teachings,+Christianity

Christianity (a brief history)
(Kai Stormwalker)

The Bible begins with stories of the creation of the world and the early Jewish people. These books, which make up the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, and which are also sacred to the Jews, were written by Jewish scribes long before the birth of Jesus. For the Jews they are important because they describe the covenant, or special relationship between God and the Jewish people. For Christians the Old Testament has added significance because it is the story of the earthly ancestors of Jesus Christ. And many of the incidents prefigure his coming. The Book of Isaiah contains many predictions that were fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

The Gospels tell how a virgin named Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem. The Son of God, Old Testament prophets had predicted that he would come into the world to save mankind from sin. The idea that God became human in this way is called the incarnation, meaning that God’s spirit was made into human flesh. It is believed that God appeared in human form at various points previously to this, i.e. as the figure who wrestled with Jacob, and these are referred to as appearances of the ‘re-incarnate Jesus’ because he only appeared briefly as an adult, he didn’t live out an entire human life span.

Jesus’ ministry - his period of teaching - probably only lasted about three years, but had an enormous impact. During this short time he preached, taught, and performed miracles in the Holy Land, especially in the villages around the Sea of Galilee. As the Son of God, Jesus was much more than a teacher, for his was God as man. His teachings raised the bar on the old covenant of the Jews for they weren’t just about following set rules, but were about having an attitude of love toward God and others. This can only be accomplished by offering everything you are as a living sacrifice to God. In return God will fill you with his Holy Spirit which will transform your mind and heart and make you capable of doing whatever God calls you to do.

Jesus’ favorites way of teaching was to use parables - short stories that make their point by means of a simple comparison. Jesus used these parables to talk about the kingdom of God, and to illustrate how people should behave toward each other. He also preached moral lectures called sermons. The most famous of these was the Sermon on the Mount, in which he explained the key features of the kingdom of God and how people should live.

Jesus warned his disciples several times that he would soon die. He told them that the Jewish chief priests would reject him, that he would be killed, and that he would rise again after three days. The disciples failed to understand these warnings, and were unprepared for what happened when Jesus went to Jerusalem. Jesus was put on trial and condemned to death on the cross. This is the most solemn part of Christianity, but it is also the major turning point - Christians believe that Jesus’ blood was spilled so that they could be granted eternal life with God.

Pontius Pilate ordered soldiers to guard Jesus’ tomb in case the disciples came to take his body away. But the Gospels tell how, on the third day after the Crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead. The symbol of the empty cross is a reminder of Jesus’ resurrection.

The Gospels describe how, during the forty days that Jesus remained on earth after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to at least 500 people. The disciple Thomas said that he would only believe in Jesus’ resurrection if he saw the wounds that Jesus had received when he was crucified. John’s Gospel recalls that, when Jesus met the disciples at one point, he showed Thomas his wounds.

The Gospels and the Books of Acts record that, after telling his disciples to spread the good news (gospel) of his coming and teachings, Jesus joined his Father in heaven. He was raised up into the sky and then vanished in a cloud.

In the decades following Jesus’ resurrection, his disciples continued his work of teaching and preaching. Although Jesus’ first followers were Jewish, the Apostle Paul was called to take his teachings to non-Jewish people. He founded many churches around the Mediterranean, and his letters to these and other churches make up many books of the New Testament. These letters have proved a source of inspiration to the countless others who have come after Paul and who have spread Christianity around the world.

Paul was a Roman citizen and a Jew. He started out persecuting Christians and was present at the death of the first Christian martyr, Stephen. While on a journey to Damascus in Syria where he was going to arrest any Christians he could find, Paul (then known by his Jewish name, Saul) was temporarily blinded by a dazzling light, and he heard the voice of God asking him why he was attacking the church.

For the first 300 years after Jesus’ resurrection, Christians closely followed Jesus’ teachings about loving God and others, and so were able to gain many converts. In 312, Constantine I became emperor of Rome. The following year, he became a Christian and passed the “Edict of Milan,” which proclaimed that Christians should be tolerated, not persecuted. The faith could now spread with ease across the vast Roman empire. However, Constantine I soon became corrupt, demanding that people worship him. He is also responsible for the “just war” theory, which states that there are certain acceptable reasons to go to war. However, this contradicts the teachings of Jesus to love your enemies.

The books of the Bible were first written down by hand in the local languages of the eastern Mediterranean - Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Several Latin translations of the Bible were made, but the most famous was the one called the Vulgate, made by Saint Jerome in the late fourth century. In 1546, the Council of Trent, a meeting of church leaders, declared the Vulgate to be the only authentic Latin text of the Bible.

In the days before printing, monks wrote out the Latin texts of the Bible by hand, often decorating the pages with beautiful illustrations, or illuminations. Psalters, which contain the words of the Psalms, were in great demand for use in services.

In the early 16th century, reformer William Tyndale wanted to translate the Bible into English. The English church would not allow this, so Tyndale moved to Germany, where he published his New Testament in English in 1525. He was persecuted and eventually executed by the English church.

Christians believe in one eternal and almighty God, who exists as three beings - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he lived on Earth as the son of the Virgin Mary, and that he was crucified and rose from the dead. Christians have faith that if they follow the teachings of Jesus and repent their sins they will be rewarded after death with everlasting life in heaven. Its opposite, the place or state without God, is known as hell.

“The Church” is the collective term for all who believe in Jesus. However, there are many different denominations who have other beliefs that differ to a various degree. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest of the Christian churches. The form of Christianity that is strongest in Eastern Europe and western Asia is known as the Orthodox church. During the 14th and 15th centuries, many people in Europe were worried that the Catholic church was becoming corrupt. In the early 16th century three men - Martin Luther from Germany, Ulrich Zwingli from Switzerland, and John Calvin from France - spearheaded the reform of the church across Europe. In the movement now known as the Reformation, they and there followers founded new, Protestant churches. These churches rejected the control of the pope and bishops and stressed the importance of the Bible and preaching God’s word. Protestant churches range from huge international organizations such as the Methodist, Anglican, and Lutheran churches to smaller groups like Quakers, Mennonites, and Seventh Day Adventists.

The Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, were founded during the 17th century in England by George Fox. They have no creed and no sacraments. Quakers are committed to peace, equality, and other social improvements, and played a major role in the abolition of slavery. Quakers traditionally worship in unadorned buildings called meetings houses. A typical Quaker meeting is simple and does not follow a set pattern. There are periods of meditation and silence until the Holy Spirit moves one or more of those present to speak or pray.

Christians consider the work of evangelism, or spreading the Gospel, to be a major part of their faith. They often worship and preach outdoors so that everyone who passes by can hear their message. One of the best ways to spread the Gospel is to simply treat others with kindness, respect, and to be of service whenever you can. In the words of Saint Francis, “Preach the Gospel constantly. Use words if necessary.”