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Christianity
Table of Contents
Introduction
The church and its history
The essence and identity of Christianity
Historical views of the essence
Early views
Medieval and Reformation views
Modern views
The question of Christian identity
The history of Christianity
The primitive church
The relation of the early church to late Judaism
The relation of the early church to the career and intentions of Jesus
The Gentile mission and St. Paul
The contemporary social, religious, and intellectual world
The internal development of the early Christian church
The problem of jurisdictional authority
The problem of scriptural authority
The problem of theological authority
Early heretical movements
Relations between Christianity and the Roman government and the Hellenistic culture
Church-state relations
Christianity and Classical culture
The Apologists
The early liturgy, the calendar, and the arts
The alliance between church and empire
Theological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries
Western controversies
Eastern controversies
Liturgy and the arts after Constantine
New forms of worship
Historical and polemical writing
Political relations between East and West
Literature and art of the “Dark Ages”
Missions and monasticism
The Photian schism and the great East-West schism
The Photian schism
The great East-West schism
From the schism to the Reformation
Papacy and empire
Medieval thought
Reformation
Christianity from the 16th to the 21st century
Contemporary Christianity
Roman Catholicism
The Eastern churches
Eastern Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy
Protestantism
Lutheranism
Anglicanism
Presbyterian and Reformed churches
Other Protestant churches
Christian doctrine
The nature and functions of doctrine
Scripture and tradition: the apostolic witness
Evangelism: the first teaching about the God of Jesus Christ
Catechesis: instructing candidates for baptism
Liturgy: the school and feast of faith
Ethics: obeying the truth
Aversion of heresy: the establishment of orthodoxy
Apologetics: defending the faith
Restatement: respecting language and knowledge
Inculturation: respecting places and peoples
Dogma: the most authoritative teaching
Consensus: patterns of agreement
Theology: loving God with the mind
Symbolics: creeds and confessions
Development: the maturation of understanding
Schism: division over substantial matters
Controversy: fighting over the faith
Ecumenism: speaking the truth in love
God the Father
Characteristic features of the Christian concept of God
The specific concept of God as Father
The belief in the oneness of the Father and the Son
The revelatory character of God
God as Creator, Sustainer, and Judge
The view that God is not solitary
Modern views of God
Satan and the origin of evil
God the Son
Different interpretations of the person of Jesus
The Christological controversies
Messianic views
The doctrine of the Virgin Mary and holy Wisdom
God the Holy Spirit
Contradictory aspects of the Holy Spirit
Conflict between order and charismatic freedom
The operations of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Trinity
The basis for the doctrine of the Trinity
Introduction of Neoplatonic themes
Attempts to define the Trinity
Anthropology
What it is to be human
The human as a creature
The human as the image of God
Human redemption
The problem of suffering
The resurrection of the body
Progressive human perfection
The “new man”: The human being in the light of Christ
The “reborn human”
Human liberation
Joy in human existence
The charismatic believer
Christian perfection
Fellow humans as the present Christ
The church
Normative defenses in the early church
Evolution of the episcopal office
Authority and dissent
Organization
Church polity
Liturgy
New liturgical forms and antiliturgical attitudes
Church tradition
The sacraments
Scriptural traditions
Veneration of places, objects, and people
Monasticism
The saintly life
Art and iconography
Theology of icons
Eschatology
Expectations of the kingdom of God in early Christianity
Expectations of the kingdom of God in the medieval and Reformation periods
Expectations of the kingdom of God in the post-Reformation period
The role of imminent expectation in missions and emigrations
Eschatological expectations and secularization
Concepts of life after death
Aspects of the Christian religion
Christian philosophy
History of the interactions of philosophy and theology
Influence of Greek philosophy
Emergence of official doctrine
Aristotle and Aquinas
Other influences
Faith and reason
Christian philosophy as natural theology
Arguments for the existence of God
The design (or teleological) argument
The cosmological argument
The ontological argument
Moral arguments
Arguments from religious experience and miracles
The immortality of the soul
20th-century discussions
Influence of logical positivism
Evidentialist approach
Christian mysticism
History of Christian mysticism
Early church
Eastern Christianity
Western Catholic Christianity
Protestant Christianity
Stages of Christian mysticism
The dying to self
The union with God
The readjustment
Forms of Christian mysticism
Christ-mysticism
Trinitarian mysticism
Negative mysticism: God and the Godhead
Significance of Christian mysticism
Christian myth and legend
Characteristics of Christian myth and legend
History of Christian myth and legend
The early church
The ages of the world
Messianic secrets and the mysteries of salvation
The Magi and the Child of Wondrous Light
Relics and saints
The Middle Ages
Renaissance magic and science
Christian practice in the modern world
The Christian community and the world
The relationships of Christianity
Historical views
Church, sect, and mystical movement
Church and state
The history of church and state
The church and the Roman Empire
The church and the Byzantine, or Eastern, Empire
The church and Western states
Separation of church and state
Church and state in Eastern and Western theology
