   #copyright

Christianity

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Religious movements,
traditions and organizations

   Christianity percentage by country
   Christianity percentage by country

   Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and
   teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament.
   Christians believe Jesus to be the Son of God and the Messiah
   prophesied in the Old Testament. With an estimated 2.1 billion
   adherents in 2001, Christianity is the world's largest religion. It is
   the predominant religion in Europe, the Americas, Southern Africa, the
   Philippine Islands and Oceania. It is also growing rapidly in Asia,
   particularly in China and South Korea.

   Christianity shares its origins and many religious texts with Judaism,
   specifically the Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old
   Testament. Like Judaism and Islam, Christianity is classified as an
   Abrahamic religion (see also, Judeo-Christian).

   The name "Christian" ( Greek Χριστιανός Strong's G5546), meaning
   "belonging to Christ" or "partisan of Christ", was first applied to the
   disciples in Antioch, as recorded in Acts 11:26. The earliest recorded
   use of the term "Christianity" (Greek Χριστιανισμός) is by Ignatius of
   Antioch.
   Table of contents

Beliefs

   A depiction of Jesus and Mary, the Theotokos of Vladimir (12th century)
   A depiction of Jesus and Mary, the Theotokos of Vladimir (12th century)

   Although Christianity has always had a significant diversity of belief,
   most Christian branches and denominations share a common set of
   doctrines that they hold as essential to their faith.

Jesus Christ

   As indicated by the name "Christianity", the focus of Christian
   theology is a belief in Jesus as the Messiah or Christ. The title
   "Messiah" comes from the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (māšiáħ) meaning "the
   anointed one" or "King." The Greek translation Χριστός (Christos) is
   the source of the English word Christ.

   Christians believe that, as the Messiah, Jesus was anointed as ruler
   and savior of humanity, and hold that Jesus's coming was the fulfilment
   of messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. The Christian concept of
   the Messiah differs significantly from the contemporary Jewish concept.
   The core Christian belief is that, through the death and resurrection
   of Jesus, the perfect Son of God, mankind is reconciled to God and
   thereby attains salvation by grace and the promise of eternal life to
   all who trust in Christ. The need for salvation was caused by original
   sin.

   While there have been theological disputes over the nature of Jesus,
   most Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate and " true God and
   true man" (or both fully divine and fully human). Jesus, having become
   fully human in all respects, including the aspect of mortality,
   suffered the pains and temptations of mortal man, yet he did not sin.
   As fully God, he defeated death and rose to life again. According to
   the Bible, "God raised him from the dead", he ascended to heaven, to
   the "right hand of God", and will return again to fulfil the rest of
   Messianic prophecy such as the Resurrection of the dead, the Last
   Judgment and establishment of the Kingdom of God (See also Messianism
   and Messianic Age).

   According to the Gospels, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and
   born from the the virgin Mary. Little of Jesus' childhood is recorded
   in the Gospels compared to his adulthood, especially the week before
   his death. The Biblical accounts of Jesus' ministry include his
   baptism, miracles, teachings and deeds.

Death and Resurrection

   The Crucifixion by Diego Velázquez (17th Century)
   The Crucifixion by Diego Velázquez (17th Century)

   Most Christians consider the death of Jesus, followed by his
   resurrection, the cornerstone of their faith and the most important
   event in history.

   According to the Gospels, Jesus and his followers went to Jerusalem the
   week of the Passover where they were eagerly greeted by a crowd. In
   Jerusalem, Jesus cleansed the Temple, and predicted its destruction -
   heightening conflict with the Jewish authorities who were plotting his
   death.

   After sharing his last meal with his disciples, Jesus went to pray in
   the Garden of Gethsemane where he was betrayed by his disciple Judas
   Iscariot and arrested by the temple guard on orders from the Sanhedrin
   and the high priest Caiaphas. Jesus was convicted by the Sanhedrin of
   blasphemy and transferred to the Roman governor Pilate, who had him
   crucified for inciting rebellion. Jesus died by late afternoon and was
   entombed.

