Christianity | Beliefs, Rites, Symbols And Characteristics

We explain what Christianity is and what its beliefs are. In addition, its general characteristics, the rites it performs and more.

What is Christianity?

Christianity is one of the great monotheistic religions of the world , based on the life and teachings of its prophet Jesus of Nazareth , also called Jesus Christ.

It is an Abrahamic religion (like Islam and Judaism ), which sees in this character the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Biblical Old Testament and considers him the divine messiah, son of God , whose death on the cross redeemed humanity from their sins .

It is a central religion in the formation of Western thought and encompasses various churches such as the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox, whose different rites and procedures share elements such as baptism, veneration of the cross and biblical reading .

Its importance is such that the counting of years according to the universal calendar has as its central point the birth of Jesus (before Christ and after Christ).

Name Christianity

The name of Christianity comes from the Greek christianós , derived from Christós , the translation of the Hebrew word messiah , which in turn means "anointed."

Thus, the name of the sect would be maintained throughout the centuries and would eventually gather together quite unequal doctrines in their religious interpretation, although similar in their mystical foundations.

Christian beliefs

The beliefs of Christianity vary according to the specific sect and there are different interpretations and assessments of Christian mythology, but the various churches tend to converge on the following points:

• The universe and everything that exists was created and is sustained by the word of God the Father.
• The divine nature is threefold: Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the same person, with different missions. This is known as the "Doctrine of the Trinity."
• God revealed Himself to humanity and custody throughout the centuries and offered salvation and eternal life to those who persevere in their good deeds.
• Jesus Christ was the one who revealed to humanity the true nature of God and announced the coming of the Holy Spirit, after God spoke previously with the various prophets of the Old Testament.

Christian doctrine

Christian doctrines vary according to the Church in question, but the vast majority profess the following:

• The forgiveness of sins . Through fidelity to a moral and ethical code, expressed in conversion and adherence to the church.
• The second coming . Most Christian churches await the second coming of the messiah, which would mean the advent of the final judgment in which the righteous will be separated from the sinners.
• The resurrection of the flesh . At the final judgment in which sinners would be punished and the righteous would be rewarded with the kingdom of heaven, the resurrection of the dead and eternal life would continue.
• Divine grace . The grace of God that would allow the salvation of humanity that was obtained by Jesus Christ through his sacrifice, resurrection on the third day and subsequent ascent to heaven.

Final judgment

In the Christian imagination, death is followed by the judgment before the creator in which, according to biblical moral precepts, the degree of purity or sin of the individual and therefore his destiny will be decided : paradise, place of eternal rest. and happy; or hell, place of eternal damnation and punishment for sinners.

The first is controlled by God, the second by the devil or Satan.

Sacred text

The fundamental sacred text of Christianity is The Bible, both in its Old and New Testaments , and its main guidelines are those contained in it.

However, the proper way of translating and interpreting these scriptures varies , and in this the various Christian churches differ. Each one calls "apocryphal" texts that it does not include in its ideal version of the Bible.

Christian symbols

Christian symbols usually consist of variants of the cross (crucifix, orthodox cross, chrismon), as well as the fish or the anchor. Each church, however, has developed its own forms over the centuries.

For example, Protestants reject effigies and statuettes , while Catholicism venerates them.

Duality of Christ

Christian doctrine accepts more or less literally the dual nature of Jesus Christ: human and divine at the same time .

This is also the basis for the duality between flesh and soul , between perishable body and immortal spirit. The latter is not an invention of Christianity but an inheritance from much earlier ancient traditions.

Christian rites

The main rites of Christianity, despite the variety that characterizes its churches, are:

• Baptism. Initiation to the Christian faith that recalls the baptism in the Jordan River of Juan Bautista.
• Confirmation. The ratification of the acceptance of the Christian faith.
• Mass. The weekly gathering of the liturgy to pray and share rituals in the community .
• Penance and confession. Repentance and forgiveness of sins through atonement through prayer or penance.
• Marriage. The sacred union between a man and a woman before the religious authorities and the community.
• Extreme unction. The farewell rite and mystical accompaniment of the seriously ill.

Christian prayer

Prayer as a form of communication with God and of manifestation of the Christian faith is universal to the different Christian groups.

It can be addressed to God the Father, to a member of the Catholic or Orthodox saints, or it can be songs and psalms , especially among Protestant churches.

Christian faithful

Christianity in its various forms is the most popular religion in the world, with around 2.1 billion faithful (one third of the world's population ) in 2005.

The above content published at Collaborative Research Group is for informational and educational purposes only and has been developed by referring reliable sources and recommendations from experts. We do not have any contact with official entities nor do we intend to replace the information that they emit.

Luke Wigman

Luke is passionate about fostering student involvement and connection. He studied psychology for his major and likes learning about the past. Luke aims to specialize in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. .