Christianity

Overview

Christianity rests on the belief that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and Son of God, who died on the cross to atone for human sin and rose from the dead. People join the Church through baptism, and religious life centres on community, prayer and sacraments such as the Eucharist. Today Christianity is present on every continent, and its demographic centre has moved from Europe to Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.

Origins and History

Jesus taught in Galilee and Jerusalem around the 20s–30s CE and was crucified on the orders of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. His followers proclaimed his resurrection, first among Jews and then among non-Jews, largely through Paul. For about three centuries Christians were a minority facing periodic persecution. In 313 Emperor Constantine granted freedom of worship, and in 380 Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the state religion of the Empire.

Development and Branches

The councils of the 4th–5th centuries (Nicaea, Chalcedon) fixed core doctrines such as the Trinity and the nature of Christ. In 1054 the Western (Rome) and Eastern (Constantinople) churches split, which is the origin of the Catholic–Orthodox divide. In the 16th century Martin Luther, John Calvin and others led the Protestant Reformation, from which hundreds of denominations grew. In the 20th and 21st centuries Evangelical and Pentecostal movements grew very rapidly, especially in the Global South (Africa, Latin America and Asia).

How It Spread and Grew

🗺️ Maps of how the five largest religions spread →

• Active mission: the command to "go and make disciples of all nations" made spreading the faith part of the faith itself.
• Open to everyone: dropping requirements such as circumcision and dietary laws opened the door to many peoples.
• Ties to power: from Constantine onwards, and later in Europe's kingdoms, state power helped the religion spread.
• Colonialism and missionaries: from the 16th century Christianity reached the Americas, Africa and Asia along with the European empires.
• Institutions: schools, hospitals and aid networks run by churches.
• Demographics: today most growth comes from natural increase in Africa.

Influence on the World

Christianity shaped the West's calendar, holidays, art, music and architecture. Europe's first universities grew out of church institutions. Christian ideas about human dignity and love of neighbour influenced the development of human rights, charity and welfare systems. Modern movements such as the abolition of slavery and the US civil rights movement also drew inspiration from Christianity.

What Draws Believers (Strengths)

• A message of love, forgiveness and grace, and the promise of personal salvation.
• A supportive community and rituals that accompany the life cycle.
• A rich tradition of charity, education and care for the vulnerable.
• Enormous variety, so people can find a tradition that suits them.

Criticism and Challenges

• Critics point to the historical gap between the message and the conduct of the Church as a powerful, wealthy institution.
• Attitudes to Jews: for centuries Jews were blamed for the crucifixion, and Christian anti-Judaism fed persecution. Since the Second Vatican Council (1965) the Catholic Church has officially rejected that charge.
• Sexual abuse: cases of child sexual abuse by clergy, and the cover-ups that followed, have badly damaged trust.
• Modern disputes: there is ongoing disagreement over the role of women, the place of LGBTQ people, and the relationship between religion and science.

Human Life, War and Peace – What It Teaches

• "You shall not murder" and "Love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44). In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches turning the other cheek.
• "Just war" theory (Augustine, Thomas Aquinas) permits war only under conditions: a just cause, legitimate authority, last resort and proportionality.
• Pacifist traditions (Quakers, Mennonites, Amish) forbid combat service.
• The Catholic Church today opposes the death penalty (Catechism revision, 2018). Other Christian traditions are divided on the question.
• Compared with other religions: Sanctity of Life Across Religions

Religion, Power and Violence

Dark chapters in its history:

• The Crusades (1096–1291) against Muslims in the Middle East, during which Jews in Europe and in Jerusalem were also massacred.
• The Inquisition, and the forced conversion of Jews and Muslims in Spain and Portugal.
• The wars of religion between Catholics and Protestants, including the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), in which millions died.
• Witch hunts.
• Colonialism: the Church gave religious justification to the conquest of the Americas. The "Doctrine of Discovery" was used to dispossess Indigenous peoples, and there were episodes of forced conversion.

When Christians were victims:

• Persecution in the Roman Empire until the 4th century, including the "Great Persecution" under Emperor Diocletian (from 303).
• In the 20th century: the Armenian genocide (1915) and the persecution of Assyrian and Greek Christians in the Ottoman Empire, and the persecution of churches under communist regimes.
• In the 21st century: the Islamic State (ISIS) persecuted and uprooted Christian communities in Iraq and Syria, and in various countries Christians still face violence and restrictions.

The other side: historians note that political and economic motives were bound up with many of these wars. Christianity also has a deep pacifist tradition:

• According to many scholars, a large share of the earliest Christians refused military service.
• Quakers and Mennonites oppose war.
• Many Christian organisations today work for reconciliation and humanitarian aid.