   Christians believe that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third
   day, that Jesus appeared to his apostles and other disciples,
   commissioned his disciples to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing
   them in the name of the Father and of the Son (Jesus) and of the Holy
   Spirit." and ascended to heaven. Christians also believe that God sent
   the disciples the Holy Spirit (or Paraclete).

Salvation

   Christians believe salvation is a gift by unmerited grace of God, who
   sent Jesus as the savior. Christians believe that through faith in
   Jesus one can be saved from sin and spiritual death. The crucifixion of
   Jesus is explained as an atoning sacrifice, which, in the words of the
   Gospel of John, "takes away the sins of the world". Reception of
   salvation is related to justification.

   The operation and effects of grace are understood differently by
   different traditions. Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy teach the
   necessity of the free will to cooperate with grace. Reformed theology
   places distinctive emphasis on grace by teaching that mankind is
   completely incapable of self-redemption, but the grace of God overcomes
   even the unwilling heart.

The Trinity

   The Hospitality of Abraham by Andrei Rublev: The three angels represent
   the three persons of God
   The Hospitality of Abraham by Andrei Rublev: The three angels represent
   the three persons of God

   Most Christians believe that God is spirit ( John 4:24), an uncreated,
   omnipotent and eternal being, the creator and sustainer of all things,
   who works the redemption of the world through his Son, Jesus Christ.

   Against this background, belief in the divinity of Christ and the Holy
   Spirit was expressed as the doctrine of the Holy Trinity,, which
   describes the single Divine substance existing as three distinct and
   inseparable persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ the eternal
   Word), and the Holy Spirit. According to the doctrine, God is not
   divided in the sense that each person has a third of the whole; rather,
   each person is considered to be fully God (see Perichoresis). The
   distinction lies in their relations, the Father being unbegotten, the
   Son begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeding. "Begotten",
   in these formulae, does not refer to Mary's conceiving Jesus, but to
   the Son's relationship to the Father, which is described as being
   "eternally begotten" of the Father.

   Trinitarian Christian also conceive of salvation as one work of the
   triune God, in which "the three divine persons act together as one, and
   manifest their own proper characteristics."

   Trinitarian Christians trace the orthodox formula of the Trinity —
   Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — back to the resurrected Jesus himself,
   who used this phrase in the Great Commission ( Matthew 28:16-20).

   Most Christians believe the Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, and
   that his active participation in a believer's life (even to the extent
   of "indwelling" within the believer), joining the believer's free
   actions with his own, is essential to living a Christian life. In
   Catholic, Orthodox, and some Anglican theology, this indwelling is
   received through the sacrament called Confirmation or, in the East,
   Chrismation. Most Protestant traditions teach that the gift of the Holy
   Spirit is symbolized by baptism; however some (Baptists and comparable
   groups) do not attribute any sacramental significance to baptism.
   Pentecostal and Charismatic Protestants believe the baptism with the
   Holy Spirit is a distinct experience separate from other experiences
   like conversion or water baptism, and many Pentecostals believe it will
   always—or at least usually—be evident through glossolalia (speaking in
   tongues).

Non-Trinitarians

   In antiquity, and again following the Reformation, several sects
   advocated views contrary to the Trinity. These views were rejected by
   many bishops such as Irenaeus and subsequently by the Ecumenical
   Councils. During the Reformation, though most Catholics, Orthodox, and
   Protestants accepted the value of many of the Councils, some groups
   rejected these councils as spiritually tainted. Clement Ziegler, Casper
   Schwenckfeld, and Melchior Hoffman advanced the view that Christ was
   only divine and not human. Michael Servetus denied the divinity of
   Christ, as did others who were tried at Augsburg in 1527.

   Modalists, such as Oneness Pentecostals, regard God as a single person,
   with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit considered modes or roles by
   which the unipersonal God expresses himself.

   Latter-day Saints accept the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy
   Spirit, but deny that they are the same being, believing them to be
   separate beings united only in will and purpose.