The views of Eusebius of Caesarea
The views of Augustine
Later developments
Church and society
The problem of slavery and persecution
Theological and humanitarian motivations
Church and education
Intellectualism versus anti-intellectualism
Forms of Christian education
Church and social welfare
Curing and caring for the sick
Healing the sick
Care for the sick
Care for widows and orphans
Property, poverty, and the poor
Pastoral care
Church and minorities
Church and family
The tendency to spiritualize and individualize marriage
The tendency toward asceticism
Church and the individual
Love as the basis for Christian ethics
Freedom and responsibility
Christian missions
Biblical foundations
The history of Christian missions
First transition, to 500
ce
Second transition, to 1500
ce
Western mission
Papal mission
Eastern and Nestorian missions
The rise of Islam
Third transition, to 1950
Roman Catholic mission, 1500–1950
Protestant missions, 1500–1950
Early Protestant missions
Missions to Asia
Missions to South East Asia and the Pacific
Missions to Africa and South America
Missionary associations
Orthodox and nondenominational missions
Fourth transition, from 1950
Scripture translations
Ecumenism
The biblical perspective
The history of ecumenism
Early controversies
The Schism of 1054
The Reformation
Ecumenism in the 17th and 18th centuries
19th-century efforts
Ecumenism since the start of the 20th century
Christianity and world religions
Conflicting Christian attitudes
Contemporary views
References & Edit History
Related Topics
Images, Videos & Interactives
For Students
Pop Quiz: 19 Things to Know About Christianity
Christianity summary
Quizzes
How To Celebrate Christmas Quiz
Christianity Quiz
Everything You Need To Know About Christmas Quiz
History of Christianity Quiz
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Videos
What's the difference between Yule and Christmas?
Yule is one of the oldest winter solstice festivals in the world.
Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
What do eggs have to do with Easter?
How did a Christian holiday get scrambled up with colored eggs?
Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree: Why do we deck thy branches?
Christmas trees have a long, colorful, and even dangerous history.
Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
The significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Overview of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz
The significance of Easter in Christianity
Overview of the Christian celebration of Easter.
Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Carlos Mora/Dreamstime.com
Exploring the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey
Overview of Ephesus (now in Turkey).
Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Erica Guilane-Nachez/stock.adobe.com
Know about the Christian harvest festival celebration in Hungary and Germany
Learn about harvest festivals, including those in Hungary and Germany.
Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz
Christianity and superstition in the Middle Ages
Learn about religion in the Middle Ages.
Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Bequest of George D. Pratt, 1935 (41.170.72)
The Western Schism and the Roman Catholic Church
Overview of the Great Schism (Western Schism), with a detailed discussion of the...
Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Scaliger/Dreamstime.com; © Photos.com/Getty Images Plus
Images
mosaic: Christianity
Christ as Ruler, with the Apostles and Evangelists (represented by the beasts). The...
De Antonis
Masaccio:
Expulsion of Adam and Eve
Detail from
Expulsion of Adam and Eve
, fresco by Masaccio, c. 1427; in the...
Scala/Art Resource, New York
Lindisfarne Gospels
The Lindisfarne Gospels are from the late 7th or early 8th century.
© BL/Robana—Robana Picture Library/age fotostock
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi, painting by an unknown artist.
© zatletic/Fotolia
Bury Bible
Moses expounding the law, illuminated manuscript page from the Bury Bible, about...
Courtesy of the Master and Fellows of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Missionary travels of St. Paul in the eastern Mediterranean
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Constantine I
Marble colossal head of Constantine I the Great, part of the remains of a giant statue...
Hirmer Fotoarchiv, Munich
Hagia Sophia
Interior of the Hagia Sophia, constructed 532–537, Istanbul.
© Artur Bogacki/Dreamstime.com
Domenico Ghirlandaio:
St. Jerome in His Study
St. Jerome in His Study
, fresco by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1480; in the church...
Martin Luther
Lithograph of Martin Luther reading in church.
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
World distribution of Christianity, c. 2000
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
John Paul II
Pope John Paul II waving to pilgrims, September 10, 1989.
Claudio Luffoli—AP/REX/Shutterstock.com
Greek Orthodoxy
Greek Orthodox mass in Athens, Greece.
© YuG/Shutterstock.com
Tawadros II
Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, 2017.
Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Barbara Harris
Barbara Harris blessing the congregation at the end of the ceremony for her ordination...
Carol Francavilla—AP/Shutterstock.com
Quaker meeting
Quaker meeting, painting c. 1839.
© Ann Ronan Pictures—Print Collector/Getty Images
Communion of the Apostles
Communion of the Apostles
, panel by Justus of Ghent, c. 1473–74; in the...
SCALA/Art Resource, New York
St. Augustine
St. Augustine, undated engraving.
Lanmas/Alamy
Andrea da Firenze:
St. Thomas Aquinas Enthroned Between the Doctors of the Old and New Testaments, with Personifications of the Virtues, Sciences, and Liberal Arts
St. Thomas Aquinas Enthroned Between the Doctors of the Old and New Testaments,...
SCALA/Art Resource, New York
God the Father
Stained glass window depicting God the Father and angels.
© Corbis
Rudolf Otto
Rudolf Otto, 1925.
