucifixion (hung on a
cross) in Jerusalem
(around AD 30)
• sacrifice “Lamb of God”
Resurrection
• The Resurrection –
Jesus rose from the dead
after three days
(celebrated as Easter
Sunday)
• appeared to disciples
(doubting Thomas)
• ascended into Heaven
Judgment
• “The Second Coming”
• “The Rapture”
• Jesus will return to
Earth to judge
people’s souls (inner
spirits)
– good  Heaven
– bad  Hell
Goals of Christianity
• Salvation
– forgiveness of sins; being “saved”
• Everlasting Life
– salvation allows followers to live forever in
Heaven
• Heaven
– a peaceful place where God and his faithful
followers spend eternity
• Hell
– a fiery place to avoid where Satan and sinners
spend eternity (obviously not a goal!!!)
Saints
• Not all Christians have the same view of
the Saints
• people who have died and are in Heaven
• (people on Earth who will be in Heaven
when they die ???)
–
–
–
–
–
Mary
Joseph
Peter
Paul
Mother Theresa ??
Angels
• Spiritual beings who serve
God in Heaven
• Guardian Angels
• Angel of Death
• Angels fighting evil
– Michael
• Angels as messengers
– Gabrielle
– Raphael
Demons
• Lucifer (“bright and shining
one”)  Angel who thought
he was better than God
• God banished Lucifer to
Hell  Satan
• bad angels followed Lucifer
 demons who try to
corrupt the souls of people
on Earth
Teachings
• Ten Commandments
– (from Judaism – Old Testament)
– have only one God
– keep the Sabbath day as a day of worship and
rest (Christians celebrate on Sunday)
– don’t use God’s name as a way of cursing
– obey your parents
– don’t lie, steal, sleep with someone without
being married to him/her, etc.
Teachings
• Beatitudes
– (from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount)
– Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom
of Heaven.
– Blessed are they who sorrow: for they shall be
comforted.
– Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after holiness:
for they shall be filled.
– Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
– Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called
sons of God.
– Blessed are they that have been persecuted for
righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of
Heaven.
Teachings
• Great Commandment
– Love God with all your heart, and with all
your soul, and with all your mind.
– Love your neighbor as yourself. (referred to
as the “golden rule”)
• Gospels
– stories about life and teachings of Jesus
•
•
•
•
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Teachings
• Parables
– Jesus used parables to teach
– stories that teach a lesson
Parables activity
Statement of Faith (Belief)
The AposTle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of Heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
The Trinity
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
Virgin Birth
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Crucifixion
was crucified, died, and was buried.
Resurrection
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into Heaven
Ascension
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. Reign /
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy *catholic church,
Judgment
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
Saints
the resurrection of the body,
Salvation
and life everlasting.
Eternal Life
Amen.
“I Believe”
•
in Heaven
*The word "catholic" with a small letter “c” refers to the entire universal Christian Church.
“The ChurCh”
• Church was founded and
led by Peter “the rock”
• Jesus gave him “Keys to
the Kingdom of Heaven”
• Peter became Bishop of
Rome and is considered
the first Pope
• Crucified upside-down
Church Leadership
Used by all Christians until 1517. Catholic Church still
uses this hierarchy, but many Protestant
denominations use different systems
• Pope
– human leader of the worldwide Christian Church.
Bishop of Rome. Peter was the first Pope.
• Cardinal
– elects the Pope and governs a large territory
(multiple states)
• Bishop
– leader of several different churches in a smaller
territory (northwest Ohio)
• Priest
– pastor or minister to one or more churches
• Deacon
– assists the priest
Persecution
• Persecution
– being treated badly because of your beliefs
– outcast, execution  Nero, Diocletian, etc.
• Martyr
– someone who dies because of their beliefs
– Jesus, Perpetua and Felicity, Peter, Paul
• Diaspora
– AD 70– spreading out of the Jews
– Romans conquered and destroyed Jerusalem,
burning the Temple
Conversion of the Empire
• Constantine
–
–
–
–
AD 312 – converts to Christianity after battle
makes Christianity legal
solidifies many doctrines
helps build the Bible
• Theodosius
– AD 391– Christianity becomes the official
religion of the Empire
– Christianity becomes required
Division of the Empire
• Western Empire / Eastern Empire
– Roman Empire is too big  Emperor Diocletian
• West (Rome) / East (Byzantium  Constantinople)
– Rome (West) falls in AD 476, but Eastern
Empire continues in Byzantium
– Byzantium  renamed Constantinople by
Emperor Constantine
– Christianity in the West (centered in Rome) and
East (centered in Constantinople) began using
different practices
Christianity in the East
• Justinian
– Eastern Emperor AD 527-565
– Code of Justinian
• simplified / organized Roman laws
• guaranteed fair treatment for all
– Built the Hagia Sophia
• most famous Orthodox Church
• now a Muslim mosque
Schisms
• Great Schism (1054)
– schism = split
– Roman Catholic
• Western Church; headquartered in Rome
– Eastern Orthodox
• Eastern Church; Byzantium (Constantinople)
• Reformation (1517)
– Martin Luther – priest; protested corruption
– Protestants – followers of Martin Luther
– Denominations – divisions of Church
Divisions of Christianity
• Worldwide – 2.2 billion Christians (33% of
world’s population)
– 1) Roman Catholic
• 1115 million
• 17% of all humans
• 54% of Christians
– 2) Protestant
• 663 million
• 10% of all humans
• 32% of Christians
– 3) Eastern Orthodox
• 297 million
• 5% of all humans
• 14% of Christians
These numbers are 2005 estimates
Divisions of Christianity
• In the US – 237 million Christians (79%
of Americans)
– 1) Protestant
• 54% of Americans
• 68% of US Christians
– 2) Roman Catholic
• 24% of Americans
• 30% of US Christians
– 3) Eastern Orthodox
• 1% of Americans
• 1% of US Christians
These numbers are 2005 estimates
Protestants Worldwide
• Common Protestant denominations – 663 million worldwide
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Baptist - 110 million
Calvinist - 75 million
Methodist - 75 million
Anglican - 73 million
Lutheran - 70 million
Assemblies of God - 51 million
Mormon (Seventh-day Adventists / Latter-day Saints) – 26.5 million
Church of God in Christ - 7 million
The Pentecostal Mission - 6.7 million
Anabaptist (Mennonite, Amish, Brethren) - 6.35 million
Apostolic Church - 6 million
Zion Christian Church - 2.5 million
Quaker - 0.35 million
Non-Trinitarian - 20 million
• Jehovah's Witness
• Unitarian
These numbers are 2005 estimates