   Present day groups who do not consider Jesus to be God include
   Unitarians, descendants of Reformation era Socinians and Jehovah's
   Witnesses.

Scriptures

   Christianity regards the Bible, a collection of canonical books in two
   parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament, as authoritative:
   written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and
   therefore inerrant. Protestants believe that the scriptures contain all
   revealed truth necessary for salvation (See Sola scriptura).

   The Old Testament contains the entire Jewish Tanakh, though in the
   Christian canon the books are ordered differently and some books of the
   Tanakh are divided into several books by the Christian canon. The
   Catholic and Orthodox canons include the Hebrew Jewish canon and other
   books (from the Septuagint Greek Jewish canon) which Catholics call
   Deuterocanonical, while Protestants consider them Apocrypha.

   The first four books of the New Testament are the Gospels ( Matthew,
   Mark, Luke and John), which recount the life and teachings of Jesus.
   The first three are often called synoptic because of the amount of
   material they share. The rest of the New Testament consists of a sequel
   to Luke's Gospel, the Acts of the Apostles, which describes the very
   early history of the Church, a collection of letters from early
   Christian leaders to congregations or individuals, the Pauline and
   General epistles, and the apocalyptic Book of Revelation.

   Some traditions maintain other canons. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo
   Church maintains two canons, the Narrow Canon, itself larger than any
   Biblical canon outside Ethiopia, and the Broad Canon, which has even
   more books.The Latter-day Saints hold the Bible and three additional
   books to be the inspired word of God: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine
   and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

Interpretation

   Though Christians largely agree on the content of the Bible, there is
   significant divergence in its interpretation, or exegesis. In
   antiquity, two schools of exegesis developed in Alexandria and Antioch.
   Alexandrine interpretation, exemplified by Origen, tended to read
   Scripture allegorically, while Antiochene interpretation adhered to the
   literal sense, holding that other meanings (called theoria) could only
   be accepted if based on the literal meaning.

   Catholic theology distinguishes two senses of scripture: the literal
   and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical,
   moral, and anagogical senses. The literal sense is "the meaning
   conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis,
   following the rules of sound interpretation." The allegorical sense
   includes typology, for example the parting of the Red Sea is seen as a
   "type" of or sign of baptism; the moral sense contains ethical
   teaching; the anagogical sense includes eschatology and applies to
   eternity and the consummation of the world. Catholic theology also adds
   other rules of interpretation, which include the injunction that all
   other senses of sacred scripture are based on the literal, that the
   historicity of the Gospels must be absolutely and constantly held, that
   scripture must be read within the "living Tradition of the whole
   Church", and that "the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the
   bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome."

   Many Protestants stress the literal sense or historical-grammatical
   method, even to the extent of rejecting other senses altogether. Martin
   Luther advocated "one definite and simple understanding of Scripture".
   Other Protestant interpreters make use of typology. Protestants
   characteristically believe that ordinary believers may reach an
   adequate understanding of Scripture because Scripture itself is clear
   (or "perspicuous"), because of the help of the Holy Spirit, or both.
   Martin Luther believed that without God's help Scripture would be
   "enveloped in darkness", but John Calvin wrote, "all who refuse not to
   follow the Holy Spirit as their guide, find in the Scripture a clear
   light." The Second Helvetic Confession said, "we hold that
   interpretation of the Scripture to be orthodox and genuine which is
   gleaned from the Scriptures themselves (from the nature of the language
   in which they were written, likewise according to the circumstances in
   which they were set down, and expounded in the light of like and unlike
   passages and of many and clearer passages)." The writings of the Church
   Fathers, and decisions of Ecumenical Councils, though "not despise[d]",
   were not authoritative and could be rejected.

Creeds

   Creeds, or concise doctrinal statements, began as baptismal formulas
   and were later expanded during the Christological controversies of the
   fourth and fifth centuries. The earliest creeds still in common use are
   the Apostles' Creed ( text in Latin and Greek, with English
   translations) and Paul's creed of 1 Cor 15:1-9.

