Christianity is one of the world religions based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christianity is one of the many religions. The followers of Christianity are about three billion people.

The history of the emergence of religion.

Christianity originated in Palestine in the first century AD. The creator and propagator of religion is Jesus Christ. He led a preaching activity: he went around the world and told the truth of God. How it was? (from the Bible)

Birth of Christ. The Mother of God (or Holy Virgin Mary) gave birth to Jesus Christ, the son of God. The Mother of God was a pious woman. Once in a dream, God came to her and gave her a son. She named her son Jesus Christ. Jesus was demigod, half man. They say he could heal people and many other miracles beyond the power of an ordinary person. When the boy grew up, he began to preach a new religious doctrine - Christianity. Obviously, the religion is named after Christ.

The religion is based on several commandments. Jesus called to love your neighbor, to help the sick and the destitute, and spoke of other moral principles. He also spoke about heaven and hell, about impure forces and angels, about the immortality of the soul.

He himself went around the world in search of disciples and followers. On the road, he helped all those in need, never refused help. The twelve apostles became his disciples. They were closer to Jesus than all the other followers. These apostles received the gift of healing people. As you know, one of the twelve apostles turned out to be a traitor. Jesus had detractors who wanted the death of a demigod. Judas, the traitor, agreed to hand over his teacher to ill-wishers for 30 silver coins. Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross.

Attributes of the Christian religion- cross, temple (church), icons, prayers, Bible, Gospel.

Religion Christianity has found many followers. But there was a split of a single religion into three currents: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. In fact, there are many more currents in Christianity, for example, Lutheranism, Calvinism and others. But these three currents are the largest and most significant in the modern world. The split occurred due to different views on religion of several churches.

Orthodoxy.

Orthodoxy was formed in the Eastern Roman Empire. The founder of the movement is considered to be Jesus Christ. Usually an Orthodox church is a temple with domes, usually golden in color, decorated with icons inside, it is customary to stand in the temple throughout the entire service. The ministers of the church are called pop.

Catholicism.

Catholicism appeared on the territory of the Roman Empire. It is considered a continuation of the early Christian religion. The Vatican is considered the center of government for all Catholic churches. The main pope is the Pope of Rome. Catholic cathedrals - buildings with blue or white domes, it is customary to sit in them throughout the service.

Protestantism.

Protestantism is relatively young. It appeared because many people in Europe were unhappy with the Catholic Church. Martin Luther provoked the emergence of the Protestant church. The Protestant Church is very different from the above churches.

Christianity is one of the many religions with different currents. Whatever trend or religion you choose, remember that God is one.

Option 2

One of the largest world religions, and the most popular is Christianity. This religion, which has been around for more than 2 thousand years, is represented in all countries of the world.

What is the essence of Christianity

Christianity is a humane religion. A person, according to its canons, must lead a righteous life in accordance with the 10 commandments, which are aimed at kindness and love for God and neighbor.

The Bible, especially the New Testament, is sacred to Christians. Christians believe in one God and his son Jesus Christ, who gave his life for the salvation of mankind and was crucified on the cross.

In his life, Jesus did only good deeds: he healed the sick, helped the poor. At the same time, he lived very modestly and did not covet wealth and power. The main thing for him was to save humanity and their souls. For this salvation, he sacrificed himself, and Christians should take as an example this kindness and love for others, and also believe in his teaching.

When and where did Christianity originate?

Christianity originated in the 1st century AD. in the homeland of Jesus Christ, in Palestine, which was under the yoke of the Roman Empire. Rome, conquering new lands, established an unbearable oppression for the peoples of these lands, and the struggle against Roman lawlessness was suppressed. And with the birth of Jesus Christ, a new trend appeared in the struggle for justice, in which everyone, both rich and poor, was considered equal before the one God. This trend in the name of Christ was called Christianity, and its followers were called Christians.

Christians were persecuted by the rulers, they dealt with them very cruelly. Gathering in secret communities, mainly in caves, they were true to their ideals and refused to believe in the Roman gods and make sacrifices to them.

