Christianity belongs to one of the three largest world religions. In terms of the number of adherents and the area of distribution, Christianity is several times larger than Islam and Buddhism. The basis of the religion is the recognition of Jesus of Nazareth as the messiah, belief in his resurrection and adherence to his teachings. It took a long time before Christianity became established.
Place and time of the birth of Christianity
Palestine is considered the birthplace of Christianity, which at that time (1st century AD) was under the rule of the Roman Empire. In the early years of its existence, Christianity was able to expand significantly to a number of other countries and ethnic groups. Already in 301, Christianity acquired the status of the official state religion of Greater Armenia.
The origin of Christian doctrine was directly related to Old Testament Judaism. According to Jewish belief, God had to send his son, the messiah, to earth, who would cleanse humanity from its sins with his blood. According to the dogma of Christianity, Jesus Christ, a direct descendant of David, became such a person, which was also indicated in Scripture. The emergence of Christianity to some extent brought about a split in Judaism: the first converts to Christians were Jews. But a significant part of the Jews could not recognize Jesus as the messiah and thus preserved Judaism as an independent religion.
According to the Gospel (the teaching of the New Testament), after the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, his faithful disciples, through the descent of the sacred flame, acquired the ability to speak different languages, and set out to spread Christianity throughout different countries peace. Thus, written reminders about the activities of the Apostles Peter, Paul and Andrew the First-Called, who preached Christianity in the territory of the future Kievan Rus, have been preserved to our times.
The difference between Christianity and paganism
Speaking about the birth of Christianity, it should be noted that the first followers of Jesus were subject to horrific persecution. Initially, the activities of Christian preachers were met with hostility by the Jewish clergy, who did not accept the teachings of Jesus. Later, after the fall of Jerusalem, the persecution of the Roman pagans began.
Christian teaching was a complete antipode to paganism; it condemned luxury, polygamy, slavery - everything that was characteristic of pagan society. But its main difference was faith in one God, monotheism. Naturally, this state of affairs did not suit the Romans.
They took strict measures to stop the activities of Christian preachers: blasphemous executions were applied to them. This was the case until 313, when, to everyone’s surprise, the Roman Emperor Constantine not only stopped the persecution of Christians, but also made Christianity the state religion.
Christianity, like every religion, has its pros and cons. But his appearance undoubtedly raised the world to a higher spiritual level. Christianity preaches the principles of mercy, kindness and love for the world around us, which is important for high mental development person.
About a third of the world's inhabitants profess Christianity in all its varieties.
Christianity arose in the 1st century. AD on the territory of the Roman Empire. There is no consensus among researchers about the exact place of origin of Christianity. Some believe that this happened in Palestine, which was at that time part of the Roman Empire; others suggest that it happened in the Jewish diaspora in Greece.
Palestinian Jews were under foreign dominion for many centuries. However, in the 2nd century. BC. they achieved political independence, during which they expanded their territory and did a lot to develop political and economic relations. In 63 BC. roman general Gney Poltey brought troops into Judea, as a result of which it became part of the Roman Empire. By the beginning of our era, other territories of Palestine had lost their independence; administration began to be carried out by a Roman governor.
The loss of political independence was perceived by part of the population as a tragedy. Political events were seen to have a religious meaning. The idea of divine retribution for violations of the covenants of the fathers, religious customs and prohibitions spread. This led to a strengthening of the position of Jewish religious nationalist groups:
- Hasidim- devout Jews;
- Sadducees, who represented conciliatory sentiments, they came from the upper strata of Jewish society;
- Pharisees- fighters for the purity of Judaism, against contacts with foreigners. The Pharisees advocated compliance with external standards of behavior, for which they were accused of hypocrisy.