   The Nicene Creed, largely a response to Arianism, was formulated at the
   Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople in 325 and 381 respectively, and
   ratified as the universal creed of Christendom by the Council of
   Ephesus in 431.

   The Chalcedonian Creed, developed at the Council of Chalcedon in 451,
   (though not accepted by the Oriental Orthodox Churches) taught Christ
   "to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably,
   indivisibly, inseparably": one divine and one human, that both natures
   are perfect but are nevertheless perfectly united into one person.

   The Athanasian Creed ( English translations), received in the western
   Church as having the same status as the Nicene and Chalcedonian, says:
   "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither
   confounding the Persons not dividing the Substance."

   Most Protestants accept the Creeds. Some Protestant traditions believe
   Trinitarian doctrine without making use of the Creeds themselves, while
   other Protestants, like the Restoration Movement, oppose the use of
   creeds.

Eschaton and afterlife

   Most Christians believe that upon the death of the body, the individual
   soul, which is considered to be immortal, experiences the particular
   judgment and is either rewarded with heaven or condemned to hell. The
   elect are called "saints" (Latin sanctus: "holy") and the process of
   being made holy is called sanctification. In Catholicism, those who die
   in a state of grace but with either unforgiven venial sins or
   incomplete penance undergo purification in purgatory to achieve the
   holiness necessary for entrance into heaven.

   At the last coming of Christ, the eschaton or end of time, all who have
   died will be resurrected bodily from the dead for the Last Judgement,
   whereupon Jesus will fully establish the Kingdom of God in fulfillment
   of scriptural prophecies.

   Some groups do not distinguish a particular judgment from the general
   judgment at the end of time, teaching instead that souls remain in
   stasis until this time (see Soul sleep). These groups, and others that
   do not believe in the intercession of saints, generally do not employ
   the word "saint" to describe those in heaven. Universalists hold that
   eventually all will experience salvation, thereby rejecting the concept
   of an eternal hell for those who are not saved.

Worship and practices

Christian life

   Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see
   Hebrews 8:6)(and 1Timothy2:5). His famous Sermon on the Mount
   representing Mount Zion is considered by many Christian scholars to be
   the antitype of the proclamation of the Old Covenant by Moses from
   Mount Sinai
   Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see
   Hebrews 8:6)(and 1Timothy2:5). His famous Sermon on the Mount
   representing Mount Zion is considered by many Christian scholars to be
   the antitype of the proclamation of the Old Covenant by Moses from
   Mount Sinai

   Christians believe that all people should strive to follow Christ in
   their everyday actions. For many, this includes obedience to the Ten
   Commandments This love includes such injunctions as "feed the hungry"
   and "shelter the homeless", and applies to friend and enemy alike.
   Though the relationship between charity and religious practice are
   sometimes taken for granted today, as Martin Goodman has observed,
   "charity in the Jewish and Christian sense was unknown to the pagan
   world." Other Christian practices include acts of piety such as prayer
   and Bible reading.

   Christianity teaches that one can only overcome sin through divine
   grace: moral and spiritual progress can only occur with God's help
   through the gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling within the believer.
   Christians believe that by sharing in Christ's life, death, and
   resurrection, and by believing in Christ, they become dead to sin and
   are resurrected to a new life with Him.

Liturgical worship

   Justin Martyr described second century Christian liturgy in his First
   Apology (c. 150) to Emperor Antoninus Pius, and his description remains
   relevant to the basic structure of Christian liturgical worship:
   The Holy Bible, Crucifix, and Rosary
   The Holy Bible, Crucifix, and Rosary

          "And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the
          country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the
          apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as
          time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president
          verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good
          things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before
          said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are
          brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and
          thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent,
          saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a
          participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to
          those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they
          who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and
          what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours
          the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any
          other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the
          strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all
          who are in need."