The sermons of Jesus Christ and his followers had a beneficial effect on the spread of this religion, and his martyrdom and miraculous resurrection further strengthened people's faith in the one God. And not only the poor, but also the rich took the side of Christianity, for they were satisfied with the ideas of humility and patience. So in the year 325, Emperor Constantine recognized this religion in Rome as the state religion. As the years passed, religion spread throughout the world and began to dominate other religions.

Currents in Christianity

Although the ideas of Christianity are united, there are differences in the essence of the doctrine. Christianity is divided into three branches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. Within each branch there is also a divergence in the teachings of the faith. But the essence of religion is one.

Report on Christianity

There are three major religious trends in the world, one of which is Christianity. Founded in Palistine in the 1st century AD, it preaches faith in the Son of God - Jesus Christ, who suffered a painful death on the cross to atone for human sins.

Christianity is professed by three church movements: Protestantism, Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

Historians have not come to a consensus about the real existence of Jesus. A more plausible version is that the Son of God really existed historical personality. This is proved by the chronicle of Josephus Flavius ​​"Antiquities" and many other historical sources. The New Testament describes events that have found their confirmation in archaeological monuments.

On Mount Sinai, the 10 commandments, the foundations of a Christian life, were revealed by God to the prophet Moses:

1. God is one and for man there should be no other Gods.

2. You can not create an idol for yourself.

4. One day a week (the seventh) must be dedicated to God.

5. Respect your parents.

6. You can not take the life of other people.

7. Do not commit adultery.

8. You can't take someone else's.

9. You can not falsely accuse another person.

10. You can't want what the other person has.

The main holy book for people of the Christian faith is the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments. She is the bearer of the truth of the life of a believer, tells about the life of the Savior, tells the kingdom of the living and the spring of life after death.

The New Testament consists of four narratives of the prophets (Matthew, John, Mark and Luke), as well as the "Apocalypse" of John the Evangelist and the "Acts of the Apostles".

In Christianity, there are seven rites, they are called sacraments. A person is accepted by the church by baptism, bonds of marriage are sealed by a wedding, when a sin is committed, a believer can repent before God to forgive his misconduct, to get rid of an illness there is a rite of unction, to establish a spiritual connection with God, a person takes communion.

In memory of the terrible torment and death of the son of God, Christians venerate the cross. They decorate the domes of temples, after baptism the believer wears it on the body.

Armenia adopted Christianity as the main religion earlier than other states. This event dates back to 301, then in 313 Emperor Constantine I proclaimed Christianity the state religion in the Roman Empire, at the end of the 4th century the Byzantine Empire also began to recognize Christianity as the main faith in the state.

In Russia, the spread of faith about Christ began in the 8th century, and Prince Vladimir baptized Russia in 988.

The place of worship is the temple, which is dedicated either to a specific church holiday, or to a particularly revered saint, whose feast day is the patronal day for a particular church.

Faith in Christ is the most widespread in the world. It has more than 1.3 billion people according to UNESCO. In almost every part of the planet there are people who believe in Christianity.

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Among all religions, Christianity is the most widespread and influential teaching. It includes three official directions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism, and many unrecognized sects. The modern religion of Christianity is the doctrine of the God-Man Jesus Christ. Christians believe that he is God's son and was sent to Earth to atone for the sins of all mankind.

Fundamentals of Christianity: what is the essence of religion

According to the surviving documentary sources, Christianity originated in the 1st century AD, on the territory of modern Palestine. Born in Nazareth, in a simple family of a potter, the preacher Jesus Christ brought to the Jews a new doctrine - about the one God. He called himself the son of God, whom the Father sent to people to save from sin. The teaching of Christ was the teaching of love and forgiveness. He preached non-violence and humility, confirming his convictions with his own example. The followers of Jesus were called Christians, and the new religion was called Christianity. After the crucifixion of Christ, his disciples and supporters spread the new teaching throughout the Roman Empire, and soon throughout Europe.

In Russia, Christianity appeared in the 10th century. Prior to this, the religion of the Russians was paganism - they deified the forces of nature and worshiped them. Prince Vladimir, having married a Byzantine, adopted her religion. Despite the resistance arising everywhere, soon all of Russia was subjected to the rite of baptism. Gradually, the old faith was forgotten, and Christianity began to be perceived as a primordially Russian religion. Today, there are more than 2 billion followers of the teachings of Christ in the world. Among them, about 1.2 billion identify themselves as Catholic, about 0.4 billion as Protestant, and 0.25 billion as. Many wear silver crosses.

