Christianity - Main Page

Christianity is based of the teachings of Jesus Christ, a Jew who lived about 2000 years ago in the Roman province in what we now call Israel.

The followers of Jesus called him Christ. Christ is a Greek word that means, "chosen one." They believed he was the son of God. In time followers of Jesus became known as Christians. Early Christians taught that the sins of the people would be forgiven if they became Christian.

Some years after Jesus died, Christians combined the stories of the life and wisdom of Jesus into four books known as Gospels. Gospel means "good news." The holy book of Christianity is known as the Bible and has two parts. The Old Testament consists of the sacred writings of the Jewish people, and was written mostly in Hebrew long before Jesus. The New Testament of the Bible includes the Gospels, along with letters by Christian writers. The Bible has been translated into more than 1,500 languages and has been read by more people than any other book.

As time progressed, Christianity divided into many denominations which are a part of three major branches. The Roman Catholic branch of Christianity is the successor of the church established in Rome soon after Christ's death. About half of the world's Christian population is Roman Catholic. Roman Catholicism was originally predominately practiced in Ireland, Poland, France and Spain. The Catholic church is lead by a Pope, the Vicar of Christ. Catholic is a Latin word that means "universal."

During the fourth century, the Roman Catholic church split and the Christians in Eastern Europe broke away from the Roman Catholics and formed the Eastern Orthodox branch. The split was primarily a political one due to the division of the Roman Empire into western and eastern components. The two churches became officially separate in 1054. Orthodox churches are largely national, each associated with a particular country. Orthodoxy is common in Russia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, the Ukraine, and Armenia.

Many European leaders, including Martin Luther and John Calvin, challenged the authority of the Pope in a period known as the Reformation, a sixteenth and seventeenth century series of church reforms in doctrine and practice. The churches they started became known as Protestant sects. This movement became popular in Scandinavia, England, and the Netherlands.

Protestantism eventually divided into many denominations which arose in response to disputes over doctrine, theology, or religious practice. Some of the large denominations today are Lutherans, Methodists and Baptists.

Christians worship in churches led by ministers and priests. Most Christians practice acts of religious significance called sacraments.