Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament.[2]

Its followers, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is[3] the Son of God and the Messiah (or Christ) prophesied in the Old Testament, the part of their scriptures they have in common with Judaism.[4] To Christians, Jesus Christ is a teacher, the model of a pious life, the revealer of God, and most importantly the saviour of humanity who suffered, died, and was resurrected in order to bring about salvation from sin.[5] Christians maintain that Jesus ascended into heaven, and most denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, granting everlasting life to his followers. Christians describe the New Testament account of Jesus’ ministry as the Gospel, or “good news”..

Jesus’ teachings focused on the themes of the kingdom of God, love of God and love of neighbor. Along with some of his teachings, his growing popularity with the masses was seen as dangerous by Jewish religious leaders and the Roman government, leading to his execution by crucifixion.

Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead three days later, and in so doing made it possible for those who believe to be forgiven of sin and attain eternal life. Much of Christian belief and practice centers on the resurrection of Christ.

The most distinguishing belief of Christianity is the doctrine of the Trinity, which views the one God as consisting of three Persons: the Father, the Son (Christ) and the Holy Spirit.

We can divide it in three sections, Roman Catholicism represents the continuation of the historical organized church as it developed over the centuries, and is headed by the Pope. Distinctive beliefs of Catholics include the doctrines of Transubstantiation and Purgatory, and distinctive practices include devotion to the saints and Mary and use of the rosary.

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world. It is considered by its adherents to be the very same Church established by Christ and his Apostles. All Orthodox bishops can trace their lineage back to one of the twelve Apostles through the process of apostolic succession.

Protestantism is a movement in Western Christianity whose adherents reject the notion that divine authority is channeled through one particular human institution or person such as the Roman Catholic pope. Protestants look elsewhere for the authority of their faith. Most of them stress the Bible – the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament – as the source and the norm of their teaching. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians also stress the authority of the Bible, but they also look to tradition, and, in the case of Catholics, to the pope as a source of authority.

Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther. Luther’s efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Roman Catholic Church launched the Protestant Reformation and, though it was not his original intention, left Western Christianity divided. Presbyterians, Pentecostals and Evangelicals.

Scriptures

Christianity regards the Bible, a collection of canonical books in two parts (the Old Testament and the New Testament), as authoritative. It is believed by Christians to have been written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore for many it is held to be the inerrant Word of God.[65][66][67] The books that are considered canon in the Bible vary depending upon the denomination using or defining it. These variations are a reflection of the range of traditions and councils that have convened on the subject. The Bible always includes books of the Jewish scriptures, the Tanakh, and includes additional books and reorganizes them into two parts: the books of the Old Testament primarily sourced from the Tanakh (with some variations), and the 27 books of the New Testament containing books originally written primarily in Greek[68]. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox canons include other books from the Septuagint Greek Jewish canon which Roman Catholics call Deuterocanonical.[69]

Resurrection

All Christians’ faith rests on Christ‘s resurrection from the dead. The resurrection of Christ concluded his public ministry here on earth, by proving that he was God. His death and resurrection paved the path for the redemption of all of humanity that believed. In Christian beliefs, all who have died will be resurrected from their earthly bodies and judged by God.

Jesus Christ

The central figure in Christianity is Jesus Christ. As the Son of God, he came to earth to teach about love and fellowship. He represents the person that all Christians must strive to be. Christians believe that he is the only one that ever lived on earth that can be called perfect from all worldly sins. The important thing to understand was that Jesus was God. He was here on earth to teach of God’s plan for all of humanity and to save the people of the world from their transgressions.

In Christianity, God is almighty and rules over all of heaven and earth. He is the one that created the earth and one day will cast judgement over the entire earth. Christians understand that through Jesus Christ, people can be saved from this judgement. By believing that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, the Spirit of God is exists in all believers, and that God is almighty in power. A person can be saved from this judgement.

Baptism

Christian churches use baptism as a symbol for a person’s declaration of faith in Jesus Christ and their commitment to the repentance of sins. Churches regard this as a sacred ritual ordained by God. Water has always represented purification in any religion. In Christianity, a new believer often is baptized with water in front of the congregation to declare their faith in God. Even Jesus was baptized before the start of his public ministry to the world. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he commanded all his disciples to baptize all the nations for the glory of God.

Distinctive Beliefs and Practices

Catholic Churches share certain essential distinctive beliefs and practices (though some Anglicans and Lutherans differ in regard to emphasis and particular pieties):

  • Direct and continuous organizational descent from the original church founded by Jesus (see e.g. Mt 16:18).
  • Possession of the “threefold ordained ministry” of Bishops, Priests and Deacons.
  • All ministers are ordained by, and subject to, Bishops, who pass down sacramental authority by the “laying-on of hands”, having themselves been ordained in a direct line of succession from the Apostles.
  • Their belief that the Church is the vessel and deposit of the fullness of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles from which the Scriptures were formed. This teaching is preserved in both written Scripture and in unwritten Tradition, neither being independent of the other.
  • A belief in the necessity of sacraments (generally counted as seven).
  • The use of sacred images, candles, vestments and music, and often incense and water, in worship.
  • Belief that the Eucharist is really, truly, and objectively the Body and Blood of Christ, through the Real Presence. Those that are quite distinctively Catholic believe that adoration and worship is due to the Eucharist, as the body and blood of Christ.
  • Veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Blessed Virgin Mary
  • A distinction between adoration (latria) for God, and veneration (dulia) for saints. The term hyperdulia is used for a special veneration accorded to the Virgin Mary among the saints.
  • The use of prayer for the dead.
  • Requests to the departed saints for intercessory prayers.
  • Belief in Exorcisms

Sacraments

The Sacraments of the Catholic Church, “instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, are efficacious signs of grace perceptible to the senses. Through them divine life is bestowed upon us.”[1] They assist individuals in their spiritual progress and growth in holiness. The sacraments contribute to the Church’s growth in charity and in giving witness. Though not every individual receives every sacrament, the sacraments as a whole are seen as necessary means of salvation for the faithful, conferring each sacrament’s particular grace, such as incorporation into Christ and the Church, forgiveness of sins, or consecration for a particular service.