I.

INTRODUCTION

Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, professing that Jesus

Christ was raised from the dead and is the Son of God, whose coming as
the Messiah was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (called the Old Testament in
Christianity) and chronicled in the New Testament. It is the world's largest and most
widespread religion with over 2.4 billion followers, cmprising around 31.2% of the world
population. Its adherents, known as Christians, are estimated to make up a majority of
the population in 157 countries and territories.

Christianity remains culturally diverse in its Western and Eastern branches, and
doctrinally diverse concerning justification and the nature of
salvation, ecclesiology, ordination, and Christology. The creeds of various Christian
denominations generally hold in common Jesus as the Son of God—
the Logos incarnated—who ministered, suffered, and died on a cross, but rose from the
dead for the salvation of humankind; and referred to as the gospel, meaning the "good
news". The four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John describe Jesus's
life and teachings as preserved in the early Christian tradition, with the Old Testament as
the gospels' respected background.

Christianity began in the 1st century, after the death of Jesus, as a Judaic sect
with Hellenistic influence in the Roman province of Judaea. The disciples of
Jesus spread their faith around the Eastern Mediterranean area, despite significant
persecution. The inclusion of Gentiles led Christianity to slowly separate from
Judaism (2nd century). Emperor Constantine I decriminalized Christianity in the Roman
Empire by the Edict of Milan (313), later convening the Council of Nicaea (325) where
Early Christianity was consolidated into what would become the state religion of the
Roman Empire (380). The Church of the East and Oriental Orthodoxy both split over
differences in Christology (5th century), while the Eastern Orthodox Church and
the Catholic Church separated in the East–West Schism (1054). Protestantism split into
numerous denominations from the Catholic Church in the Reformation era (16th century).
Following the Age of Discovery (15th–17th century), Christianity expanded throughout
the world via missionary work, evangelism, immigration and extensive trade. Christianity
played a prominent role in the development of Western civilization, particularly in Europe
from late antiquity and the Middle Ages.
II. FOUNDER
The founder of Christianity is Jesus Christ. He is considered the central figure in
Christianity, whose life, teachings, death, and resurrection form the foundation of the faith.
While Jesus did not explicitly set out to create a new religion, his followers, known as
Christians, spread his teachings and formed communities that eventually became the
Christian Church.

III. ORIGIN

Christianity originated in the 1st century AD in the Roman province of Judea,

modern-day Israel and Palestine. It began with the life and teachings of Jesus of
Nazareth, who Christians believe is the Son of God and the Messiah (Savior)
prophesied in the Jewish Scriptures.

Jesus' Life and Ministry: Jesus, born around 4-6 BC, was a Jewish teacher who
preached about love, forgiveness, and the Kingdom of God. He performed miracles and
gathered followers, known as disciples, who spread his teachings. His message focused
on God's love, mercy, and salvation for all people.

Crucifixion and Resurrection: Jesus was crucified by the Roman authorities around
AD 30–33. Christians believe that he rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion,
an event known as the Resurrection, which became a central belief in Christianity,
signifying Jesus' victory over sin and death.

Spread of Christianity: After Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven, his
followers, particularly the apostles like Peter and Paul, spread his teachings throughout
the Roman Empire. Paul's missionary journeys and letters were crucial in establishing
Christian communities and explaining Christian theology, especially to non-Jews
(Gentiles).

The Early Church: Christianity began as a small Jewish sect but quickly grew. By the
2nd and 3rd centuries, it had spread across the Roman Empire, despite periods of
persecution. Early Christians gathered in small house churches and shared teachings,
sacraments, and communal meals.

Influence of Judaism: Christianity emerged from Judaism, sharing many of its beliefs,
such as monotheism (belief in one God) and the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament).
However, Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled the Jewish prophecies of a coming
Messiah.
 The Bible: The Christian Bible was formed over time, with the Old Testament (shared
with Judaism) and the New Testament, which includes the Gospels (accounts of Jesus'
life), letters (especially by Paul), and other writings of early Christian leaders.

Official Recognition: Christianity gained official recognition in the Roman Empire

when Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in AD 312. The Edict of Milan in
AD 313 allowed Christians to worship freely, and Christianity eventually became the state
religion of the Roman Empire under Emperor Theodosius in AD 380.

IV. BELIEFS
While Christians worldwide share basic convictions, there are differences of
interpretations and opinions of the Bible and sacred traditions on which Christianity is
based.

CREEDS

Concise doctrinal statements or confessions of religious beliefs are known

as creeds. They began as baptismal formulae and were later expanded during
the Christological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries to become statements of
faith. "Jesus is Lord" is the earliest creed of Christianity and continues to be used, as with
the World Council of Churches.

The Apostles' Creed is the most widely accepted statement of the articles of
Christian faith. It is used by a number of Christian denominations for
both liturgical and catechetical purposes, most visibly by liturgical churches of Western
Christian tradition, including the Latin Church of the Catholic
Church, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, and Western Rite Orthodoxy. It is also used
by Presbyterians, Methodists, and Congregationalists.

This particular creed was developed between the 2nd and 9th centuries. Its central
doctrines are those of the Trinity and God the Creator. Each of the doctrines found in this
creed can be traced to statements current in the apostolic period. The creed was
apparently used as a summary of Christian doctrine for baptismal candidates in the
churches of Rome.[119] Its points include:

• Belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ as the Son of God,[note 2] and the Holy
Spirit
• The death, descent into hell, resurrection and ascension of Christ
• The holiness of the Church and the communion of saints
• Christ's second coming, the Day of Judgement and salvation of the faithful
 The Nicene Creed was formulated, largely in response to Arianism, at the Councils
of Nicaea and Constantinople in 325 and 381 respectively,[120][121] and ratified as the
universal creed of Christendom by the First Council of Ephesus in 431.

The Chalcedonian Definition, or Creed of Chalcedon, developed at the Council of

Chalcedon in 451, though rejected by the Oriental Orthodox,[124] taught Christ "to be
acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably": one
divine and one human, and that both natures, while perfect in themselves, are
nevertheless also perfectly united into one person.

The Athanasian Creed, received in the Western Church as having the same status
as the Nicene and Chalcedonian, says: "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in
Unity; neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance".

Most Christians (Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox,

and Protestant alike) accept the use of creeds and subscribe to at least one of the creeds
mentioned above.

Certain Evangelical Protestants, though not all of them, reject creeds as definitive
statements of faith, even while agreeing with some or all of the substance of the creeds.
Also rejecting creeds are groups with roots in the Restoration Movement, such as
the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada,
and the Churches of Christ.

JESUS

Various depictions of Jesus

 The central tenet of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and
the Messiah (Christ). Christians believe that Jesus, as the Messiah, was anointed by God
as savior of humanity and hold that Jesus's coming was the fulfillment of messianic
prophecies of the Old Testament. The Christian concept of messiah differs significantly
from the contemporary Jewish concept. The core Christian belief is that through belief in
and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, sinful humans can be reconciled
to God, and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life.

While there have been many theological disputes over the nature of Jesus over
the earliest centuries of Christian history, generally, Christians believe that Jesus is God
incarnate and "true God and true man" (or both fully divine and fully human). Jesus,
having become fully human, suffered the pains and temptations of a mortal man, but did
not sin. As fully God, he rose to life again. According to the New Testament, he rose from
the dead, ascended to heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will
ultimately return] to fulfill the rest of the Messianic prophecy, including the resurrection of
the dead, the Last Judgment, and the final establishment of the Kingdom of God.

According to the canonical gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus

was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin Mary. Little of Jesus's
childhood is recorded in the canonical gospels, although infancy gospels were popular in
antiquity. In comparison, his adulthood, especially the week before his death, is well
documented in the gospels contained within the New Testament, because that part of his
life is believed to be most important. The biblical accounts of Jesus's ministry include: his
baptism, miracles, preaching, teaching, and deeds.

DEATH AND RESSURECTION

Crucifixion, representing the death of Jesus on the Cross, painting by Diego Velázquez, c. 1632
 Christians consider the resurrection of Jesus to be the cornerstone of their faith
(see 1 Corinthians 15) and the most important event in history. Among Christian beliefs,
the death and resurrection of Jesus are two core events on which much of Christian
doctrine and theology is based. According to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified,
died a physical death, was buried within a tomb, and rose from the dead three days later.

The New Testament mentions several post-resurrection appearances of Jesus on

different occasions to his twelve apostles and disciples, including "more than five hundred
brethren at once", before Jesus's ascension to heaven. Jesus's death and resurrection
are commemorated by Christians in all worship services, with special emphasis
during Holy Week, which includes Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The death and resurrection of Jesus are usually considered the most important events
in Christian theology, partly because they demonstrate that Jesus has power over life and
death and therefore has the authority and power to give people eternal life.

Christian churches accept and teach the New Testament account of the resurrection of
Jesus with very few exceptions. Some modern scholars use the belief of Jesus's followers
in the resurrection as a point of departure for establishing the continuity of the historical
Jesus and the proclamation of the early church. Some liberal Christians do not accept a
literal bodily resurrection, seeing the story as richly symbolic and spiritually
nourishing myth. Arguments over death and resurrection claims occur at many
religious debates and interfaith dialogues. Paul the Apostle, an early Christian convert
and missionary, wrote, "If Christ was not raised, then all our preaching is useless, and
your trust in God is useless".

