CHRISTIANITY

INTRODUCTION

Christianity is currently the world's largest religious movement, consisting of approximately 2.1 billion followers. Adherents of Christianity believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, whom they believe to be the son of God and the savior of the world. Prophecies, parables, Jesus’s teachings, and much more can be found in the Holy Bible, a collection of texts sacred to Christianity. With more than 33,000 unique denominations, Christianity is composed of a very diverse group of followers. While united in their religion, these sects are often divided on many issues.

CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

• The Trinity: God is manifested simultaneously as one singular being, yet also three separate persons or aspects that differ in role and functionality. The three members of what is known as the Trinity¹(Greek, trias, “threesome” or “threefold”) are God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit.
• The Savior: Jesus, who was both God and man, came to this world two thousand years ago in order to redeem all of humanity from their sins.
• Condition of humanity: All people are sinful from birth.
• Salvation: Salvation is a free gift from God. It is neither earned nor deserved. Rather, it is received when an individual accepts Jesus as their personal savior, and asks God to come into their life.
• Life after death: Christians believe that all people either go to heaven or hell after they die. The prior is a paradise in the presence of God, given to those who accepted Jesus as their savior. The latter is described as the absence of God, where those who do not accept Jesus will reside during the afterlife.
• Sacred Text: The Bible comprises the word of God. The contents of the Bible were divinely revealed to the biblical authors at various times in history.
• Faith: Faith is an essential component of Christianity. Followers believe that the existence of God is proven in the Bible and through the creation of the world and all that is in it.