   Thus, as Justin described, Christians assemble for communal worship on
   Sunday, the day of the resurrection, though other liturgical practices
   often occur outside this setting. Scripture readings are drawn from the
   Old and New Testaments, but especially the Gospels. Often these are
   arranged on an annual cycle, using a book called a lectionary.
   Instruction is given based on these readings, called a sermon, or
   homily. There are a variety of congregational prayers, including
   thanksgiving, confession, and intercession, which occur throughout the
   service and take a variety of forms including recited, responsive,
   silent, or sung. The Lord's Prayer, or Our Father, is regularly prayed.
   The Eucharist (also called Holy Communion, or the Lord's Supper)
   consists of a ritual meal of consecrated bread and wine, discussed in
   detail below. Lastly, a collection occurs in which the congregation
   donates money for the support of the Church and for charitable work.

   Some groups depart from this traditional liturgical structure. A
   division is often made between " High" church services, characterized
   by greater solemnity and ritual, and " Low" services, but even within
   these two categories there is great diversity in forms of worship.
   Seventh-day Adventists meet on Saturday (the original Sabbath), while
   others do not meet on a weekly basis. Charismatic or Pentecostal
   congregations may spontaneously feel led by the Holy Spirit to action
   rather than follow a formal order of service, including spontaneous
   prayer. Quakers sit quietly until moved by the Holy Spirit to speak.
   Some Evangelical services resemble concerts with rock and pop music,
   dancing, and use of multimedia. For groups which do not recognize a
   priesthood distinct from ordinary believers the services are generally
   lead by a minister, preacher, or pastor. Still others may lack any
   formal leaders, either in principle or by local necessity. Some
   churches use only a cappella music, either on principle (e.g. many
   Churches of Christ object to the use of instruments in worship) or by
   tradition (as in Orthodoxy).

   Worship can be varied for special events like baptisms or weddings in
   the service or significant feast days. In the early church Christians
   and those yet to complete initiation would separate for the Eucharistic
   part of the worship. In many churches today, adults and children will
   separate for all or some of the service to receive age-appropriate
   teaching. Such children's worship is often called Sunday school or
   Sabbath school (Sunday schools are sometimes held before rather than
   during services).

Sacraments

   The Eucharist
   The Eucharist

   A sacrament is a Christian rite that is an outward sign of an inward
   grace, instituted by Christ to sanctify humanity. Catholic, Orthodox,
   and some Anglican Christians describe Christian worship in terms of
   seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist
   (communion), Penance (reconciliation), Anointing of the Sick (last
   rites), Holy Orders (ordination), and Matrimony. Many Protestant
   groups, following Martin Luther, recognize the sacramental nature of
   baptism and Eucharist, but not usually the other five in the same way,
   while other Protestant groups reject sacramental theology. Latter-day
   saint worship emphasizes the symbolic role of rites, calling some
   ordinances. Though not sacraments, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and
   Holiness Churches emphasize " gifts of the Spirit" such as spiritual
   healing, prophecy, exorcism, glossolalia (speaking in tongues), and
   laying on of hands where God's grace is mysteriously manifest.

Eucharist

   The Eucharist (also called Holy Communion, or the Lord's Supper) is the
   part of liturgical worship that consists of a consecrated meal, usually
   bread and wine. Justin Martyr described the Eucharist as follows:

          "And this food is called among us Eukaristia [the Eucharist], of
          which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that
          the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with
          the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto
          regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For
          not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in
          like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh
          by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation,
          so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed
          by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by
          transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that
          Jesus who was made flesh."

   Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and many Anglicans believe that
   the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ (the doctrine of
   the Real Presence). Most other Protestants, especially Reformed,
   believe the bread and wine represent the body and blood of Christ.
   These Protestants may celebrate it less frequently, while in
   Catholicism the Eucharist is celebrated daily. Catholic and Orthodox
   view communion as indicating those who are already united in the
   church, restricting participation to their members not in a state of
   mortal sin. In some Protestant churches participation is by prior
   arrangement with a church leader. Other churches view communion as a
   means to unity, rather than an end, and invite all Christians or even
   anyone to participate.