In terms of social composition, the Pharisees were representatives of the middle strata of the urban population. At the end of the 1st century. BC. appear zealots - people from the lower strata of the population - artisans and lumpen proletarians. They expressed the most radical ideas. Standing out from their midst sicari - terrorists. Their favorite weapon was a curved dagger, which they hid under their cloak - in Latin "sika". All these groups fought the Roman conquerors with more or less persistence. It was obvious that the fight is on not in favor of the rebels, so the aspirations for the coming of the Savior, the Messiah, intensified. It is the first century AD that dates back to the most ancient book New Testament - Apocalypse, in which the idea of retribution to enemies for unfair treatment and oppression of Jews was so strongly manifested.
The sect is of greatest interest Essenes or Essen, since their teaching had features inherent in early Christianity. This is evidenced by the findings found in 1947 in the Dead Sea area in Qumran caves scrolls. Christians and Essenes had common ideas messianism - waiting for the Savior to come soon, eschatological ideas about the coming end of the world, interpretation of the idea of human sinfulness, rituals, organization of communities, attitude towards property.
The processes that took place in Palestine were similar to the processes that took place in other parts of the Roman Empire: everywhere the Romans plundered and mercilessly exploited the local population, enriching themselves at their expense. The crisis of the ancient order and the formation of new socio-political relations were experienced painfully by people, caused a feeling of helplessness, defenselessness in front of the state machine and contributed to the search for new ways of salvation. Mystical sentiments increased. Eastern cults are spreading: Mithras, Isis, Osiris, etc. Many different associations, partnerships, so-called colleges appear. People united based on professions, social status, neighborhood, etc. All this created favorable conditions for the spread of Christianity.
Origins of Christianity
The emergence of Christianity was prepared not only by the prevailing historical conditions, it had a good ideological basis. The main ideological source of Christianity is Judaism. The new religion rethought the ideas of Judaism about monotheism, messianism, eschatology, chiliasma - faith in the second coming of Jesus Christ and his thousand-year reign on earth. The Old Testament tradition has not lost its meaning; it has received a new interpretation.
The ancient philosophical tradition had a significant influence on the formation of the Christian worldview. In philosophical systems Stoics, Neopythagoreans, Plato and Neoplatonists mental constructs, concepts and even terms were developed, reinterpreted in New Testament texts and the works of theologians. Neoplatonism had a particularly great influence on the foundations of Christian doctrine. Philo of Alexandria(25 BC - c. 50 AD) and the moral teaching of the Roman Stoic Seneca(c. 4 BC - 65 AD). Philo formulated the concept Logos as a sacred law that allows one to contemplate existence, the doctrine of the innate sinfulness of all people, of repentance, of Being as the beginning of the world, of ecstasy as a means of approaching God, of logoi, among which the Son of God is the highest Logos, and other logoi are angels.
Seneca considered the main thing for every person to achieve freedom of spirit through awareness of divine necessity. If freedom does not flow from divine necessity, it will turn out to be slavery. Only obedience to fate gives rise to equanimity and peace of mind, conscience, moral standards, human values. Seneca recognized as a moral imperative Golden Rule morality, which sounded like this: “ Treat those below you the way you would like to be treated by those above you.” We can find a similar formulation in the Gospels.
A certain influence on Christianity was exerted by Seneca’s teaching on the transience and deceitfulness of sensual pleasures, concern for other people, and self-restraint in the use of material benefits, preventing rampant passions, the need for modesty and moderation in Everyday life, self-improvement, gaining divine mercy.
Another source of Christianity was the various parts Eastern cults of the Roman Empire.
Most controversial issue in the study of Christianity is the question of the historicity of Jesus Christ. In solving it, two directions can be distinguished: mythological and historical. Mythological direction claims that science does not have reliable data about Jesus Christ as historical figure. The Gospel stories were written many years after the events described; they have no real historical basis. Historical direction claims that Jesus Christ was a real person, a preacher of a new religion, which is confirmed by a number of sources. In 1971, a text was found in Egypt "Antiquities" by Josephus, which gives reason to believe that it describes one of the real preachers named Jesus, although the miracles he performed were spoken of as one of the many stories on this topic, i.e. Josephus himself did not observe them.