SALVATION

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life".
— John 3:16, NIV
The Law and the Gospel by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1529); Moses and Elijah point the sinner to
Jesus for salvation.
Paul the Apostle, like Jews and Roman pagans of his time, believed that sacrifice can
bring about new kinship ties, purity, and eternal life. For Paul, the necessary sacrifice was
the death of Jesus: Gentiles who are "Christ's" are, like Israel, descendants of Abraham
and "heirs according to the promise" The God who raised Jesus from the dead would also
give new life to the "mortal bodies" of Gentile Christians, who had become with Israel, the
"children of God", and were therefore no longer "in the flesh".

Modern Christian churches tend to be much more concerned with how humanity can
be saved from a universal condition of sin and death than the question of how both Jews
and Gentiles can be in God's family. According to Eastern Orthodox theology, based
upon their understanding of the atonement as put forward by Irenaeus' recapitulation
theory, Jesus' death is a ransom. This restores the relation with God, who is loving and
reaches out to humanity, and offers the possibility of theosis c.q. divinization, becoming
the kind of humans God wants humanity to be. According to Catholic doctrine, Jesus'
death satisfies the wrath of God, aroused by the offense to God's honor caused by
human's sinfulness. The Catholic Church teaches that salvation does not occur without
faithfulness on the part of Christians; converts must live in accordance with principles of
love and ordinarily must be baptized. In Protestant theology, Jesus' death is regarded as
a substitutionary penalty carried by Jesus, for the debt that has to be paid by humankind
when it broke God's moral law.

Christians differ in their views on the extent to which individuals' salvation is pre-ordained
by God. Reformed theology places distinctive emphasis on grace by teaching that
individuals are completely incapable of self-redemption, but that sanctifying grace is
irresistible. In contrast Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Arminian Protestants believe
that the exercise of free will is necessary to have faith in Jesus.

TRINITY

The Trinity is the belief that God is one God in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy
Spirit.
 Trinity refers to the teaching that the one God comprises three distinct, eternally
co-existing persons: the Father, the Son (incarnate in Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.
Together, these three persons are sometimes called the Godhead, although there is no
single term in use in Scripture to denote the unified Godhead. In the words of
the Athanasian Creed, an early statement of Christian belief, "the Father is God, the Son
is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God". They
are distinct from another: the Father has no source, the Son is begotten of the Father,
and the Spirit proceeds from the Father. Though distinct, the three persons cannot be
divided from one another in being or in operation. While some Christians also believe that
God appeared as the Father in the Old Testament, it is agreed that he appeared as the
Son in the New Testament and will still continue to manifest as the Holy Spirit in the
present. But still, God still existed as three persons in each of these times. However,
traditionally there is a belief that it was the Son who appeared in the Old Testament
because, for example, when the Trinity is depicted in art, the Son typically has the
distinctive appearance, a cruciform halo identifying Christ, and in depictions of
the Garden of Eden, this looks forward to an Incarnation yet to occur. In some Early
Christian sarcophagi, the Logos is distinguished with a beard, "which allows him to appear
ancient, even pre-existent".

The Trinity is an essential doctrine of mainstream Christianity. From earlier than the times
of the Nicene Creed (325) Christianity advocated the triune mystery-nature of God as a
normative profession of faith. According to Roger E. Olson and Christopher Hall, through
prayer, meditation, study and practice, the Christian community concluded "that God must
exist as both a unity and trinity", codifying this in ecumenical council at the end of the 4th
century.

According to this doctrine, God is not divided in the sense that each person has a third of
the whole; rather, each person is considered to be fully God (see Perichoresis). The
distinction lies in their relations, the Father being unbegotten; the Son being begotten of
the Father; and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and (in Western
Christian theology) from the Son. Regardless of this apparent difference, the three
"persons" are each eternal and omnipotent. Other Christian religions including Unitarian
Universalism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormonism, do not share those views on the
Trinity.

The Greek word trias is first seen in this sense in the works of Theophilus of Antioch; his
text reads: "of the Trinity, of God, and of His Word, and of His Wisdom". The term may
have been in use before this time; its Latin equivalent, trinitas, appears afterwards with
an explicit reference to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in Tertullian. In the
following century, the word was in general use. It is found in many passages of Origen.

TRINITARIANISM

Trinitarianism denotes Christians who believe in the concept of the Trinity. Almost
all Christian denominations and churches hold Trinitarian beliefs. Although the words
"Trinity" and "Triune" do not appear in the Bible, beginning in the 3rd century theologians
developed the term and concept to facilitate apprehension of the New Testament
teachings of God as being Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Since that time, Christian
theologians have been careful to emphasize that Trinity does not imply that there are
three gods (the antitrinitarian heresy of Tritheism), nor that each hypostasis of the Trinity
is one-third of an infinite God (partialism), nor that the Son and the Holy Spirit are beings
created by and subordinate to the Father (Arianism). Rather, the Trinity is defined as one
God in three persons.