Liturgical Calendar

   In the New Testament Paul of Tarsus organised his missionary travels
   around the celebration of Pentecost. (Acts 20.16 and 1 Corinthians
   16.8) This practice draws from Jewish tradition, with such feasts as
   the Feast of Tabernacles, the Passover, and the Jubilee. Today
   Catholics, Eastern Christians, and traditional Protestant communities
   frame worship around a liturgical calendar. This includes holy days,
   such as solemnities which commemorate an event in the life of Jesus or
   the saints, periods of fasting such as Lent, and other pious events
   such as memoria or lesser festivals commemorating saints. Christian
   groups that do not follow a liturgical tradition often retain certain
   celebrations, such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. A few churches
   make no use of a liturgical calendar.

Symbols

   Today the best-known Christian symbol is the cross, which refers to the
   method of Jesus' execution. Several varieties exist, with some
   denominations tending to favour distinctive styles: Catholics the
   crucifix, Orthodox the crux orthodoxa, and Protestants an unadorned
   cross. An earlier Christian symbol was the ' ichthys' fish (Greek Alpha
   - α) symbol and anagram. Other text based symbols include ' IHS or
   ICXC' and ' chi-rho' (the first two letters of the word Christ in
   Greek). In a modern Roman alphabet, the Chi-Rho appears like an X (Chi
   - χ) with a large P (Rho - ρ) overlaid and above it. It is said
   Constantine saw this symbol prior to converting to Christianity (see
   History and origins section below). Another ancient symbol is an
   anchor, which denotes faith and can incorporate a cross within its
   design.

History and origins

   An icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea
   An icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea

   In the mid-first century, Christianity spread beyond its Jewish origins
   under the leadership of the Apostles, especially Peter and Paul. Within
   a generation an episcopal hierarchy can be seen, and this would form
   the structure of the Church.Christianity spread east to Asia and
   throughout the Roman Empire, despite persecution by the Roman Emperors
   until its legalization by Emperor Constantine in 313. During his reign,
   questions of orthodoxy lead to the convocation of the first Ecumenical
   Council, that of Nicaea.

   In 391 Theodosius I established Nicene Christianity as the official
   and, except for Judaism, only legal religion in the Roman Empire.
   Later, as the political structure of the empire collapsed in the West,
   the Church assumed political and cultural roles previously held by the
   Roman aristocracy. Eremitic and Coenobitic monasticism developed,
   originating with the hermit St Anthony of Egypt around 300. With the
   avowed purpose of fleeing the world and its evils in contemptu mundi,
   the institution of monasticism would become a central part of the
   medieval world.

   Christianity became the established church of the Axumite Kingdom
   (presently encompassing Eritrea and Northern Ethiopi ) under king Ezana
   in the 4th century through the efforts of a Syrian Greek named
   Frumentius, known in Ethiopia as Abba Selama, Kesaté Birhan ("Father of
   Peace, Revealer of Light"), thus making Ethiopia one of the first
   christian state even before most of Europe. As a youth, Frumentius had
   been shipwrecked with his brother Aedesius on the Eritrean coast. The
   brothers managed to be brought to the royal court, where they rose to
   positions of influence and converted Emperor Ezana to Christianity,
   causing him to be baptised. Ezana sent Frumentius to Alexandria to ask
   the Patriarch, St. Athanasius, to appoint a bishop for Ethiopia.
   Athanasius appointed Frumentius himself, who returned to Ethiopia as
   Bishop with the name of Abune Selama.

   During the Migration Period of Late Antiquity, various Germanic peoples
   adopted Christianity. Meanwhile, as western political unity dissolved,
   the linguistic divide of the Empire between Latin-speaking West and the
   Greek-speaking East intensified. By the Middle Ages distinct forms of
   Latin and Greek Christianity increasingly separated until cultural
   differences and disciplinary disputes finally resulted in the Great
   Schism (conventionally dated to 1054), which formally divided
   Christendom into the Catholic west and the Orthodox east. Western
   Christianity in the Middle Ages was characterized by cooperation and
   conflict between the secular rulers and the Church under the Pope, and
   by the development of scholastic theology and philosophy.