Foto-Jannasch, Marburg/Art Resource, New York
Karl Barth
Karl Barth, 1965.
Horst Tappe/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Satan and Job
Satan leaving the presence of God to test God's faithful servant Job, engraving by...
Courtesy of the trustees of the British Museum; photograph, J.R. Freeman & Co. Ltd.
Jesus Christ
Icon painting of Jesus Christ as Pantocrator.
© Stanisa Martinovic/Dreamstime.com
mosaic
Justinian I (left, holding a model of the Hagia Sophia) and Constantine the Great...
© Joel Carillet—iStock/Getty Images
Holy Trinity
The Trinity represented by Christ as a man, the Holy Spirit as a dove, and God the...
Ara Guler, Istanbul
Universal Man
Universal Man
, manuscript illumination from
Scivias
(1141–52) by...
Gianni Dagli Orti/Shutterstock.com
St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica on St. Peter's Square, Vatican City.
© Hermsdorf/iStock.com
The Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Mass., Dec. 22, 1620
The Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Mass., Dec. 22, 1620
, lithograph...
Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
Last Supper
Last Supper
, fresco by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1480; in the Church of Ognissanti,...
SCALA/Art Resource, New York
Baptism
Pastor Julian D'Oyley of the Apostolic Faith Church, associated with United Pentecostal...
Leon Neal/Getty Images News
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Altar of the Crucifixion at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The...
© Alexandr Makarenko/Dreamstime.com
St. Teresa of Ávila
St. Teresa's beliefs centered on prayerful meditation and poverty for her sisters.
Archive Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The Annunciation
The Annunciation
, tempera on wood by Simone Martini, 1333 (saints on either...
SCALA/Art Resource/EB Inc
Michelangelo:
Last Judgment
Last Judgment
, fresco by Michelangelo, 1536–41; on the west wall of the...
Scala/Art Resource, New York
siege of Jerusalem, First Crusade
The Crusaders' siege of Jerusalem in 1099, miniature from
Descriptio Terrae Sanctae
...
© A. Dagli Orti—DeA Picture Library/age fotostock
Millerite
Caricature (1843) of a Millerite, an adherent of the preacher William Miller, who...
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (digital file no. 3a24747u)
Puritans
Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony walking to church in the snow.
© North Wind Picture Archives
Waco siege
Flames engulfing the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, ending a standoff...
Susan Weems/AP Images
Emanuel Swedenborg
Emanuel Swedenborg, painting by Per Krafft the Elder, 1766; in Gripsholm Castle,...
Courtesy of Svenska Portrattarkivet, Stockholm
All Souls' Day
Candles in a cemetery on All Souls' Day. During this holiday (November 2), many Roman...
© kristo74/Fotolia
St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas, from the
Demidoff Altarpiece
, tempera on poplar by Carlo...
Art Collection/Alamy
St. Anselm
St. Anselm (centre), terra-cotta altarpiece by Luca Della Robbia (1399/1400–82);...
Alinari/Art Resource, New York
William James
William James.
Courtesy of the Harvard University News Service
St. Clare of Assisi
St. Clare of Assisi with nuns of her order, fresco from the church of San Damiano,...
Gunnar Bach Pedersen
Raphael:
Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon
Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon
(also known as
The Small Saint...
© Photos.com/Jupiterimages
The Adoration of the Magi
The Adoration of the Magi
, oil painting by Albrecht Dürer, 1504; in the...
© Fine Art Images/Heritage Images—Hulton Fine Art Collection/Getty Images
Agnolo Gaddi: “Resurrection of Drusiana”
“Resurrection of Drusiana,” scene from the fresco
Legend of the True Cross
...
SCALA/Art Resource, New York
The Deeds of the Antichrist
Detail of
The Deeds of the Antichrist
, fresco by Luca Signorelli, c. 1505;...
Sandro Vannini—De Agostini/Getty Images
Inferno
Engraving from Dante's
Inferno
by Gustave Doré, 1861.
Courtesy of the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
English Franciscan philosopher Roger Bacon
English Franciscan philosopher and educational reformer Roger Bacon in his observatory...
© Photos.com/Thinkstock
Bartolomé de Las Casas
Bartolomé de Las Casas, Spanish line engraving, 1791.
Courtesy of the Organization of American States
Galileo
Justus Sustermans, portrait of Galileo, date unknown, oil on canvas.
In a private collection
Mary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy.
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Carlo Saraceni:
The Martyrdom of St. Cecilia
The Martyrdom of St. Cecilia
, oil on canvas by Carlo Saraceni, c. 1610;...
Photograph by Beesnest McClain. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of The Ahmanson Foundation, AC1996.37.1
St. Boniface
St. Boniface baptizing converts into the German church, detail from a manuscript...
Courtesy of the Staatsbibliothek Bamberg
Schism of 1054
Map showing the effect of the East-West Schism of 1054.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Kenny Chmielewski
Geographical distribution of the religions of the world in the early 1980s.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transfiguration of Christ, mosaic icon, early 13th century; in the Louvre, Paris.
Giraudon/Art Resource, New York
Interactives
Pope Francis: A Life in Pictures
A slideshow of highlights from the life of Pope Francis.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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