Christianity, with over 2 billion followers, is the most widely practiced religion globally. The faith revolves around the beliefs surrounding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Despite originating from a small group of believers, the evolution and acceptance of Christianity worldwide are considered by many scholars as one of the most successful spiritual endeavors in human history.

Some fundamental Christian beliefs encompass the monotheistic view of one God who created the universe, comprising the father (God), the son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Christianity centers on Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, with the belief that he was sent by God to save humanity through his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection. Christians anticipate Jesus’s return in the Second Coming, while adhering to the teachings of the Old and New Testaments found in the Holy Bible. The cross symbolizes Christian faith, with Christmas celebrating Jesus’s birth and Easter commemorating his resurrection.

Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew outlines his moral teachings, including the Beatitudes, Lord’s Prayer, and Golden Rule. The discourse provides instructions to his followers, such as the Twelve Apostles, on how to preach, travel, and behave. It emphasizes humility, self-sacrifice, and the anticipation of a future community of followers. The final discourse, known as the Olivet Discourse, delves into judgment, the conduct of Jesus’s followers, and the need for vigilance in the face of impending judgment. It touches on the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the Second Coming of Christ, offering scholarly discussion on its various interpretations.

Jesus’s Crucifixion and Resurrection
Scholars posit that Jesus likely passed away between A.D. 30 and 33. The specifics of the date remain a topic of debate within theological circles. According to scripture, Jesus faced arrest, trial, and eventual condemnation to death. Roman governor Pontius Pilate ultimately ordered Jesus’s execution under pressure from Jewish leaders, accusing him of various offenses, notably blasphemy. Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem by Roman soldiers and laid to rest in a tomb. The narrative unfolds with Jesus’s body mysteriously missing three days following his crucifixion, leading to reported sightings and experiences with him in the days post-mortem. Biblical accounts narrate the resurrection of Jesus and his ascent into Heaven.

Jesus imparted his teachings through parables, short stories with profound meanings. The core lessons embraced by Christians include loving God and one’s neighbor, forgiving those who have wronged you, extending love even to enemies, seeking forgiveness for sins, recognizing Jesus as the Messiah with the authority to forgive, acknowledging the importance of repenting for sins, avoiding hypocrisy and judgment, and understanding that the Kingdom of God is within reach for the weak and poor.

The Christian Bible is a collection of 66 books written by various authors. It is divided into two parts: The Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament describes the history of the Jewish people, outlines specific laws to follow, details the lives of many prophets, and predicts the coming of the Messiah. The New Testament, written after Jesus’s death, includes the first four books – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, known as the “Gospels.” These texts provide accounts of the life and death of Jesus, composed sometime between A.D. 70 and 100.

Letters written by early Christian leaders, which are known as “epistles,” make up a large part of the New Testament. These letters offer instructions for how the church should operate.

The Acts of the Apostles is a book in the New Testament that gives an account of the apostles’ ministry after Jesus’s death. The author of Acts is the same author as one of the Gospels—it is effectively “part two” to the Gospels, what happened after Jesus’s death and resurrection.

The final book in the New Testament, Revelation, describes a vision and prophecies that will occur at the end of the world, as well as metaphors to describe the state of the world.

According to the Bible, the first church organized itself 50 days after Jesus’s death on the Day of Pentecost—when the Holy Spirit was said to descend onto Jesus’s followers.

Most of the first Christians were Jewish converts, and the church was centered in Jerusalem. Shortly after the creation of the church, many Gentiles (non-Jews) embraced Christianity.

Early Christians considered it their calling to spread and teach the gospel. One of the most important missionaries was the apostle Paul, a former persecutor of Christians.

Paul’s conversion to Christianity after he had a supernatural encounter with Jesus is described in Acts of the Apostles. Paul preached the gospel and established churches throughout the Roman Empire, Europe and Africa.

Many historians believe Christianity wouldn’t be as widespread without the work of Paul. In addition to preaching, Paul is thought to have written 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament.

Emperor Theodosius I declared Catholicism the state religion of the Roman Empire in A.D. 380, establishing the Pope as the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Following the collapse of the Roman Empire in A.D. 476, differences arose between Eastern and Western Christians, leading to the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox church in A.D. 1054.

The Crusades, a series of religious conflicts that spanned from A.D. 1095 to A.D. 1230, were waged by Christians against Islamic rulers in a bid to recapture the holy land in Jerusalem. While the Christians did manage to seize control of the city in certain Crusades, ultimately they were unable to maintain their hold. In the aftermath of these wars, the Catholic Church saw a significant increase in both its influence and affluence.

The Catholic branch, led by the Pope and Catholic bishops worldwide, is known for its centralized leadership structure. In contrast, the Orthodox branch operates through independent units governed by a Holy Synod, highlighting its decentralized nature. Protestant Christianity, encompassing diverse denominations with varied interpretations of the Bible and outlooks on the church, reflects the rich diversity within the Christian faith.

In Protestant Christianity, a diverse array of denominations such as Baptist, Episcopalian, Evangelist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal/Charismatic, Lutheran, Anglican, Evangelical, Assemblies of God, Christian Reform/Dutch Reform, Church of the Nazarene, Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ, Mennonite, Christian Science, Quaker, and Seventh-Day Adventist exist. While these sects have differences in views, traditions, and worship practices, they all share a common foundation rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus.