Exploring the Religions

of Our World
Chapter 3 Christianity

Chapter 3 Christianity
Background

many
doctrines

many
churches

Christianity

same
core beliefs

many
denominations

Chapter 3 Christianity
History
Jesus of Nazareth:
birth was a fulfillment of Jewish prophecy
was the long awaited Jewish Messiah
taught: the kingdom of God was at hand
was publicly crucified for being an
insurrectionist
rose from the dead, changing the lives of his
followers

Chapter 3 Christianity
Periods of Christian History

Page 83

Chapter 3 Christianity
History two major and lasting divisions
1. The Great Schism (1054)
Contributing factors:
Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium
Increased power of the bishop of Rome
The spread of Islam in the East
Differences in customs
The filioque controversy

Chapter 3 Christianity
History two major and lasting divisions (continued)
2. The Protestant Reformation (1517)
Contributing factors:
interference by kings in Church affairs
cooperation between church and state
growth of temporal power in the Western
Church
the Avignon Papacy
Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses

Chapter 3 Christianity
Movements within Protestantism
Fundamentalism holds that what is written in the
Bible is to be understood in its most literal sense
Evangelicalism emphasizes a personal faith in Jesus
Christ and the Bible as the sole religious authority
Pentecostalism emphasizes the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Chapter 3 Christianity
Sacred Stories and Sacred Scriptures
The Christian Bible includes:

The
The
Christian
Christian
Bible
Bible

The
Hebrew
Scriptures
The
New
Testament

Chapter 3 Christianity
Sacred Stories and Sacred Scriptures (continued)
To
Tocompose
composethe
thesacred
sacredbooks,
books,God
God
chose
chosecertain
certainmen
menwho,
who,all
allthe
thewhile
while
he
heemployed
employedthem
themin
inthis
thistask,
task,made
made
full
fulluse
useof
oftheir
theirown
ownfaculties
facultiesand
and
powers
powersso
sothat,
that,though
thoughhe
heacted
actedin
in
them
themand
andby
bythem,
them,ititwas
wasas
astrue
true
authors
authorsthat
thatthey
theyconsigned
consignedto
towriting
writing
whatever
whateverhe
hewanted
wantedwritten,
written,and
andno
nomore.
more.
Dei
DeiVerbum
Verbumno.
no.11
11

Chapter 3 Christianity
Sacred Stories and Sacred Scriptures (continued)
Gospels
stories of the
life of Jesus

Epistles
letters of the early
Christian communities

Acts of the Apostles

The
New
Testament

history of the early

Christian communities

Book of Revelation
an apocalyptic work

Chapter 3 Christianity
Christians Agree On

The authoritative
books in the New
Testament
The thirty-nine books
in the Old Testament
The Bible is the
inspired word of God

Christians Disagree On

The authoritative books in the

Hebrew Bible: 39 vs. 46
The interpretation of the
Bible: Magisterium vs.
private/personal
The Book of the Church vs.
the Church of the Book
Scripture vs. Sacred Tradition
Biblical inerrancy

Chapter 3 Christianity
Beliefs and Practices
Creed articulates Christian beliefs
The Apostles Creed (c. AD 150)
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by
the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under
Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into
hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into
heaven, sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from then
He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy
Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the
forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Chapter 3 Christianity
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
The Nicean Creed (AD 325)
We believe in one God, the Father,
Father, the
the Almighty,
Almighty, maker
maker of
of heaven
heaven and
and earth,
earth, of
of all
all
that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light true God from
True God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father, through him all things
were made. For us men and for
for our
our salvation
salvation he
he came
came down
down from
from heaven;
heaven; by
by the
the
power
power of
of the
the Holy
Holy Spirit
Spirit he
he was
was born
born of the Virgin Mary,
Mary, and became man. For our
sake he was he was
was crucified
crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the
the third day
day he
he rose
rose again
again in
in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into
heaven
heaven and
and is
is seated
seated at
at the
the right
right hand
hand of
of the
the Father.
Father. He
He will
will come
come again
again in
in glory
glory to
to
judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the
Holy Spirit,
Spirit, the
the Lord,
Lord, the
the giver
giver of
of life,
life, who
who proceeds
proceeds from
from the
the Father
Father and
and the
the Son.
Son.
With the Father and the Son he
he is
is worshipped
worshipped and
and glorified.
glorified. He
He has
has spoken
spoken through
through
the prophets.
prophets. We
We believe
believe in
in one
one holy
holy catholic
catholic and
and apostolic
apostolic Church.
Church. We
We acknowledge
acknowledge
one baptism for
for the
the forgiveness
forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and
the life of
of the world to come.
come.

Chapter 3 Christianity
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
Jesus
The Trinity
one God in three
divine persons

second person of
the Trinity;
God in the flesh

Redemption
God chose to save
humanity
through Jesus

Sin
closed the gates
of heaven

The Bible
The Church
the new Israel

offers instructions
on Christian living

Chapter 3 Christianity
Sacred Times
The Liturgical Calendar
Advent

Ordinar
y
Time

Jesus:
life, death,
resurrection

Christmas

Easter

Lent

Chapter 3 Christianity
Sacred Times (continued)
Sunday

Sacraments

a little Easter

given by Christ

Prayer
formal and
informal

Chapter 3 Christianity
Sacred Places and Sacred Spaces
Churches - where the community
comes together for worship and
fellowship

Chapter 3 Christianity
Other Christian Denominations through a Catholic Lens
catholic means universal
The Catholic Church holds:
the fullness of Christs body
the fullness of the means to salvation
the fullness of faith
the sacraments
the ordained ministry from the Apostles
universality

Chapter 3 Christianity

sect
denominations
doctrines
Messiah
blasphemy
Apostles
Gentile
Council
Epistles
Martyr
Patriarchates

Vocabulary

Pope
Crusades
Magisterium
Transubstantiation
rationalists
empiricists
Apocalyptic
Canon
Heresy
Apocryphal
Apologetics

Incarnation
Original sin
Church
Advent
Epiphany
Lent
Pentecost
Sacraments
Icons
Church Fathers
Inerrancy