Stages of the formation of Christianity as a state religion
The history of the formation of Christianity covers the period from the middle of the 1st century. AD until the 5th century inclusive. During this period, Christianity went through a number of stages of its development, which can be summarized as follows:
1 - stage current eschatology(second half of the 1st century);
2 - stage devices(II century);
3 - stage struggle for dominance in the empire (III-V centuries).
During each of these stages, the composition of believers changed, various new formations emerged and disintegrated within Christianity as a whole, and internal clashes constantly raged, which expressed the struggle for the realization of vital public interests.
Stage of actual eschatology
At the first stage, Christianity had not yet completely separated from Judaism, so it can be called Judeo-Christian. The name “current eschatology” means that the defining mood of the new religion at that time was the expectation of the coming of the Savior in the near future, literally from day to day. Social basis Christianity became enslaved, dispossessed people suffering from national and social oppression. The hatred of the enslaved for their oppressors and the thirst for revenge found their expression and release not in revolutionary actions, but in impatient anticipation of the reprisal that will be inflicted by the coming Messiah on the Antichrist.
In early Christianity there was no single centralized organization, there were no priests. Communities were led by believers who were able to accept charisma(grace, the descent of the Holy Spirit). Charismatics united groups of believers around themselves. People were singled out who were engaged in explaining the doctrine. They were called didaskals- teachers. Special people were appointed to organize the economic life of the community. Originally appeared deacons who performed simple technical duties. Later appear bishops- observers, guards, and elders- elders. Over time, bishops occupy a dominant position, and presbyters become their assistants.
Adjustment stage
At the second stage, in the 2nd century, the situation changes. The end of the world does not occur; on the contrary, there is some stabilization of Roman society. The tension of expectation in the mood of Christians is replaced by a more vital attitude of existence in the real world and adaptation to its orders. The place of general eschatology in this world is occupied by individual eschatology in other world, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is being actively developed.
Social and National composition communities Representatives of wealthy and educated segments of the population are beginning to convert to Christianity different nations who inhabited the Roman Empire. Accordingly, the doctrine of Christianity changes, it becomes more tolerant of wealth. The attitude of the authorities towards the new religion depended on the political situation. One emperor carried out persecution, the other showed humanity if the internal political situation allowed it.
Development of Christianity in the 2nd century. led to a complete break from Judaism. There were fewer and fewer Jews among Christians in comparison with other nationalities. It was necessary to solve problems of practical cult significance: food prohibitions, the celebration of the Sabbath, circumcision. As a result, circumcision was replaced by water baptism, the weekly celebration of Saturday was moved to Sunday, the Easter holiday was converted to Christianity under the same name, but was filled with a different mythological content, just like the Pentecost holiday.
The influence of other peoples on the formation of the cult in Christianity was manifested in the borrowing of rituals or their elements: baptism, communion as a symbol of sacrifice, prayer and some others.
During the 3rd century. The formation of large Christian centers took place in Rome, Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria, in a number of cities in Asia Minor and other areas. However, the church itself was not internally unified: there were differences among Christian teachers and preachers regarding the correct understanding of Christian truths. Christianity was torn apart from within by the most complex theological disputes. Many trends emerged that interpreted the provisions of the new religion in different ways.
Nazarenes(from Hebrew - “to refuse, to abstain”) - ascetic preachers of ancient Judea. External sign Belonging to the Nazirites was a refusal to cut hair and drink wine. Subsequently, the Nazirites merged with the Essenes.
Montanism arose in the 2nd century. Founder Montana on the eve of the end of the world, he preached asceticism, a ban on remarriage, and martyrdom in the name of faith. He regarded ordinary Christian communities as mentally ill; he considered only his adherents spiritual.
Gnosticism(from the Greek - “having knowledge”) eclectically connected ideas borrowed mainly from Platonism and Stoicism with Eastern ideas. The Gnostics recognized the existence of a perfect deity, between whom and the sinful material world there are intermediate links - zones. Jesus Christ was also included among them. The Gnostics were pessimistic about the sensory world, emphasized their chosenness of God, the advantage of intuitive knowledge over rational knowledge, did not accept the Old Testament, the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ (but recognized the saving one), and his bodily incarnation.