   Beginning in the 7th century, Muslim rulers began a long series of
   military conquests of Christian areas, and it quickly conquered areas
   of the Byzantine Empire in Asia Minor, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, and
   North Africa, and even captured southern Spain. Numerous military
   struggles followed, including the Crusades, the Spanish Reconquista,
   the Fall of Constantinople and the aggression of the Turks.
   Martin Luther
   Martin Luther

   In the early sixteenth century, increasing discontent with corruption
   and immorality among the clergy resulted in attempts to reform the
   Church and society. The Protestant Reformation began after Martin
   Luther published his 95 theses in 1517, whilst the Roman Catholic
   Church experienced internal renewal with the Counter-Reformation and
   the Council of Trent (1545-1563). During the following centuries,
   competition between Catholicism and Protestantism became deeply
   entangled with political struggles among European states. Meanwhile,
   partly from missionary zeal, but also under the impetus of colonial
   expansion by the European powers, Christianity spread to the Americas,
   Oceania, East Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.

   In the Modern Era, Christianity was confronted with various forms of
   skepticism and with certain modern political ideologies such as
   liberalism, nationalism, and socialism. This included the
   anti-clericalism of the French Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, and
   general hostility of Marxist movements, especially the Russian
   Revolution.

Persecution

   Christians have frequently suffered from persecution. Starting with
   Jesus, the early Christian church was persecuted by state and religious
   establishments from its earliest beginnings. Notable early Christians
   such as Stephen, eleven of the Apostles as well as Paul died as martyrs
   according to tradition. Systematic Roman persecution of Christians
   culminated in the Great Persecution of Diocletian and ended with the
   Edict of Milan. Persecution of Christians persisted or even intensified
   in other places, such as in Sassanid Persia. Later Christians living in
   Islamic countries were subjected to various legal restrictions, which
   included taxation and a ban on building or repairing churches.
   Christians at times also suffered violent persecution or confiscation
   of their property

   There was persecution of Christians during the French Revolution (see
   Dechristianisation of France during the French Revolution). State
   restrictions on Christian practices today are generally associated with
   those authoritarian governments which either support a majority
   religion other than Christianity (as in Muslim states), or tolerate
   only churches under government supervision, sometimes while officially
   promoting state atheism (as in North Korea). The People's Republic of
   China allows only government-regulated churches and has regularly
   suppressed house churches and underground Catholics. The public
   practice of Christianity is outlawed in Saudi Arabia. Areas of
   persecution include other parts of the Middle East, the Sudan, and
   Kosovo.

   Christians have also been perpetrators of persecution against other
   religions and other Christians. Christian mobs, sometimes with
   government support, destroyed pagan temples and oppressed adherents of
   paganism (such as the philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria, who was
   murdered by a Christian mob). Also, Jewish communities have
   periodically suffered violence at Christian hands. Christian
   governments have suppressed or persecuted groups seen as heretical,
   later in cooperation with the Inquisition. Denominational strife
   escalated into religious wars. Witch hunts, carried out by secular
   authorities or popular mobs, were a frequent phenomenon in parts of
   early modern Europe and, to a lesser degree, North America.