The essence of God in the view of Christians

According to the Old Testament (original) Christian religion, God is one in His appearance. He is the beginning of everything and the creator of all living beings. This perception of God was a dogma - the only true and inviolable position approved by the church. But in the 4th-5th centuries, a new dogma appeared in Christianity - the Trinity. Its compilers represented God as three hypostases of one essence:

• God the Father;
• God the Son;
• God is the Holy Spirit.

All entities (Persons) are equal and come from one another. The new addition was actively rejected by representatives of the Eastern confessions. In the 7th century, the Western Christian Church officially adopted the filioque, an addition to the Trinity. This served as an impetus for the schism of the One Church.

Man in the representation of religion is the creation of God, and he is not given to know the essence of his creator. Questions and doubts are taboo for a true believing Christian. Everything that a person should and can know about God is set forth in the Bible, the main book of Christians. It is a kind of encyclopedia containing information about the formation of religion, descriptions of historical events before the appearance of Jesus, and key moments in his life.

The God-Man: Who Was Jesus

The doctrine of the God-man - Christology - tells about Jesus, both as the incarnation of God and as the son of God. He is human because his mother is a human woman, but like God because his father is the One God. At the same time, Christianity does not consider Jesus a demigod, and does not include them among the prophets. He is the only unique incarnation of God on Earth. There cannot be a second person like Jesus, because God is infinite and cannot be incarnated twice. The appearance of Jesus was foretold by the prophets. In the Old Testament, he is presented as the Messiah - the savior of mankind.

After the crucifixion and physical death, the human hypostasis of Jesus was embodied in the divine. His soul was united with the Father in Paradise, and his body was buried in the earth. This paradox of Jesus the man and Jesus the God is expressed in the Ecumenical Council by the formula of 4 negatives:

1. unmistakably;
2. untransformed;
3. inseparably;
4. inseparable.

The orthodox branches of Christianity revere Jesus as the God-man - an entity that embodied divine and human features. Arianism reveres him as a creation of God, Nestorianism - as two separate entities: divine and human. Those who profess Monophysitism believe in Jesus the God who swallowed up his human nature.

Anthropology: the origin of man and his destiny

Initially, man was created in his image of God, and possesses his power. The first people Adam and Eve were similar to their Creator, but they committed original sin - they succumbed to temptation and ate an apple from the tree of Knowledge. From that moment on, man became sinful, and his body was mortal.

But the human soul is immortal and can go to Paradise, where God is waiting for it. To be in Paradise, a person must atone for his sin by physical and spiritual suffering. In the Christian understanding, evil is temptation, and good is humility. Suffering is a way to fight evil. Ascension to God and return to one's original essence is possible only through humility. It leads to freedom of spirit and understanding of the true essence of life. Hell awaits people who succumb to temptations - the kingdom of Satan, in which sinners suffer forever, paying for their sins.

What are sacraments

In the Christian faith there is a unique concept - the sacrament. It arose as a definition of a special action, which cannot be attributed to either rites or rituals. Only God can know the true essence of the sacrament; it is not accessible to man because of his imperfection and sinfulness.

The most important sacraments are baptism and communion. The first is the initiation of the believer, introducing him into the number of charitable people. The second is a connection with the essence of Jesus, by eating the sacred bread and wine, symbolizing his flesh and blood.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism recognize five more sacraments:

1. chrismation;
2. ordination;
3. repentance;
4. marriage;
5. unction.

Protestantism denies the sacredness of these phenomena. This branch is also characterized by a gradual rejection of asceticism, as the only way for a person to approach the divine essence.

The role of the monarchy in the development of religion

The official state religion of Rome was paganism, suggesting the deification of the current emperor. The new doctrine was accepted with hostility. Persecution and prohibitions have become part of the history of religion. Christianity was forbidden not only to confess, but also to remember its existence. Preachers were subjected to torture, life imprisonment or the death penalty. But adherents of Christianity revered them as martyrs, and every year Christianity spread more and more actively.

Already in the 4th century, Emperor Constantine was forced to recognize the new belief. The pagans staged riots, protesting against the interference of the emperor in the affairs of the Church. Christians went to the desert and organized monastic settlements there. Thanks to this, the nomads learned about the new religion. Christianity gradually spread to other countries.

The emperor's power was weakening. The abbot of the Roman Church, the Pope, declared himself the sole representative of religion, and the full ruler of the Roman Empire. Attempts to find a balance between the desire for power and the preservation of the Christian way of life have become a major moral dilemma for representatives of high church rank.

Key moments of the ancient religion: the split of the Church

The reason for the split of Christianity into three conflicting faiths was the dispute about the union of the divine and human essence of Jesus Christ into one person. Due to cultural and historical differences, there was constant debate among followers about the need to choose one official version. The growing conflict led to a division into confessions, each of which adhered to its own version.

In 1054, Christianity split into Orthodox and Catholic branches. Attempts to reunite them into one Church were unsuccessful. An attempt at unification was an agreement on the unification of churches on the territory of the Commonwealth - the Union of Brest, signed in 1596. But in the end, the conflict between confessions only escalated.

Modern times: the crisis of Christianity

In the 16th century, world Christianity is experiencing a series of military conflicts. Churches sought to supplant each other. Humanity entered the Age of Enlightenment: religion was subjected to harsh criticism and denial. A search began for new models of human self-consciousness, independent of Biblical doctrines.

Innovators countered the progress of Christianity - gradual development, the transition from simple to complex. Based on the idea of ​​progress, later Charles Darwin would develop a theory of evolution based on scientific facts. According to it, man is not a creation of God, but the result of an evolutionary process. Since the 17th century, science and religion have been in continuous conflict.

In the 20th century, in the post-revolutionary Soviet Union, Christianity is going through a period of strict prohibitions and a categorical denial of the religious view of the world. Church ministers are being defrocked, churches are being destroyed, and religious books are being burned. Only with the collapse of the USSR did religion gradually regain its right to exist, and freedom of religion became an inalienable human right.

Modern Christianity is not a totalitarian religious belief. Christians are free to accept the rite of baptism or refuse to follow its traditions. Since the middle of the 20th century, the idea of ​​reuniting the three confessions into a single belief has been promoted as an attempt to avoid the extinction of religion. But none of the Churches is taking concrete actions, and the denominations are still divided.

Christianity (from the Greek. Christos, literally - the anointed one), is one of the three world religions that arose in the 1st century AD. in Palestine, in the center of which is the image of the God-man - Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sins of mankind by his martyrdom on the cross and opened the way for the latter to reunion with God. In modern times, this term is used to characterize the three main areas of Christianity: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. Now, according to the UN, there are 1.5 billion Christians in the world, according to UNESCO 1.3 billion.

Unlike other religions, Christianity was given to man by God. Any Christian will tell you so, because this provision is part of his faith, but people who are somewhat far from Christianity (well, or just curious scientists), after conducting a comparative analysis of the history of religious teachings, came to the conclusion that Christianity absorbed various ethical and philosophical ideas other religions, such as Judaism, Mithraism and the views of the ancient Eastern religions.

Christianity came out of the Jewish environment. One of the confirmations can be the following words of Christ: "Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets, I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matt. 5, 27) and the very fact that Jesus was born in the Jewish people, which in Judaism and waited for their Messiah. Subsequently, Judaism was rethought by Christianity in the direction of deepening the moral religious aspect, which approved the basic principle of love for all things.

Jesus Christ is a historical figure. So say representatives of one of the main schools involved in the study of this issue. Representatives of the other stand on the version that Jesus is rather a mythological person. According to the latter, modern science is devoid of specific historical data about this person. The gospels in their eyes are devoid of historical accuracy, as they were written many years after the events, they repeat other Eastern religions and sin with a large number of contradictions. Actually, the historical sources of the beginning of the 1st century do not at all reflect either the preaching activity of Christ, or information about the miracles he performed.
The historical school cites the following facts as evidence of the real existence of Jesus Christ: the reality of the characters mentioned in the New Testament, a number of historical sources containing information about Christ, the most famous of which is considered to be the "Antiquities" of Josephus Flavius.
It is worth noting that in recent years, most religious scholars, as well as Christians themselves, are on the position that Jesus Christ really existed.

