Founding Story:
The angel Gabriel is supposed to have appeared in Mary's dream sometime between 6 and 4 B.C. At the time Mary's vision, was to get engaged and marry Joseph. But Mary was already pregnant. Joseph didn't like the fact that he might marry someone that is pregnant with someone else child. Shortly before Mary was to give birth, she and Joseph had to travel to the small town of Bethlehem. Gabriel had instructed Marry to call the baby Jesus Christ, Jesus means "to save" in Hebrew and Christ means "the anointed one" in Greek. Jesus was an infant when an angel appeared to Joseph with a warning. King Herod the Great (who ruled Judea) was determined to kill all male babies who lived in and around Bethlehem. His reason was only because he knew Jesus' birth and saw him as a threat to his own rule. After Joseph got the warning, he took Mary and baby Jesus to Egypt and they stayed their until Herod died. By the age of 30, Jesus was baptized by John and while he was in the desert he encountered the devil. Afterwards, he began to spread the word of God and he choose 12 apostles to help him. Jesus helped people in need wherever he went, and made many miracles in his life. He was arrested under false charges after being betrayed by one of his apostles during his last meal, and was crucified by the Roman government. After three days, he is believed to have raised from the grave and spend 40 more days on earth where he ascended up to heaven.
Classification:
Christians are monotheistic which means they worship only one god. Although there are different types of Christians, they all believe the God created all things in the world.
Key Figures:
Religious Authority:
The Bible: The Christian Bible has two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is the original Hebrew Bible, the sacred scriptures of the Jewish faith, written at different times between about 1200 and 165 BC. The New Testament books were written by Christians in the first century AD.
Ten Commandments: Specific rules Christians have to follow to reach Heaven. These are located in the Bible:
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Goal of Religion:
The goal of Christianity is to enjoy life. Forever live a good and helpful life and you will eventually be granted into the kingdom of heaven.
Belief about the afterlife:
After Christians die, you are judged on your actions throughout your life and it is determined if you will go to heaven or hell.
Concept of a Higher Power:
God has three persons, which make up the Holy Trinity of Christianity:
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These three aspects are represented by the three points of the cross, the symbol of Christianity.
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Rules/Guidelines for daily life:
Baptism- "Wash away" sin and to signify the beginning of a new life. Christians trace the sacrament of baptism back to when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus then instructed his disciples to baptize people "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit".
Communion- The Last Supper that Jesus ate with his disciples before he was arrested and crucified. During the meal, Jesus gave his disciples bread to eat, saying "This is my body". Then he gave them wine to drink and said "This is my blood". Many of the Christians believe that Jesus was telling his disciples that he was sacrificing his body and his blood for people's lives. |
Key Holidays:
Christmas: Celebrated on the 25th of December Christmas is a Christian holy day that marks the birth of Jesus, the son of God. Presents are exchanged, songs are sang, a festival may occur, and prayers are said. Easter: Believed Jesus was crucified (killed on cross), buried, and rose back up from the dead 3 days later. Easter represent the day Jesus rose from the dead. This is a festival of mixed emotions. Eggs on Easter symbolizes new life. Churches are filled with flowers, and there are special hymns and songs. |
Holy Sites and Symbols:
The Cross: Symbol of suffering and defeat but also of triumph and salvation. Acknowledged by all denominations as the single visual identifier of their faith. Church: People of the Christian religion also go to churches to pray. They come in many different architectural variants depending again on the branch of the religion. |
Sects and Branches:
Roman Catholic- They believe that the Pope is the successor to Saint Peter whom Christ appointed as the first head of his church
Eastern Orthodox- Differs from others in the way of life and worship, and in certain aspects of theology.
Protestant- Within Protestant Christanity there are many different denominations, such as Baptist, Methodist,and Episcopalian
Each division and denomination of Christianity has different rituals and ways of worshiping Jesus.
Eastern Orthodox- Differs from others in the way of life and worship, and in certain aspects of theology.
Protestant- Within Protestant Christanity there are many different denominations, such as Baptist, Methodist,and Episcopalian
Each division and denomination of Christianity has different rituals and ways of worshiping Jesus.