Christian divisions

   There is a diversity of doctrines and practices among groups calling
   themselves Christian. These groups are sometimes classified under
   denominations, though for theological reasons many groups reject this
   classification system. Christianity may be broadly represented as being
   divided into three main groupings:
     * Roman Catholicism: The Roman Catholic Church, the largest single
       body, includes the Latin Rite and totals more than 1 billion
       baptized members.
     * Eastern Christianity: Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox
       Churches, the 100,000 member Assyrian Church of the East, and
       others with a combined membership of more than 300 million baptized
       members.
     * Anglicanism: The Anglican Communion is a group of Anglican and
       Episcopal Churches that are descended from the Church of England.
       Most Anglicans don't consider themselves Protestant or Catholic but
       believe that the Church of England always existed and wasn't formed
       during the Reformation but rather broke away from the Church of
       Rome.
     * Protestantism: Groups such as Lutherans, Reformed/ Presbyterians,
       Congregational/ United Church of Christ, Evangelical, Charismatic,
       Baptists, Methodists, Nazarenes, Anabaptists, Seventh-day
       Adventists and Pentecostals. The oldest of these separated from the
       Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century Protestant Reformation,
       followed in many cases by further divisions. Estimates of the total
       number of Protestants are very uncertain, partly because of the
       difficulty in determining which denominations should be placed in
       this category, but it seems to be unquestionable that Protestantism
       is the second major branch of Christianity (after Roman
       Catholicism) in number of followers.

   Some Protestants identify themselves simply as Christian, or born-again
   Christian; they typically distance themselves from the confessionalism
   of other Protestant communities by calling themselves
   "non-denominational" — often founded by individual pastors, they have
   little affiliation with historic denominations. Finally, various small
   communities, such as the Old Catholic and Independent Catholic
   Churches, are similar in name to the Roman Catholic Church, but are not
   in communion with the See of Rome (the Old Catholic church is in
   communion with the Anglican Church).

   Restorationists, are historically connected to the Protestant
   Reformation, do not usually describe themselves as "reforming" a
   Christian Church continuously existing from the time of Jesus, but as
   restoring the Church that they believe was lost at some point.
   Restorationists include Churches of Christ with 2.6 million members,
   Disciples of Christ with 800,000 members, The Church of Jesus Christ of
   Latter-day Saints with 12 million members, and Jehovah’s Witnesses with
   6.6 million members. Though Restorationists have some superficial
   similarities, their doctrine and practices vary significantly.
   A simplified chart of historical developments of major groups within
   Christianity
   A simplified chart of historical developments of major groups within
   Christianity

Mainstream Christianity

   Mainstream Christianity is a widely used term, used to refer to
   collectively to the common views of major denominations of Christianity
   (such as Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Anglicanism, Orthodox
   Christianity) as against the particular tenets of other sects or
   Christian denomination. The context is dependent on the particular
   issues addressed, but usually contrasts the orthodox majority view
   against heterodox minority views. In the most common sense,
   "mainstream" refers to Nicene Christianity, or rather the traditions
   which continue to claim adherence to the Nicene Creed.

   Some groups identifying themselves as Christian deviate from the tenets
   considered basic by most Christian organizations. These groups are
   often considered heretical, or even non-Christian, by many mainstream
   Christians. This is particularly true of non-trinitarians.

Ecumenism

   Most churches have long expressed ideals of being reconciled with each
   other, and in the 20th Century Christian ecumenism advanced in two
   ways. One way was greater cooperation between groups, such as the
   Edinburgh Missionary Conference of Protestants in 1910, the Justice,
   Peace and Creation Commission of the World Council of Churches founded
   in 1948 by Protestant and Orthodox churches, and similar national
   councils like the National Council of Churches in Australia which also
   includes Roman Catholics.

   The other way was institutional union with new United and uniting
   churches. Congregationalist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches
   united in 1925 to form the United Church of Canada and in 1977 to form
   the Uniting Church in Australia. The Church of South India was formed
   in 1947 by the union of Anglican, Methodist, Congregationalist,
   Presbyterian, and Reformed churches.

   Steps towards union on a global level have also been taken in 1965 by
   the Catholic and Orthodox churches mutually revoking the
   excommunications that marked their Great Schism in 1054; the Anglican
   Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) working towards full
   communion between those churches since 1970; and the Lutheran and
   Catholic churches signing The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of
   Justification in 1999 to address conflicts at the root of the
   Protestant Reformation. In 2006 the Methodist church also adopted the
   declaration.

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