In Christianity, there are 10 basic commandments, in accordance with which a person must live. Written on stone tablets, they were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.
1. I am the Lord your God... Thou shalt have no other gods before My face.
2. Do not make yourself an idol.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Dedicate the seventh day to the Lord your God.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. Don't kill.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. Do not desire anything that your neighbor has.

The Sermon on the Mount is of great importance for Christian understanding and guidance in life. The Sermon on the Mount is considered to be the core of the teachings of Jesus Christ. In it, God the Son gave the people the so-called Beatitudes ("Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven", "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted", "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (further - From Matthew 5:3 -16) and revealed the understanding of the 10 commandments.So the commandment "Thou shalt not kill, whoever kills shall be subject to judgment" turns into "everyone who is angry with his brother in vain is subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:17-37), "Do not commit adultery" - in "...everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart..." (Matthew 5:17-37) It was in the Sermon on the Mount that the following thoughts were heard: "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you you and pray for those who curse you" (Matthew 5:38-48; 6:1-8), "Judge not, lest you be judged..." (Matthew 7:1-14), "Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you; for everyone who asks receives" (Matthew 7:1-14). "So in everything you want people to do to you, so do you also to them; for in this is the law and the prophets" (Matthew 7:1-14).

The Bible is the holy book of Christians. It consists of two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The latter, in turn, consists of four gospels: Matthew, John, Mark and Luke, the "Acts of the Apostles" and the "Revelation of John the Theologian" (known as the Apocalypse).

The main provisions of the Christian doctrine are 12 dogmas and 7 sacraments. They were adopted at the first and second ecumenical councils in 325 and 381. The 12 dogmas of Christianity are called the Creed. It reflects what a Christian believes in: in one God the Father, in one God the Son, that God the Son came down from heaven for our salvation, that God the Son was incarnated on earth from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, that God the Son was crucified for us, resurrected on the third day and ascended into heaven to God the Father, at the second coming of God the Son for judgment on the living and the dead, in the Holy Spirit, in the one Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, in baptism and finally in the resurrection and the future eternal life.
The seven Christian sacraments are currently recognized by both the Orthodox and Catholic churches. These sacraments include: baptism (acceptance of a person into the bosom of the church), chrismation, communion (drawing closer to God), repentance (or confession), marriage, priesthood and unction (to get rid of illness).

The symbol of the Christian faith is the cross. The cross in Christianity is adopted in memory of the martyrdom of Jesus Christ. The cross adorns Christian churches, the clothes of clergy, church literature and is used in the performance of Christian rites. In addition, the cross (mainly consecrated) is worn by believers on the body.

An important place in Christianity is given to the veneration of the Mother of God. Four of the main Christian holidays are dedicated to her: the Nativity of the Virgin, the Entry into the Temple of the Virgin, the Annunciation of the Virgin and the Assumption of the Virgin, many churches were erected in honor of her and icons were painted.

Priests in Christianity did not appear immediately. Only after the final break with Judaism and the gradual change in the social stratum of the early Christian society did the clergy appear in the Christian milieu, who took full power into their own hands.

Christian sacraments and rites were not formed immediately. The sacrament of baptism was determined only at the end of the 5th century, after which the sacrament of communion (the Eucharist) was formed. Further, over the course of several centuries, chrismation, anointing, marriage, repentance, confession, and the priesthood gradually began to appear in Christian rituals.

For a long time, images of saints in Christianity were prohibited. As were banned and any objects of veneration, in the worship of which a number of Christians saw idolatry. The dispute about icons came to a logical conclusion only in 787 at the seventh (Nicene) ecumenical council, which allowed the depiction of sacred persons and related events, as well as their worship.

The Christian Church is a special divine-human organization. But it is by no means historical. The Christian Church is a mystical formation, which, along with God, includes both living and already dead people, and, in other words, souls that, according to Christianity, are immortal. At the same time, modern theologians, of course, do not deny the social component of the Christian church, however, for them it is not the main point for determining its essence.

