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Christianity: History and Core Beliefs

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Origins β€” Jesus Christ and the early church

Christianity began in the 1st century in Roman-ruled Palestine, centered on the activities and teachings of Jesus Christ. After his crucifixion, his disciples testified to his resurrection and formed a community, which then spread rapidly across the Roman Empire's Mediterranean territories through missionary work, notably by the apostle Paul.

Core scripture β€” the structure of the Bible (Old and New Testaments)

The Bible consists of the Old Testament, recording the history, law, and prophecies of the Jewish people before Jesus, and the New Testament, recording the life and teachings of Jesus and the activities of the early church. Protestants recognize 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books as canonical, while Catholicism and Orthodoxy include additional deuterocanonical books, resulting in more Old Testament books.

Core doctrine β€” the Trinity and salvation

The Trinity is the doctrine that God exists as three persons β€” Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit β€” while remaining essentially one, formally established through the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE. Central to the faith is the doctrine of salvation, the belief that humanity's sins were atoned for through Jesus's death on the cross and resurrection.

Major branches β€” Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox

In 1054, a conflict over doctrine and church authority led to the East–West Schism, splitting the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Later, Martin Luther's Reformation in 1517 led Protestantism to separate from Catholicism, and Protestantism itself further split into various denominations such as Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist.

Worship and sacraments β€” baptism and communion

Baptism is a rite of initiation into the faith community, symbolizing the washing away of sin and the start of a new life through water, while communion commemorates Jesus's sacrifice by re-enacting the bread and wine he shared at the Last Supper. Catholicism and Orthodoxy recognize seven sacraments including communion, while most Protestant denominations recognize only baptism and communion as sacraments.

Major holidays β€” the meaning of Easter and Christmas

Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, and Easter commemorates the belief that Jesus rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion β€” together they are considered the most important holidays in Christianity. Easter's date is set as the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox, so it varies from year to year.

Understanding Christianity through facts

Christianity has spread across the globe over nearly 2,000 years of history, developing into a wide range of denominations and traditions. This page introduces Christianity's origins, scripture, core doctrines, branches, and major holidays in an objective, fact-based way β€” its purpose is not to claim any religion's superiority or to judge right and wrong compared with other religions. This is general educational content and is not a substitute for religious authority; it explains doctrine in the way believers themselves understand it.

Also see the history and core beliefs of Islam

Since Islam is classified as another Abrahamic religion, looking at the history and core beliefs of Islam alongside this page can help build a broader understanding of what the two religions share and where they differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest difference between Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox?

All three share the belief in Jesus Christ as savior, but they differ in whether they recognize the Pope's authority, how they interpret scripture, and in worship style and the number of sacraments. Catholicism and Orthodoxy split in 1054, and Protestantism split off in the 1517 Reformation.

Why does the date of Easter change every year?

Easter is set as the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox β€” a tradition rooted in ancient lunisolar calendar calculations. This is why the date falls somewhere between late March and April each year.