Introduction

Christians follow the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, a man born around the beginning of the first century in the land which is now Israel. One of the key tenets of Christian belief is that Jesus was not just a man, but he was also the Son of God - the result of a so-called ‘Immaculate Conception’ (his mother was not married at the time that she conceived).

Jesus performed several miracles during his life, and was eventually put to death by crucifixion. Later witnesses testified that he returned from the dead, and ascended to Heaven. This narrative of death and resurrection is key to the Christian worldview, which understands Jesus as a character of redemption, through whom redemption for all people is possible - if they accept his divine status.

Christians have tried to spread this message around the world, and have - in large measure - succeeded. Most people have had some exposure to Christianity and/or the figure of Jesus, and it remains the religious system with the highest number of adherents.

For most Christians, Jesus is not just the Son of God, but actually is God, expressed in the the form of the Son. There are two other forms - the Father, and the Holy Spirit, thus forming a trinity, three faces to one person, all of whom are equally God. This so-called trinitarianism is not universal among Christians, but is found in most of the Christian traditions.

The Christian tradition branches off into many subtraditions, the largest are the Catholic, the Eastern Orthodox, and the Protestant (which itself subdivides many times).

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Image by Thomas B. from Pixabay

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Christianity

Introduction

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Christianity

Introduction

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See also

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