The spread of Christianity in Rome was associated with the crisis of ancient society. This socio-historical factor, which caused a feeling of insecurity in society in the ancient system of the world order and, as a result, criticism of the ancient order, had a direct impact on the spread of Christianity within the Roman Empire. The disunity between different strata of Roman society, which is an antagonistic pair, for example, such as free people and slaves, Roman citizens and subjects of the provinces, also increased the general instability in society and helped the promotion of Christianity, which asserted among people in need the idea of ​​universal equality and salvation in another world. .

In the Roman Empire, Christians were always persecuted. From the very beginning of the emergence of Christianity and up to the 4th century, it was like that, then the imperial power, feeling the weakening of control over the country, began to look for a religion that would unite all the peoples of the empire, and eventually settled on Christianity. In 324, the Roman emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.

There has never been unity within Christianity. Representatives of the Christian faith constantly led discussions on Christological topics that touched on three main dogmas: the trinity of God, incarnation and redemption. So the First Council of Nicaea, having condemned the Arian doctrine, which believes that God the Son is not consubstantial with God the Father, established a unified Christian understanding of this dogma, according to which God began to be defined as the unity of three hypostases, each of which is also an independent person. The Third Ecumenical Council, called Ephesus, in 431 condemned the Nesterian heresy, which rejected the idea of ​​the birth of Jesus Christ from the Mother of God (the Nestorians believed that a man was born from the Virgin Mary, and then a deity moved into him). The Fourth (Chalcedon) Ecumenical Council (451) was devoted to substantiating the dogma of redemption and incarnation, which affirmed the equal presence in the person of Christ, both human and divine, united inseparably and inseparably. The question of the depiction of Jesus Christ was decided even later - in the 6th century at the fifth (Constantinople) ecumenical council (553), where the rule was adopted to depict the Son of God in the form of a man, not a lamb.

There were several major schisms within Christianity. As a rule, differences in the social and religious life of different Christian communities led to a divergence in religious views. So in the 5th century in Byzantium, the doctrine of the Monophysites arose, which did not want to recognize Christ as both man and God. Despite the condemnation of this teaching by one of the ecumenical councils (415), it spread in some Byzantine provinces, such as Egypt, Syria and Armenia.
One of the largest is the split of the XI century, which occurred during the division of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern. In the first, in connection with the fall of the power of the emperor, the authority of the Roman bishop (pope) greatly increased, in the second - where the imperial power was preserved, the patriarchs of the churches were deprived of access to power. Thus, historical conditions formed the basis for the division of the once united Christian church. In addition, certain dogmatic and even organizational disagreements began between the two churches, which led to a final break in 1054. Christianity was divided into two branches: Catholicism (Western Church) and Orthodoxy (Eastern Church).
The last split in Christianity occurred within the Catholic Church during the Reformation. The anti-Catholic movement that formed in Europe in the 16th century led to the separation of several European churches from Catholicism and the creation of a new direction in Christianity - Protestantism.

Instruction

Christianity originated in the first century AD (modern reckoning is from the Nativity of Christ, that is, the birthday of Jesus Christ). Modern historians, religious scholars and representatives of other religions do not deny the fact that in the Palestinian Nazareth, more than two thousand years ago, he was born, who became a great preacher. In Jesus - one of the prophets of Allah - a rabbi-reformer who decided to rethink the religion of his ancestors and make it simpler and more accessible to the people. Christians, that is, followers of Christ, honor Jesus as God's anointed on earth and adhere to the version of the immaculate Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, from the Holy Spirit, who descended to earth in the form. This is the basis of religion.

Initially, Christianity was spread by Jesus (and after his death by his followers, that is, the apostles) among the Jews. The new religion was based on Old Testament truths, but more simplified. Thus, the 666 commandments of Judaism in Christianity turned into the main ten. The ban on the consumption of pork and the separation of meat and dairy dishes was lifted, and the principle "not a man for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for the man" was proclaimed. But most importantly, unlike Judaism, Christianity has become an open religion. Thanks to the activities of missionaries, the first of whom was the Apostle Paul, the Christian doctrine penetrated far beyond the borders of the Roman Empire, from Jews to pagans.