Docetism(from Greek - “to seem”) - a direction that separated from Gnosticism. Corporality was considered an evil, lower principle, and on this basis they rejected the Christian teaching about the bodily incarnation of Jesus Christ. They believed that Jesus only appeared to be clothed in flesh, but in reality his birth, earthly existence and death were ghostly phenomena.
Marcionism(named after the founder - Marcion) advocated a complete break with Judaism, did not recognize the human nature of Jesus Christ, and was close to the Gnostics in his basic ideas.
Novatians(named after the founders - Rome. Novatiana and carf. Novata) took a tough position towards the authorities and those Christians who could not resist the pressure of the authorities and compromised with them.
The stage of the struggle for dominance in the empire
At the third stage, the final establishment of Christianity as the state religion occurs. In 305, the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire intensified. This period in church history is known as "era of martyrs" Places of worship were closed, church property was confiscated, books and sacred utensils were confiscated and destroyed, plebeians recognized as Christians were enslaved, senior members of the clergy were arrested and executed, as well as those who did not obey the order to renounce and honor the Roman gods. Those who yielded were quickly released. For the first time, burial places belonging to communities became a temporary refuge for the persecuted, where they practiced their cult.
However, the measures taken by the authorities had no effect. Christianity has already strengthened sufficiently to provide worthy resistance. Already in 311 the emperor Galleries, and in 313 - emperor Konstantin adopt decrees on religious tolerance towards Christianity. The activities of Emperor Constantine I are especially important.
During the fierce struggle for power before the decisive battle with Macentius, Constantine saw in a dream the sign of Christ - a cross with the command to come out with this symbol against the enemy. Having accomplished this, he won a decisive victory in the battle in 312. The Emperor gave this vision a very special meaning - as a sign of his election by Christ to establish a connection between God and the world through his imperial ministry. This is exactly how his role was perceived by Christians of his time, which allowed the unbaptized emperor to take an active part in resolving intra-church, dogmatic issues.
In 313 Constantine issued Edict of Milan, according to which Christians become under the protection of the state and receive equal rights with pagans. The Christian Church was no longer persecuted, even during the reign of the emperor Juliana(361-363), nicknamed Renegade for restricting the rights of the church and proclaiming tolerance for heresies and paganism. Under the Emperor Feodosia in 391, Christianity was finally consolidated as the state religion, and paganism was prohibited. Further development and the strengthening of Christianity are associated with the holding of councils, at which church dogma was worked out and approved.
See further:Christianization of pagan tribes
By the end of the 4th century. Christianity established itself in almost all provinces of the Roman Empire. In the 340s. through the efforts of Bishop Wulfila, it penetrates to the tribes ready. The Goths adopted Christianity in the form of Arianism, which then dominated the east of the empire. As the Visigoths advanced westward, Arianism also spread. In the 5th century in Spain it was adopted by the tribes vandals And Suevi. in Galin - Burgundians and then Lombards. The Frankish king adopted Orthodox Christianity Clovis. Political reasons led to the fact that by the end of the 7th century. In most parts of Europe, the Nicene religion was established. In the 5th century The Irish were introduced to Christianity. The activities of the legendary Apostle of Ireland date back to this time. St. Patrick.
The Christianization of barbarian peoples was carried out mainly from above. Pagan ideas and images continued to live in the minds of the masses of the people. The Church assimilated these images and adapted them to Christianity. Pagan rituals and the holidays were filled with new, Christian content.
From the end of the 5th to the beginning of the 7th century. The power of the Pope was limited only to the Roman ecclesiastical province in Central and Southern Italy. However, in 597 an event occurred that marked the beginning of the strengthening of the Roman Church throughout the kingdom. Dad Gregory I the Great sent Christian preachers led by a monk to the pagan Anglo-Saxons Augustine. According to legend, the pope saw English slaves at the market and was surprised at the similarity of their name with the word “angels,” which he considered a sign from above. The Anglo-Saxon Church became the first church north of the Alps to be subject directly to Rome. The symbol of this dependence became pallium(a scarf worn on the shoulders), which was sent from Rome to the primate of the church, now called archbishop, i.e. the highest bishop, to whom powers were delegated directly from the pope - the vicar of St. Petra. Subsequently, the Anglo-Saxons made a great contribution to the strengthening of the Roman Church on the continent, to the alliance of the Pope with the Carolingians. Played a significant role in this St. Boniface, a native of Wessex. He developed a program of profound reforms of the Frankish church with the goal of establishing uniformity and subordination to Rome. Boniface's reforms created the overall Roman Church in Western Europe. Only the Christians of Arab Spain preserved the special traditions of the Visigothic church.
from Greek Christos (Christ) - Anointed One, Messiah) - a creed emanating from Jesus Christ, associated with faith in Him as the Son of God, who came into the world in the flesh, died for fallen humanity on the Cross and rose again on the third day after death.
Christians believe that the death of the God-man is a sacrifice that Christ made for the sake of the human race, damaged by sin, fallen and distorted by the falling away from God the Creator, which befell Adam, and then all his descendants in paradise (about this in the book of Genesis).
Christianity fundamentally cannot be reduced to doctrine, to morality, to tradition, because in its essence it is initially faith not in doctrine, but in a Person, in the unique divine-human Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The main difference between Christianity and other religions, including monotheistic ones, is that in all other religions the founder does not have the exclusive significance that the Lord Jesus Christ has in Christianity. There the founder is a teacher, a herald of God, proclaiming the path of salvation, which is always in the background in relation to the teaching he proclaims, the religion he founded. In Christianity, the main thing is faith in Christ, His death on the Cross and His Resurrection, through which humanity finally received the possibility of a new birth, the possibility of restoring the fallen image of God, the bearer of which is man.
Christians believe that since by nature people are not capable of unity with God, since nothing damaged can be part of God, then for unity with God, for the realization of God-manhood, a corresponding recreation of human nature is necessary. Christ restored it in Himself and gave the opportunity to do the same to each of the people.
That is why Christianity has a specific historical context for its emergence. It is connected with an event that happened in Jerusalem on March 25, 5539 from the creation of the world - it was on this day that Jesus Christ was betrayed by the Jewish elders and the Sanhedrin to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate with the demand to execute the criminal.
According to Jewish law, anyone who called himself God had to be killed. However, the Jews themselves, under Roman rule, did not have the right to carry out the death penalty. That is why a false accusation was made according to which Christ should be crucified. After being beaten with whips, the God-man was given over to a shameful execution - crucifixion on the Cross. That same night his body was placed in an empty cave for burial. However, when on the third day, early in the morning, Christ’s disciples came to the burial place of their teacher, they saw the cave empty, and an angel sitting in it told them that Christ had risen.
Christ himself, after his resurrection, also appeared to his disciples. On the 40th day, having blessed them, he ascended to heaven, to God the Father, promising to send them in return himself - the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. On the 50th day after the death of Christ on the Cross, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples - the apostles and filled them with grace, power and knowledge to preach the good news to humanity - the Resurrection of Christ and to baptize all who believe in Him. It is this day - Pentecost - that is considered the birthday of the Christian church. This happened at the beginning of the 1st century. n. e. in the east of the vast Roman Empire, in Palestine.
Initially, the preaching of Jesus Christ's closest disciples - the apostles - was carried out mainly among the Jews. The massive spread of Christianity among non-Jews - the Greeks, Romans, and peoples of Asia Minor - is associated with the name of Paul, the only one of the apostles who did not know Jesus in his earthly life. A Jew, a Roman citizen, a native of Tarsus, Saul was a frantic persecutor of Christians, but, according to the “Acts of the Apostles,” one day Jesus Christ appeared to him, and the former pagan, having received his sight, became a Christian, who, more than other disciples of Jesus, contributed to the spread of the new religion in the territory of Rome empires. Paul is called "the apostle of the Gentiles."
