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Our mission is to educate people about the various religions in our world. Understanding religious tenets fosters dialogue and open & honest conversations. That starts with an understanding of at least the fundamentals for each religion.
Christianity is one of the world’s largest and most influential religious traditions. It began in the eastern Mediterranean region in the first century CE and developed from within the Jewish religious world of that time. Christianity is centered on the life, teachings, death, and reported resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, whom Christians identify as the Christ, meaning “anointed one” or “messiah.”
This lesson introduces Christianity from an academic and historical perspective. It explains Christianity’s origins, central beliefs, sacred texts, major branches, and role in world history.
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Christianity emerged during the first century CE in the Roman province of Judea, a region located in what is now Israel and Palestine. At the time, Judea was under Roman political control and was home to a diverse Jewish population with different religious, political, and social expectations.
Jesus of Nazareth was a Jewish teacher who lived during this period. The earliest Christian communities understood his life and message through Jewish concepts such as covenant, prophecy, kingdom of God, and messiah. Over time, Christianity developed into a distinct religious tradition with its own institutions, scriptures, rituals, and theological beliefs.
The early Christian movement spread through the Roman Empire and beyond, especially through missionary activity, urban communities, written texts, and networks of trade and travel.
Jesus of Nazareth is the central figure of Christianity. Historically, he is understood as a first-century Jewish teacher from Galilee. Christian traditions describe him as a preacher, healer, interpreter of Jewish law, and teacher of ethical and spiritual renewal.
The primary sources for the life and teachings of Jesus are the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These texts are found in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible.
Common themes associated with Jesus’ teaching include:
Christians interpret Jesus in different ways depending on denomination, theology, and tradition. However, most forms of Christianity regard Jesus as uniquely significant in relation to God, salvation, and human history.
The Bible is the central sacred text of Christianity. It is not a single book but a collection of writings produced over many centuries.
The Christian Bible has two major sections:
The Old Testament contains texts inherited from ancient Israelite and Jewish tradition. It includes law, history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, and narrative. These writings overlap substantially with the Jewish Bible, though the arrangement and number of books may differ among Christian traditions.
The New Testament contains writings from the early Christian movement. It includes:
Different Christian communities interpret the Bible in different ways. Some emphasize historical study, some emphasize church tradition, some emphasize personal reading, and others use a combination of these approaches.
Christianity is diverse, and not all Christians express doctrine in exactly the same way. However, several themes are widely shared across the tradition.
Christianity is generally understood as a monotheistic religion, meaning it teaches belief in one God.
The title “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning “anointed one.” It corresponds to the Hebrew concept of “messiah.” Christians use this title to express the belief that Jesus has a special role in God’s relationship with humanity.
Salvation is a major Christian concept referring to deliverance, healing, restoration, or reconciliation between humanity and God. Different Christian traditions explain salvation in different ways, often involving themes of grace, faith, repentance, forgiveness, and moral transformation.
Many Christian traditions teach the doctrine of the Trinity. This is the belief that God is one, while also understood as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is a complex theological concept developed over the early centuries of Christianity.
Christianity places major importance on the resurrection of Jesus. In Christian belief, resurrection refers to Jesus being raised from death. Scholars study this belief as a central claim of early Christian proclamation and identity.
Christian practice varies widely across cultures and denominations. Still, several practices are common in many Christian communities.
Christian worship may include prayer, singing, scripture reading, preaching, silence, confession, and ritual actions. Worship can take place in churches, homes, schools, outdoor spaces, or online communities.
Baptism is a ritual involving water. It is commonly associated with initiation into the Christian community, purification, repentance, or identification with Jesus.
Communion, also called the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper, is a ritual meal involving bread and wine or grape juice. Christian traditions understand this practice in different ways, but it is generally connected to the memory of Jesus’ final meal with his disciples.
Prayer is communication directed toward God. It may involve praise, confession, thanksgiving, request, meditation, or silence.
Christian ethics often emphasize love, humility, forgiveness, justice, care for the vulnerable, and responsibility toward others.
Christianity has developed into several major branches over its long history.
Roman Catholicism is the largest Christian tradition. It is centered around the authority of the pope, who is the bishop of Rome, and emphasizes scripture, tradition, sacraments, and church teaching.
Eastern Orthodoxy includes churches historically rooted in the eastern regions of the Roman Empire. It places strong emphasis on liturgy, tradition, icons, councils, and continuity with the early church.
Protestantism emerged in the 16th century during the Reformation, a movement that challenged certain practices and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Protestant traditions often emphasize scripture, preaching, faith, and reform, though they are highly diverse.
There are also many other Christian groups and movements, including Oriental Orthodox churches, Pentecostal churches, independent churches, restorationist movements, and new global Christian communities.
Christianity began in the eastern Mediterranean but became a global religion through migration, missionary activity, empire, trade, translation, and local adaptation.
Today, Christianity is practiced in many cultural forms across Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East. In some regions, Christianity is linked to ancient communities; in others, it grew through colonial contact or modern missionary movements.
Because of this global diversity, Christianity should not be understood as a single cultural expression. Christian communities differ in worship style, theology, language, politics, art, music, and social organization.
Think about a time when you encountered Christianity through a holiday, building, symbol, political debate, work of art, song, or personal relationship.
What assumptions did you have about Christianity at that time?
How might studying Christianity historically and comparatively change the way you understand it?
Christ
A title meaning “anointed one.” In Christianity, it refers to Jesus’ special role in relation to God and salvation
Gospel
A written account of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection traditions of Jesus. The New Testament contains four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Monotheism
Belief in one God.
Salvation
A religious concept referring to deliverance, restoration, forgiveness, or reconciliation between humanity and God.
Trinity
A Christian doctrine that describes God as one while also understood as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
