Who are Christians?
Photographer : Steve Evans
Christians are followers of the teaching of Jesus Christ, also known as Jesus of Nazareth. They make up 33% of the world population (about 2.1 billion people). The countries with the biggest Christian populations are the US, Brazil and Mexico. About 67% of Australians classify themselves under the broad category ‘Christian’, although they are divided among several different sects.Judaism’s (not so) little brother
Just like Jews, Muslims and Baha’i’s, Christians trace their roots back to the creation story of Adam. They also believe that Abraham is the patriarch of their religion.
Christianity began with those who followed the teachings of Jesus Christ during his lifetime (about 4 BCE–30 CE). These followers were called apostles
. After Jesus’ death, the apostles began the early Christian church, but because they were all Jewish as well, they became known at first as Christian Jews.
As Christianity spread, it also divided. The first split was in 1054 when the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox forms of Christianity went separate ways. Later, in the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church split again with the Protestant Reformation. In many ways, the Reformation was the spark that ignited a series of rifts in the Christian faith, leading to over 1,500 different sects today.What makes Christianity different?
Judaism and Christianity are, in many ways, very similar. They have a common history and Christians even study the Hebrew Scriptures as a part of their holy book, the Bible (the Hebrew Scriptures are called the Old Testament by Christians). However, there are fundamental values that set Christians apart.
Because Christian sects (and individuals) differ so greatly in both their beliefs and practices, only the most basic and fundamental have been included here.Jesus Christ
Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the prophesised Messiah (‘Christ’ means Messiah in Greek). According to Christian beliefs, Jesus was the son of God, born of Mary, a virgin. He came to earth to save humanity from sin and death.
Jesus was crucified by the Romans and died. Christians believe that he rose from the dead after three days and later ascended into Heaven, body and soul.
The belief in life after death is key to the Christian faith. Some Christians also believe that Jesus will come again to judge all humankind. Sacraments
Christians celebrate the Sabbath
, the holy day of rest, on Sundays, usually by going to some sort of church service. Each service differs according to the specific sect of Christianity.
Christians generally believe in two sacraments (stages of faith), although some sects believe in more. Christians must first be baptised into the faith. Baptism
is usually performed with some sort of covering with water. Baptist Christians are fully dunked into a pool of water, while Roman Catholics only sprinkle it on the head.
Christians also usually practice the sacrament of Eucharist
during church service. The Eucharist is a piece of bread that has been blessed by a priest. It is meant to symbolise the body of Jesus, which was given up for humankind, but some sects believe that the bread actually becomes the body of Jesus (a process called transubstantiation
). The Eucharist is consumed during the service, sometimes along with red wine, to symbolise Jesus’ blood.Holidays
While several minor holidays crowd the Christian calendar, two are the most prominent. Christmas
is the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Though most Christians now associate Christmas with Santa Claus and presents, many Christians observe the holiday by displaying manger scenes (depicting Jesus’ birth) and going to church.
Christians also celebrate Easter
, a holiday commemorating Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Like Christmas, Easter has also become associated with presents (this time from the Easter Bunny), but it is also a deeply spiritual holiday for many. Sects
Like I said before, there are almost too many Christian sects to name, but I’ll give it a try. Here are just a few to start:
How do I know this?
- The Amish
- Christian Science
- Eastern Orthodox
- Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
- Quakers (Society of Friends)
- Roman Catholicism
- Unitarian Universalists
- Protestants (which include Luthern, Anglican, and Presbyterian churches)
Adherents.com, Major Religions Ranked by Size,
CIA, The World Factbook: Australia, http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/...
ReligiousTolerance.org, Introduction to Christianity, http://www.religioustolerance.org/christ1.htm