Many historians, emphasizing the special role of Paul in the formation and spread of Christianity, even call this religious teaching Paulinism. Of the 27 texts of the New Testament, together with the Old that makes up the Holy Scriptures of Christians, 14 belong to Paul - his messages to communities and fellow believers. The New Testament canon itself consists of 4 gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke (called synoptic) and John, the Acts of the Apostles, the author of which is considered Luke, the letters of the apostles - James, Peter (2), John (3), Jude and Paul , as well as the Apocalypse (Revelation of the Apostle John the Theologian).
Behind a short time faith in Christ, the Son of God, turned into a powerful spiritual movement that became the most important factor world history. Until the 5th century distributed mainly within the geographical boundaries of the Roman Empire and its spheres of influence (Armenia, eastern Syria, Ethiopia). After the fall of Nestorianism (431) and Monophysitism (451), Asian and Egyptian Christianity became organizationally separated from the Greek-speaking and Latin-speaking churches of Europe.
In Europe, Christianity quickly spread beyond the Mediterranean: in the 4th century. The Goths were converted at the beginning of the 8th century. - Germans, in the 9th–10th centuries. - Slavs. By the 13th century. all of Europe turns out to be Christian.
Currently, this religion has a huge influence on the spiritual, social, political life society, determines the ideological guidelines for the development of both Western and Russian civilization.
The reason for such obvious successes of Christianity is universalism. Unlike ethnocentric religions - Judaism or, for example, Shintoism in Japan, Christianity is free from national and geographical restrictions.
Christianity has preserved practically unchanged the ideas about the creation of the world, flora and fauna, and man, reflected in the Old Testament. The books of the Old Testament are recognized by Christians and are included in the body of the Bible. Christian theologians interpret Old Testament events in the light of New Testament events.
Since its inception, Christianity has not been a single movement. Spreading across the territory of the vast Roman Empire, it absorbed local traditions, including already established ones. religious customs. Christian dogma was not easy to form. Its main canons took shape only in the 4th century, 300 years after the emergence of the religion. By this time, Christianity had become the state religion of the Roman Empire.
At the First Ecumenical Council, held in Nicaea in 325 with the active participation of Emperor Constantine the Great, the “Nicene Creed” was formulated and the Arian heresy was condemned. During the subsequent six ecumenical councils, other heresies were also condemned - Monophysites, Monothelites, Nestorians and others.
A stubborn struggle also unfolded around the possibility of depicting Christ, the Mother of God, the apostles, and saints. In the end, iconoclasm was also recognized as heresy. The decisions of the seven Ecumenical Councils became the basis on which modern Orthodox and Catholic theology was formed. Together with the works of the holy fathers, they constitute the Holy Tradition, which, along with the Holy Scripture - the Bible, determines the teaching of the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
Already at the dawn of Christianity, a significant role in its formation was played by the works of thinkers who are usually called fathers or apologists, i.e. defenders. In the fight against pagan cults and philosophy, heresies among the first followers of Christ, the first Christian writers developed the basic principles that formed the basis of dogma, theology and liturgical canons. One of the first was Justin Martyr (Martyr) (100–166), who was even called “Christ in the philosophical robe.” His student Tatian sharply criticized ancient culture. Quintus Septimius Tertullian (160–230) defended the thesis of the incompatibility of philosophy and religious faith. He was the first Christian thinker to write in Latin. Considering the Gospel the only authoritative source of knowledge of God, Tertullian was suspicious of philosophy as a potential source of heresy. It was Tertullian who formulated the position that faith, and not reason, is the source of knowledge of truth. This determined the development of Christian theology for centuries.
A huge role in its formation was played by Clement of Alexandria (150–219), who founded a theological school in the main city of Egypt, and his successor as its leader, Origen (184–254). Origen tried to fill Christian theology with elements of the teachings of the Neoplatonists and faced rejection of his views from Christian theologians. His views were recognized as heretical, but they still had a significant influence on the teachings of the “Church Fathers”.
A significant role in the formation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism was played by the polemics of Athanasius, the Patriarch of Alexandria at the Council of Nicaea against Arius and his heresy. Only after his death the councils confirmed the thesis of the unity of the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit.
In the 4th century. Through the efforts of the church fathers from Cappadocia (Asia Minor), Christian views were systematized and worship was streamlined. Among the “Eastern Church Fathers” the most famous are Gregory of Nazion (330–390), Basil the Great (330–379), and Gregory of Nyssa (335–394).
Ambrose of Milan, Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, called Blessed (354–430), Jerome, who made the first translation of the Bible, had a huge influence on the formation of Christian philosophy and theology, especially the Western branch of Christianity, from which the theology of Catholicism and later Protestantism would later emerge. into Latin (“Vulgate”). One of the greatest representatives of Christian theology was John of Damascus, who lived in the 8th century.
After the split of Christianity into western and eastern branches (1054) as a result of centuries-old rivalry in the Christian church between the popes and the patriarchs of Constantinople, Catholicism and Orthodoxy began to develop independently. After the Reformation, started by Martin Luther and his followers in the first half of the 16th century. in Germany, a significant number of Christians Western Europe separated from Rome and subsequently formed numerous Protestant churches.
To date, Christianity exists in the form of three main movements - Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. If the first two are hierarchically built structures, then this is not the case in Protestantism. This term is used to designate the entire variety of confessional structures, ranging from traditional - Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, Calvinist, to Baptist and communities that arose in the second half of the 20th century.
Catholicism gained a foothold in Romanesque countries (except Romania) and Ireland, Orthodoxy - in Slavic countries (except Poland and Croatia, where Catholicism established itself), in Greece and Romania, Protestantism - in German-Scandinavian countries (except Catholic Austria and Bavaria).
Currently, there are followers of Christianity in all inhabited parts of the world; their total number is approximately determined by statistics of 1.3 billion people, including adherents of Catholicism - about 700 million, Orthodoxy - about 200 million, various types Protestantism - 350 million people.
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You will learn from this article where Christianity, one of the dominant world religions, was born.
Brief history of Christianity
Several reasons contributed to the emergence of Christianity. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, it conquered many different peoples, establishing total control and oppression over them. The situation was especially difficult for the Jews. They lived in Syria and Palestine, provinces of Rome. The Jews tried in every possible way to fight Roman oppression and established rules, but to no avail. All that remained was faith in God Yahweh, that he would not abandon the poor people and would save them from oppression.
Then the teachings of Jesus Christ began to gain widespread popularity. The Jews believed that God had sent him to them, and not to other nations. Since only the Jewish religion, unlike the beliefs of the Romans, Egyptians, Greeks and others, did not provide for the worship of a large number of deities. They recognized only one Yahweh and a son sent to earth. That is why initially only in Palestine rumors about the birth of Christ began to appear, which later spread throughout the Mediterranean. Faith in Jesus Christ and his teachings began to be called Christianity, and those who supported it became Christians.
With the birth of the son of God it begins new era- our era. The Bible tells us that Christ was a real person. holy book Jews and Christians and some sources that have been tested for accuracy by modern science.
Christ taught people that spiritual improvement occurs only through baptism. This step lightens the soul, heart and gives an understanding of all the injustice of life on earth. You can get rid of vices and sins only through love for the one God and faith in Jesus Christ. In order to be cleansed spiritually and morally, a person must adhere to Christian commandments. There are 10 of them in total. And each of us is familiar with them to one degree or another.
Christianity during the reign of Emperor Constantine was recognized in 325 as the state religion of the Roman Empire. Since Christianity very quickly gained momentum and became almost the dominant religion, such a step by Constantine was supposed to help strengthen his power and the power of the empire in the international arena.
We hope that from this article you learned when Christianity was born.
A message about Christianity will briefly tell you a lot useful information about one of the most influential religions in the world. The report on Christianity can be used during preparation for classes.
Message about Christianity
Christianity is ancient religion, whose history goes back more than 2000 years. Together with Islam and Buddhism, it is one of the world religions. Approximately 1/3 of the planet's inhabitants profess Christianity.