Christianity is based on the New Testament, which, together with the Old Testament, makes up the Bible. The New Testament is based on the Gospels - the life of Christ, starting from the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and ending with the Last Supper, at which one of the apostles Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, after which he was declared a robber and crucified on the cross along with other offenders. Particular attention is paid to the miracles that Christ performed during his lifetime, and his miraculous resurrection on the third day after death. Easter, or the Resurrection of Christ, along with Christmas is one of the most revered Christian holidays.

Modern Christianity is considered the most popular religion in the world, has about two billion followers and branches into many currents. At the heart of all Christian teachings is the idea of ​​trinity (God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit). The human soul is considered immortal, depending on the number of lifetime sins and virtues after death, it goes either to hell or to heaven. An important part of Christianity is the Sacraments of God, such as baptism, communion and others. The discrepancy in the list of sacraments, the importance of rites and methods of prayer is observed among the main Christian branches - Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. Catholics, along with Christ, revere the Mother of God, Protestants oppose excessive ritualism, and Orthodox (orthodox) Christians believe in the unity and holiness of the church.

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Christianity is the largest (in terms of the number of adherents) world religion. The number of people who consider themselves Christians and more or less strictly adhere to religious canons today exceeds two billion people. Why did Christianity emerge at all?

Of course, for people who hold materialistic views, there is not, and cannot be, an absolutely accurate answer to this question.

But there is another, very serious reason. Christianity was born during the heyday of the power of the Roman Empire. She achieved such power and influence that it seemed that her unshakable power in the conquered provinces was established forever. Any attempts to resist the Roman authorities were useless, mercilessly suppressed and only led to even greater troubles, humiliation and oppression. The people of Judah also learned this truth from their own experience. Many people who sincerely did not understand how it could happen at all and why their god Yahweh turned away from his people, this led to despair. Therefore, it is not surprising that the main postulates of Christianity, which say that one who suffers unjustly in earthly life, endures torment and humiliation, will subsequently receive a reward in the afterlife, and his oppressors and offenders will be doomed to eternal torment, found a gracious response in the hearts many people.

For the same reason, Christianity quickly gained many adherents among the population of other provinces under the yoke of Rome. And later - among the Roman slaves, the number of which was simply huge. There is nothing more natural than that people who were in complete submission to their masters (often rude, cruel, even inhuman), enduring beatings and humiliation, consoled themselves with the thought: now we feel bad, unbearably hard, but after death everyone will be rewarded according to their merits, we will fall into heaven, and our tormentors go to hell. gave them hope and strength to endure the bitterness of their situation.

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Christianity emerged about two thousand years ago and during this time has become one of the most powerful world religions. Historians disagree on the origin of Christianity. Some believe that it was Palestine, others are convinced that the first communities of Christians appeared in Greece and Rome.

Instruction

Judaism became the ideological basis of Christianity. At the same time, the provisions of the Old Testament did not lose their significance, but received a new interpretation in the light of the events described in the Gospels and related to the earthly life of Jesus Christ. Adherents of the emerging religion brought new ideas to the doctrine of monotheism, messianism and the end of the world. The idea arose about the second coming of the Savior, after which his thousand-year reign would be established on earth.

In the first century A.D., Christianity was just beginning to separate from Judaism. The mood in the religious environment was determined by faith in Jesus Christ, who came into the world to atone for the sins of mankind, as well as conviction in his divine origin. The first Christians were waiting for the new appearance of the Savior from day to day, anticipating his just reprisal against those who oppressed the people of Palestine.

Where the positions of Christianity were strong, religious communities arose that at first did not have centralization and special priests. The associations of the first Christians were headed by the most authoritative believers, whom the rest considered capable of receiving God's grace. The leaders of the Christian communities were often charismatic and had a strong influence on the Christian community.

Gradually, special people began to stand out from among the religious Christian communities, who were engaged in the interpretation of the provisions of the Holy Scriptures. There were also those who performed technical duties. Over time, the dominant position in the communities began to be occupied by bishops, who served as overseers and observers. The organizational structure of Christianity began to take shape around the 2nd century AD.

At the next stage of the formation of Christianity, somewhat different moods spread in society. The tense expectation of the next coming of the Savior was replaced by an attitude to adapt to life with new social orders. At this time, the idea of ​​the other world, of the immortality of the human soul, began to be developed in most detail.

