Christianity

Christianity

Summary

Christianity is a religion believed to be based on the life and teachings of Jesus (Yeshua) of Nazareth. A Christian is a person who adheres to these teachings and views Jesus in some form as a central figure of divine revelation and/or human salvation.


Membership:


Starting Date:


Popular Denominations:

(Note: Numbers are approximations)


Primary Foundational Texts:


Key Early Figures:


Popular Verses

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life." ~ John 3:16 (NASB)


"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets." ~ Matthew 22:36 - 40 (NASB)


Early History

Christianity, as it is called today, has gone through several events to shape it into the various forms it now exists in. Pinpointing an exact time on when the religion of Christianity truly began opens up some debate. Theologically, it is most commonly accepted to have begun with the execution of Jesus (Yeshua ha-Notzri) and the interpretation of his role and teachings, separating it from mainstream Judaism. Jesus is widely regarded by historians and scholars to have been a real, living historical figure, as he is directly mentioned in several non-biblical sources, including Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, and Suetonius.

The early Christian movement gained traction among the followers of Jesus, particularly among many members of Second Temple Judaism both during, and especially, after Jesus's life. There were many followers of Second Temple Judaism at the time that were awaiting the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, including John the Baptist (Yochanan), who preached and baptized prior to the arrival of Jesus, having followers of his own sect already. Both Jesus and John the Baptist attracted followers early on, but also the attention and scrutiny of local ruling authorities. John was executed by the regional tetrarch Herod Antipas, who feared John's influence could spark a rebellion. Jesus was executed by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate under the criminal charge of treason; labeling Jesus "King of the Jews" was a public, mocking assertion of Roman authority over potential political uprisings. This execution of Jesus became a catalyst for the formation of Christianity for several members of the Jewish community at the time who were already displeased with Roman rule. Jesus's role was interpreted in many different ways by early factions, ranging from a wise master, a messenger, a prophet, a Son of God, an incarnation of God, a fully divine being, to even just the illusion of a man (Docetism).

Peter (Cephas/Simon/Simeon) and James the Just (Ya'akov) both continued to lead the movement after Jesus, along with many of the already amassed followers. They engaged in meetings with already existing, and soon-to-be followers in the Temple and private homes, particularly in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. Both Peter and James are said to have personally known Jesus during his life, adding credibility to their message. At this time the movement was referred to as "The Way"; the term "Christian" was not used until several years later, originating in the city of Antioch. The early movement was still considered to be within the bounds of Judaism by the followers of "The Way", thus many Jewish laws such as Kosher diet and circumcision were still being practiced by the early members of the movement.

Paul of Tarsus (Saul) is said to have at the time persecuted, and sought the arrest of the followers of the movement, before converting himself after his proclaimed vision of Jesus on the road to Damascus. Barnabas (Yosef) donated large amounts to assist the early Jerusalem Church, and vouched for Paul to the early community. Barnabas and Paul had gone on some of the first missionary trips to spread the forming religion throughout the region. Paul is typically considered responsible for other further developments, wishing that non-Jews should be welcomed into the movement, and that followers should be free from obeying many of the historical laws of Judaism. While there were people who welcomed these changes, others disagreed. Notable disagreements are said to have occurred between Paul and James the Just, as James sought to continue the practices of Jewish laws, but made some compromises with Paul on the Gentiles. Paul appealed to many non-Jews, while James to the Jewish-Christians. Both had considered themselves to be disciples of Jesus, but disagreed on several occasions on how to live and practice the religion. This continued between several other followers of the forming religion, as multiple groups formed and split with their own doctrine interpretations.

The 4th century marked a pivotal transformation for Christianity. Following the Edict of Milan, the faith transitioned from a persecuted sect to a legalized religion, then toward its role as the state religion of Rome with the Edict of Thessalonica. This institutionalization, along with the diversity of beliefs in early Christian groups, sparked a formalization of doctrine through Ecumenical Councils, such as the First Council of Nicaea. However, these attempts to codify the religion also sparked reactionary movements among those who felt the original teachings had been compromised, a cycle that has continued through various reformation movements.


Early Groups

Different beliefs by early followers of Christianity were common, and several notable groups emerged early on such as:


Jewish-Christian Groups (Jewish Law Keepers):

Gentile-Christian Groups (Free from Jewish Law):

Dualist and Esoteric Groups:

Purity Seeker Groups:

Non-Trinitarian Groups:

Monastic and Ascetic Groups:


Work in Progress - To Be Continued