Christians

Christians
Name	Christians
Founded	1st century CE
Founder	Jesus
Scripture	Bible
Headquarters	None
Language	Various
Population	~2.3 billion (est.)

Christians are adherents of a monotheistic faith centered on the life, teachings, death, and reported resurrection of Jesus. The community traces its roots to first-century Judea and spread through the Roman Empire, later becoming a major religious tradition across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and parts of Asia. Christians draw authority from texts compiled in the New Testament and, in many traditions, the Old Testament; they organize into diverse denominations and institutions such as the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and various Protestantism bodies.

Beliefs and Theology

Christian theological frameworks articulate doctrines including the Trinity, the incarnation of Jesus, atonement theories, and eschatological expectations about the Second Coming. Major creeds like the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed summarize foundational affirmations adopted at councils such as the First Council of Nicaea and the Council of Chalcedon. Interpretive traditions vary: Roman Catholic Church theology emphasizes papal primacy and the magisterium, Eastern Orthodox Church theology stresses theosis and conciliarity, while Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Methodism contribute distinctive soteriologies and sacramental understandings. Debates over scripture and tradition involve texts like the Gospel of Mark, Gospel of John, and the Epistles of Paul, with scholarly engagement from figures such as Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, and John Calvin.

History

The movement began in Jerusalem in the aftermath of Pontius Pilate's governorship, spreading through missionary activity by figures such as Paul the Apostle and communities recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Early development included persecution under emperors like Nero and legal recognition with the Edict of Milan under Constantine the Great. The Great Schism (1054) separated Western Christianity and Eastern Orthodox Church, while the Protestant Reformation (16th century) led by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others produced denominations including Anglicanism and Anabaptism. Colonial expansion connected Christian missions with empires such as the Spanish Empire and the British Empire, reshaping religious demography in regions like Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. Modern history features movements like the Ecumenical Movement, institutions such as the World Council of Churches, and controversies involving secularization and political debates in nations including the United States and France.

Denominations and Movements

Major communions include the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the diverse family of Protestantism bodies: Lutheranism, Reformed churches, Anglican Communion, Baptist churches, and Pentecostalism. Other branches comprise Oriental Orthodoxy and Restorationism movements like the Latter Day Saint movement and Jehovah's Witnesses. Movements such as Evangelicalism, Charismatic movement, and Liberation theology have shaped global practice, while the Monasticism tradition produced orders including the Benedictines, Franciscans, and Dominicans. Contemporary networks include interdenominational bodies like the World Evangelical Alliance and regional communions such as the African Independent Churches.

Practices and Worship

Worship patterns range from liturgical rites to spontaneous gatherings. Sacramental observances often include Baptism and the Eucharist (Holy Communion), celebrated within rites like the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church or the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Prayer traditions include the Lord's Prayer, the use of psalms from the Psalter, and devotional practices such as the Rosary in Catholicism or the Daily Office in Anglicanism. Worship settings vary from parish churches and cathedrals—such as St. Peter's Basilica and Hagia Sophia—to house churches, megachurches, and revival tents associated with Great Awakenings and evangelical campaigns led by figures like Billy Graham.

Culture and Demographics

Christianity has profoundly influenced art, music, and institutions: composers like Johann Sebastian Bach and painters such as Michelangelo produced works for Christian contexts; architecture ranges from Gothic architecture cathedrals to modern church buildings. Educational and healthcare institutions founded by Christian orders include medieval universities such as University of Paris and hospitals run by orders like the Hospitallers. Demographically, communities are concentrated in regions including Latin America, Europe, Africa, and North America, with significant growth in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Surveys and censuses in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Russia, and Nigeria track changing affiliation, secular trends, and migration patterns shaping congregational life.

Ethics and Social Teaching

Christian social teaching encompasses doctrines on human dignity, charity, and justice articulated across papal encyclicals like Rerum Novarum and documents from Vatican II, as well as Protestant social ethics developed by thinkers such as Reinhold Niebuhr and activists like Dorothy Day. Positions on issues including peace and war reference texts like the Sermon on the Mount and historical movements such as the Christian pacifist tradition and the Just War theory associated with figures like Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas. Churches and organizations engage in humanitarian efforts through agencies such as Caritas Internationalis and World Vision, and participate in public debates over civil rights exemplified by leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and movements including the Abolitionism campaigns of the 19th century.

Category:Christianity