Over time, the social composition of Christian communities began to change. There are fewer and fewer poor and disadvantaged among the adherents of this religion - educated and wealthy citizens are actively beginning to accept Christianity. The community becomes more tolerant of wealth and political power. The complete separation of the new dogma from Judaism occurred towards the end of the 2nd century, after which Christianity became an independent religion.

Religion plays a huge role in the life of society and the state. It compensates for the fear of death with faith in eternal life, helps to find moral, and sometimes material support for the suffering. Christianity, if we talk briefly about religion, is one of the world's religious teachings, which has been relevant for more than two thousand years. In this introductory article, I do not pretend to be complete, but I will certainly name the key points.

Origin of Christianity

Oddly enough, Christianity, like Islam, is rooted in Judaism, or rather in its sacred book - the Old Testament. However, only one person gave a direct impetus to its development - Jesus of Nazareth. Hence the name (from Jesus Christ). Initially, this religion was another monotheistic heresy in the Roman Empire. Christians were persecuted just like that. These persecutions played an important role in the sacralization of Christian martyrs, and Jesus himself.

Once upon a time, when I was studying history at the university, I asked the teacher of Antiquity during the break, and they say, how was Jesus in reality or not? The answer was such that all sources indicate that there was such a person. Well, questions about the miracles that are described in the New Testament, everyone decides for himself whether to believe them or not.

Speaking, abstracting from faith and miracles, the first Christians lived in the form of religious communities on the territory of the Roman Empire. The original symbolism was extremely simple: crosses, fish, etc. Why did this particular religion become a world religion? Most likely, the matter is both the sacralization of the martyrs, in the teaching itself, well, of course, in the policy of the Roman authorities. So she received state recognition only 300 years after the death of Jesus - in 325 at the Council of Nicaea. The Roman emperor Constantine the Great (himself a pagan) called to peace all Christian movements, of which there were many then. What is worth only the Arian heresy, according to which God the father is higher than God the son.

Be that as it may, Constantine understood the unifying potential of Christianity and made this religion the state religion. There are also persistent rumors that, before his death, he himself expressed a desire to be baptized ... All the same, the rulers were smart: they would do something at random until the pagans - and then bam - and before death convert to Christianity. Why not?!

Since then, Christianity has become the religion of all of Europe, and then of a large part of this world. By the way, I recommend a post about.

Fundamentals of Christian Doctrine

• The world was created by God. This is the first position of this religion. It doesn't matter what you think, maybe the Universe and the Earth, and even more so life appeared in the course of evolution, but any Christian will tell you that God created the world. And if he is especially knowledgeable, he can even name the year - 5,508 BC.
• The second position is that a person has a spark of God - a soul that is eternal and does not die after the death of the body. This soul was originally given to people (Adam and Eve) pure and unclouded. But Eve plucked an apple from the tree of knowledge, ate it herself and treated Adam, during which the original sin of man arose. The question arises, why did this tree of knowledge grow at all in Eden? .. But I ask this, because, ultimately, from the kind of Adam)))
• The third proposition is that this original sin was redeemed by Jesus Christ. So all the sins that are now are the result of your sinful life: gluttony, pride, etc.
• Fourth, in order to atone for sins, one must repent, observe church regulations, and lead a righteous life. Then, perhaps, you will earn your place in heaven.
• Fifth, if you lead an unrighteous life, you will perish in hell after death.
• Sixth, God is merciful and forgives all sins if repentance is sincere.
• Seventh - there will be a terrible judgment, the Son of Man will come, arrange Armageddon. And God will separate the righteous from the sinners.

Well, how? Scary? There is, of course, some truth in this. You need to lead a normal life, respect your neighbors and not commit evil deeds. But, as we see, many people call themselves Christians, but behave in the exact opposite way. For example, according to surveys by the Levada Center, in Russia 80% of the population considers themselves Orthodox.

But how I don’t go out: everyone eats shawarma in fasting, and they do all kinds of sinful things. What can you say? Double standarts? Perhaps people who consider themselves Christians are a little hypocritical. It would be better to say that believers, not Christians. Because if you call yourself such, it is assumed that you behave accordingly. How do you think? Write in the comments!

Sincerely, Andrey Puchkov