118
FROM VERY HUMBLE ORIGINS, Christianity has grown to be the
largest of all world religions. Christians are the followers of Jesus Christ,
a Jew who lived a little over 2,000 years ago in the land that is now Israel.
Jesus was a religious teacher, but Christians believe that He was also
the Son of God and that He came into the world to save people
from sin, or doing wrong. Jesus was killed by His enemies, but His
disciples (group of followers) taught that He rose from the dead
and rejoined His father in Heaven, a basic Christian belief called the
Resurrection. After Jesus’ death, His followers began to spread His
teaching. Christianity grew, although it was banned in the Roman
Empire and all the lands around the Mediterranean Sea, and
many early Christians died for their beliefs. Today, more than two
billion people throughout the world practice
Christianity. There are different divisions
within Christianity; the three most prominent
are Protestantism, the Roman Catholic Church,
and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Each has
its own way of worshiping. But despite their
differences, all Christian
groups share a belief in the
teachings of Jesus Christ.
Most Christians worship by
meeting in groups called
congregations. They pray
together and sing hymns
(sacred songs).Easter
is the most
important feast
in the Christian
calendar. It
celebrates the rising
of Jesus from the
dead three days
after his crucifixion.FEASTS AND HOLY DAYS
Advent Preparation for
Christmas.
Christmas December 25; birth
of Jesus.Palm Sunday Jesus enters
Jerusalem, Sunday before Easter.
Good Friday Jesus’ death, the
Friday before Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday late March
or April; celebrates Jesus’
Resurrection (return to life).COMMUNION
Before He died, Jesus shared
a simple meal of bread and wine
with His closest followers. He asked
them to remember Him in this
special way. Today the ceremony
of Holy Communion, in which
worshipers receive bread and wine,
is a reminder of Christ’s Last Supper
and helps Christians feel closer to God.
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
churches celebrate communion in the
form of Mass.BIBLE
The Bible is sacred to both Christians and Jews,
who believe it contains the word of God. It consists
of two parts—the Old and New Testaments. Both
Jews and Christians accept the Old Testament, but
only Christians accept the New Testament. The New
Testament includes the gospels, or teachings of Christ,
as told by His followers—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John. Christians try to follow the central message of the
New Testament, which is to love God and their fellow
humans and to forgive their enemies.
The birth
of Jesus is
remembered
at Christmas. This
feast is popular with
many non Christians
as well, who enjoy the
atmosphere of festive goodwill.CHRISTIANITY
Church windows
tell Bible stories in
pictures made from
stained glass.
In New Testament stories,
Jesus compares God to a
good shepherd, caring for
his “flock” of believers.