NONTRINITARIANISM

Nontrinitarianism (or antitrinitarianism) refers to theology that rejects the doctrine

of the Trinity. Various nontrinitarian views, such as adoptionism or modalism, existed in
early Christianity, leading to disputes about Christology. Nontrinitarianism reappeared in
the Gnosticism of the Cathars between the 11th and 13th centuries, among groups
with Unitarian theology in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, in the 18th-
century Enlightenment, among Restorationist groups arising during the Second Great
Awakening of the 19th century, and most recently, in Oneness Pentecostal churches.

ESCHATOLOGY

The end of things, whether the end of an individual life, the end of the age,
or the end of the world, broadly speaking, is Christian eschatology; the study of the destiny
of humans as it is revealed in the Bible. The major issues in Christian eschatology are
the Tribulation, death and the afterlife, (mainly for Evangelical groups) the
Millennium and the following Rapture, the Second Coming of Jesus, Resurrection of the
Dead, Heaven, (for liturgical branches) Purgatory, and Hell, the Last Judgment, the end
of the world, and the New Heavens and New Earth.

Christians believe that the second coming of Christ will occur at the end of time, after a
period of severe persecution (the Great Tribulation). All who have died will be resurrected
bodily from the dead for the Last Judgment. Jesus will fully establish the Kingdom of
God in fulfillment of scriptural prophecies.

DEATH AND AFTERLIFE

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 the Catholic branch of Christianity, 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.

V. BRANCHES

Roman Catholicism (1.3 billion people)

Protestantism (1.17 billion)

Eastern Orthodoxy (230 million)

Oriental Orthodoxy (60 million)

Restorationism (35 million)

Church of the East (600,000)

Smaller church communities’ number in the thousands despite efforts toward unity
(ecumenism). In the West, Christianity remains the dominant religion even with a decline
in adherence, with about 70% of that population identifying as Christian. Christianity is
growing in Africa and Asia, the world's most populous continents. Christians remain
greatly persecuted in many regions of the world, particularly in the Middle East, North
Africa, East Asia, and South Asia.

VI. ETYMOLOGY

Early Jewish Christians referred to themselves as 'The Way' (Koinē Greek: τῆς
ὁδοῦ, romanized: tês hodoû), probably coming from Isaiah 40:3, "prepare the way of the
Lord".According to Acts 11:26, the term "Christian" (Χρῑστῐᾱνός, Khrīstiānós), meaning
"followers of Christ" in reference to Jesus's disciples, was first used in the city
of Antioch by the non-Jewish inhabitants there. The earliest recorded use of the term
"Christianity/Christianism" (Χρῑστῐᾱνισμός, Khrīstiānismós) was by Ignatius of
Antioch around 100 AD. The name Jesus comes from Greek: Ἰησοῦς Iēsous, likely
from Hebrew/Aramaic: ַ‫ יֵׁשּוע‬Yēšūaʿ.
VII. PRACTICES

Prayer: Communicating with God is central to Christian life, often through

personal prayer, group prayer, or formal prayers like the Lord's Prayer.

Worship: Christians gather for worship in churches, singing hymns, reading the Bible,
and listening to sermons. This can happen on Sundays or other days.

Bible Reading: Regularly reading and studying the Bible helps Christians understand
God's teachings and apply them to their lives.

Sacraments: These are sacred rituals. In most Christian denominations, baptism and
communion (the Eucharist) are two key sacraments. Some denominations also observe
other sacraments like confirmation, marriage, and anointing the sick.

Charity and Service: Helping others, especially the poor and those in need, is an
essential part of Christian practice, following Jesus' example.

Fasting and Abstinence: Some Christians practice fasting or giving up certain foods
during religious seasons, like Lent.

Celebration of Christian Holidays: Christians observe holidays such as Christmas

(the birth of Jesus) and Easter (the resurrection of Jesus) as important spiritual
celebrations.

Confession and Forgiveness: In some traditions, confessing sins to a priest or to

God and seeking forgiveness is a regular practice.

Fellowship and Community: Many Christians engage in church or small group

activities for mutual support, learning, and spiritual growth.

VIII. REFERENCES

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, September 21). Christianity. In Wikipedia, The Free

Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:16, September 21, 2024
 CHRISTIANITY

MEMBERS
Bumarlong, Kristil
Hismaña, Princess
Paraso, Irish Joy
Tuando, Janna DC
Tubania, Jeriel
Alojado, Allan Jay
Lapetaje, John Laurence
Lumalad, Kurt Dynsyll E.
Ticar, John Paul

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SIR ARJUN ANTIZA