Christian Beliefs and Traditions

Christianity is a monotheistic religion that centers on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as [Page 193]they are presented in the New Testament. The New Testament is the second major component of the Christian Bible. The Hebrew Bible, called Tanakh in Jewish theology and the Old Testament in Christian theology, comprises the first section of the Christian Bible. Although they may differ in the book order, most Christian denominations define the New Testament as 27 books, which include the four gospels, the book of Acts, the 21 epistles, and the book of Revelation. Some Christian groups, however, challenge this composition by including additional books or excluding one or more of the 27 core texts.

Christianity is the largest religion practiced in the world. Approximately 2.1 billion people identify as Christians. The United States of America, Brazil, and Mexico have the three largest national Christian populations. Christians make up roughly one third of the world's population.

There are five major branches of Christianity—Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, and Restorationism—and over 34,000 Christian denominations. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest church with more than 1 billion participants. Protestants, as a branch of Christianity, comprise the second largest group with approximately 500 million adherents. Although the term Christian encompasses diverse religious ideas and practices, this entry highlights the shared beliefs of the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth and the role of his death in redemption and salvation. The differences between Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic interpretations of the consecration of bread and wine during Christian services also are addressed.

Jesus of Nazareth

Christian beliefs center on the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. Most Christian groups revere Jesus as the son of God and the incarnation of God. For Christians, Jesus is divine. He is the Messiah, or one who is anointed, whose arrival was prophesized in the Tanakh or Old Testament. The word Christ is the English term for the Greek word Χριστός (Khristós). Kristos was used in the Greek Old Testament to translate the Hebrewderived word Messiah. Christ, which is a title and not a name, describes the divine nature of Jesus of Nazareth. In common usage, Jesus the Christ is generally shortened to Jesus Christ. Followers of Jesus are known as Christians, since they believe that Jesus is the anointed one. According to Christian theology, Jesus died for humanity's sins. His birth, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven were required to open the gates of heaven, or salvation, to human beings. Without this sacrifice, people would not be able to join God in eternal life.

The exact date of Jesus's birth is unknown, but scholars commonly estimate that Jesus was born between 6 and 4 B.C.E. The story of his birth is told in the writings of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament. The traditional Christian understanding of Jesus's birth emphasizes that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and by Mary of Nazareth, who was a virgin at the time of conception. Many Christian groups (including the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church) assert that Mary was a virgin during Jesus's conception and for the rest of her life. Other Christian churches (e.g., many Protestant churches) teach that Mary was a virgin during conception, but not for her entire life.

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