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Definition:
Christianity is one of the world's major religions, one which developed out of Judaism in
the first century CE (Common Era of Judaism and Christianity, the basis for the modern
Western calender).
The term Christianoi, "Christians," can be found in Acts 11:26. At the time, the ending -anoi indicated the supporters of some particular person; later, it was also used in the names of religious sects. Most likely it was originally used by non-Christians as a label for the new religious group which was coalescing around the teachings of Jesus and Paul.
Central Christian doctrines include:
Creation: The universe was created by God ex nihilo, out of nothing. This stands in contrast to other religions, like Hinduism, which argue that the universe is somehow eternal.
Incarnation: Christianity is largely centered on the figure of Jesus Christ, a Jewish prophet or miracle worker who, if he existed, would have lived at the beginning of the Common Era. For most traditional and orthodox Christians, the person of Jesus is significant - he was both human and divine, a manifestation of God who came to atone for the sins of humanity.
For other Christians in history, Jesus had a very different nature or meaning. For some, his existence hasn't even been important - instead, he serves as a symbol for proper human action or attitudes.
Trinity: Christianity believes both in the existence of a single God and that Jesus was God, two doctrines which threaten to contradict each other. This is solved by the idea of the Trinity: God is one, but also three persons. Those three persons are God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Redemption: The purpose of Jesus' presence on Earth was to redeem humanity from its sins.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism?What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.