The religion originated in the 1st century AD. The territory where Christianity spread was the Roman Empire. More precisely, here the opinions of scientists are divided. Some believe that his homeland is Palestine, while others believe that the Jewish diaspora in Greece.
Prerequisites for the emergence of Christianity
Already by the 1st century BC. The Mediterranean was under the rule of the Roman Empire. She owned a large number colonies in which many nationalities lived, professing their own religious beliefs. For a long time one religion did not exist in the vast empire. In 63 BC, Rome captured Judea and Syria. Jerusalem also became part of the empire. The people living in these territories professed an earlier Christianity, which, having no written sources, existed at first only in oral tradition. With the appearance of the first Christian documents “The Revelation of John” and “The Epistles of Paul” in the 1st century, persecution of the first Christians began by Emperor Nero. They were considered dissidents because they believed not in a pantheon of gods, but in a single savior.
After the execution under Tiberius of Jesus Christ, from whose name the name of the religion was derived, a superstition “harmful” for Rome began to spread throughout the empire itself. Christians were persecuted, mocked, and given over to be torn to pieces wild animals, crucified on crosses, burned at night to illuminate the streets. But it was not possible to suppress the spread of Christianity - the political and social oppression of the empire by the colony gave birth in the minds of people to the idea of the existence of God, who, through the path of repentance in earthly life, will give life in paradise in heaven.
Until the 5th century, Christianity covered the geographical boundaries of the entire Roman Empire and the spheres of its cultural influence - Armenia, Ethiopia. Then it spread among the Slavic and Germanic peoples. In the XIII-XIV centuries, the religion was practiced by the Finnish and Baltic peoples. In modern times, its spread beyond Europe was facilitated by the activities of missionaries and colonial expansion.
Christianity basic ideas
Briefly, all the ideas of Christianity come down to the following:
- God created the world - this is the main position of Christianity. This happened in 5508 BC (according to some sources).
- Man has a spark of God - a soul. It is eternal and does not die after the death of the body. The first people created by God were given a pure and unclouded soul. But when Eve ate an apple from the tree of knowledge and gave it to Adam, original sin arose.
- Original sin, which lies on all people, after the life of Adam and Eve, was atoned for by the death of Christ. A person leads a sinful life, violating the 7 commandments of God (pride, gluttony, reverence for neighbors, etc.)
- To atone for sins, it is necessary to lead a righteous life - not to break God’s laws, repent of what you have done and pray for the redemption of the soul.
- If a person leads an unrighteous life, then after death he will go to hell.
- God is merciful. He forgives all sins committed if a person sincerely repents of what he has done.
- The world is awaiting the Last Judgment, when the Son of Man will come to earth again and judge the dead and the living, separating the sinners from the righteous. And the end of the world will come.
Directions and currents of Christianity
Directions of modern Christianity:
- Catholicism.This is the western branch of the religion, which was formed in 1054. The Church is headed by the Pope.
- Orthodoxy. This East End Christianity. Unlike Catholics, it does not have a single center and is divided into 15 independent churches.
- Protestantism. This trend appeared in the 16th century during the European Reformation. Its founder was Martin Luther. Protestantism has several movements:
- Lutheranism. Originated in the 16th century. Founder Martin Luther. Liturgy, baptism and communion are recognized.
- Baptistism. It arose at the beginning of the 17th century. Founder John Smith. The main idea is that only adults who have consciously made their choice can be baptized. Rituals: marriage, baptism, communion and ordination.
- Pentecostalism.Arose in the 19th century in the USA. Recognizes the baptism of adults only. It is based on the belief that after Easter (on the 50th day) every Christian can receive various abilities from the Holy Spirit.
- Advendism. It arose in the 30s of the nineteenth century in the USA. Founder William Mueller. Lots of restrictions on relationships and food. They honor the Sabbath and engage in missionary activities.
- Jehovah witnesses. It arose in the 70s of the nineteenth century in the USA. Founder Charles Taze Russell.
- Calvinism. Founder John Calvin. The goal of a Christian is conscientious work and worldly asceticism.
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