Christianity
Christianity is based on the teachings of Jesus. Jesus lived about 2,000 years ago on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Roman province of Judea. Most Christians believe Jesus to be both a man and the son of the God of the Jews. Almost two billion Christians live on every populated continent, comprising most people living in North and South America, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Additionally, Christianity is the religious faith of almost half of the people of Africa. Christianity is a major religion on every populated continent. It is dominant in the Americas, Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa. In recent decades, Christianity has grown rapidly in parts of Africa and Asia, though it remains a minority faith in most Asian countries.
Life and Teachings of Jesus
The Western calendar numbers years from the birth of Jesus, but many scholars now believe Jesus was born about 4 BCE. Jesus began to minister at about the age of thirty. Jesus was a Jew, but his teachings sometimes diverged from Jewish tradition. He called on his followers to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” As Jesus developed a popular following, religious leaders and the Roman governor saw him as a threat to their power. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, ordered Jesus to be crucified. Crucifixion was an ancient and excruciating method of execution in which a condemned person was tied or nailed to a wooden cross and left to hang until dead.
The Christian Faith
The followers of Jesus called him Christ. Christ is a Greek word that means “chosen one.” Sometime after his death, the followers of Jesus became known as Christians. Eventually, Christians combined the stories of the life and teachings of Jesus into four books known as the Gospels. Gospel means “good news.”
The Bible
The holy book of Christianity, the Bible, comprises two sections. The Old Testament consists of the sacred writings of the Jewish people and was written in Hebrew long before Jesus lived. The New Testament of the Bible includes the Gospels, along with letters by early Christian writers. The Bible has been translated into more than 1,500 languages and has been read by more people than any other book.
Christian Denominations
About half of the world’s Christian population is Roman Catholic. Pope Leo XIV (born Robert Francis Prevost in 1955) is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the sovereign of Vatican City. Catholic is a Latin word that means “universal,” and at one time almost all Christians followed the teachings of the Pope. Roman refers to the fact that the Pope has lived in Rome for centuries.
Most Christians in Eastern Europe belong to Eastern Orthodox churches. The Eastern Orthodox churches split from the Roman church in the Middle Ages. Many European leaders—including Martin Luther, John Calvin, and King Henry VIII of England—protested against the Pope during the Reformation. In addition to Roman Catholicism, Christian sects in America today include Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Mormons, and Episcopalians.
Christian Practices
Christian holy periods include Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus; Easter, when Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven; and Lent, a forty-day holy period of repentance and self-denial. Christians generally worship in churches led by ministers and priests. Most Christians practice acts of religious significance called sacraments. The sacraments include baptism, when a Christian joins the church, and confirmation, when a Christian confirms their faith. The Eucharist is the holiest of Christian sacraments in many churches. During a religious service, church members eat a small wafer of bread. Christian tradition states that at the Last Supper before his execution, Jesus asked his followers to think of the meal as the body and blood he would soon sacrifice.
Resources
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Mr. Donn has an excellent website that includes a section on World Religions.