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BASIC TERMS
Bible (from Greek: ta biblia, "the [holy] books"): When Christians speak
of "the Bible' they mean the Jewish scriptures ("The Old Testament") plus
several early Christian writings ("The New Testament"). Not all Christian
Bibles contain the same number of books.
Christianity (from Latin christianitas, "Christian-ness"): the sum total
of what Christians believe, value and practice. Christians also refer to
their faith as "the Gospel."
Christian (from Greek
christianos, "follower of Christ"): a person who follows the teachings of
Jesus, professing him to be the Christ.
Christ (from Greek
christos, "anointed"): Greek translation of the Hebrew word, meshiach
("messiah," also meaning "anointed"). Christian beliefs about the messiah,
though rooted in the Jewish scriptures, differ markedly from what Jews
mean when they use this term.
Church (from Greek
kyriakon, "lord's [house]"): a group of Christians that worships together.
When Christians refer to "The Church," they mean either all Christians in
the world, or all members of a particular denomination of Christianity.
Gospel (from Greek
euangelion, "good news"): the message Jesus proclaimed, also called "the
good news of the kingdom of God." Christians also refer to Jesus'
resurrection as good news. "To evangelize" means to proclaim that God
raised Jesus from death.
Jesus (from Hebrew
Yeshua'): The first-century Jew whom Christians profess to be the Christ.
New Testament (from
Latin novum testamentum, "New Covenant"): what Christians believe Jesus'
death brought about, as distinct from God's existing covenant with the
people of Israel. Christians later came to apply this term to their own
early writings, which they included in their Bible.
Old Testament (from
Latin veins testamentum, "Old Covenant"): Christian designation for the
Jewish scriptures, interpreted as foreshadowing the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus as the Christ.
1. FOUNDATION
Although it possesses both sacred scriptures
and a creed, the starting point for Christianity is neither a book nor a
system of doctrine. Instead, the basis of Christianity is a person: Jesus
Christ. This means that all Christian beliefs, values and practices
ultimately relate in some way to this person.
Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew who lived in
Palestine two thousand years ago. THE CORE CONVICTION OF CHRISTIANITY IS
THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST (THE MESSIAH).
The Messiah is a thoroughly Jewish idea. It
is rooted in the Jewish scriptures (the Hebrew Bible) and receives
substantial attention in post-biblical Jewish writings. It is also
affirmed by the Qur'an. However, the Christian understanding of Jesus as
Messiah differs dramatically from any known Jewish understanding (biblical
or otherwise) as well as from key statements in the Qur'an. The three most
important differences are these:
1) The Jewish Messiah is invulnerable and unqualifiedly triumphant in the
face of opposition; the Christian Messiah suffers and is killed.
2) The Jewish Messiah caps off the process of redemption at the end of
history; the Christian Messiah also initiates it within history.
3) The Jewish Messiah enacts God's sovereignty on earth; the Christian
Messiah is also the incarnation of God.
The reason for these differences is that the Christian understanding of
the Messiah ultimately derives not from the Hebrew Bible, but from the
life and teachings of Jesus as preserved by the Christian Church.
The cornerstone of Christian faith is the conviction that Jesus died a
sacrificial death on behalf of others, inaugurating a new covenant between
God and humankind. God raised Jesus from death, restoring him to life and
exalting him (resurrection). It is this conviction that informs all
Christian understandings of Jesus' life and teachings.
Because Christians experience Jesus as a living presence, not just as an
historical figure, the basis of Christian claims about Jesus is not merely
traditions about past events, but the lived experience of the Church in
the present. Christians believe this experience is made possible by the
Holy Spirit.
Jesus' Teachings
The teachings of Jesus affirmed by Christians are preserved mainly in the
New Testament gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). The fact that these
teachings often appear in different forms suggests that Christians
originally transmitted his sayings orally along with traditions about his
life and deeds. The "Synoptic" gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) emphasize
different aspects of Jesus' teaching than John's gospel. m the Synoptic
gospels, Jesus proclaimed the arrival of the kingdom of God to his people,
Israel. The kingdom of God means the experience of God's sovereign power
over human life and history, especially as this pertains to God's covenant
with Israel. Jesus described the kingdom of God by means of parables.
In John's gospel, Jesus revealed God by performing miraculous "signs" and
then commenting on their symbolic meaning in lengthy discourses.
Jesus believed Israel in his day to be afflicted by demonic forces, as
well as by human sinfulness.
1) As Messiah, Jesus waged war against and
subjugated these demonic forces as evidence of his proclamation that God
was decisively reasserting his power on Israel's behalf.
2) As a prophet, Jesus warned people to repent of injustice and
wickedness, urging them to respond to God's acts of deliverance.
3) As a rabbi, Jesus urged his followers to fulfill the Torah (God's
covenant with Israel). Like Rabbi Hillel, Jesus summarized the
Torah with the dual
command to love God and one's neighbor.
Jesus' Life, Death
and Resurrection
As with his teachings, most biographical details about Jesus are contained
in the New Testament gospels. However, much interpretation of Jesus' death
and resurrection is also to be found in the letters of the apostle, Paul,
and in other New Testament writings.
Jesus was miraculously conceived and bom of
a virgin mother.
Christians differ as to whether Jesus'
mother remained a virgin after giving birth to Jesus.
At his baptism, the spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) descended upon Jesus
and empowered him to perform acts of power (miracles) and to teach with
authority.
In Jerusalem, Jesus fell afoul with political and religious leaders, who
saw him as threatening the status quo. He was arrested, tried and executed
by crucifixion.
Three days after his death. God raised
Jesus, and Jesus appeared, alive, to his followers. Christians see two
fundamental implications in the resurrection of Jesus:
1) It is a sign of
God's judgment, vindicating Jesus as a righteous
Jew who endured suffering out of obedience
to God's will, and condemning those who opposed and misrepresented his
actions and teachings.
2) It is a sign that Jesus' willing sacrifice of himself on behalf of
others was acceptable to God, and that his death has become the basis for
God's forgiveness of those who repent of their own sins and acknowledge
the good news of Jesus' resurrection.
2. PRACTICES
Worship
The importance of the Resurrection resulted
in Christians eventually moving their holy day from the Sabbath to the
first day of the week.
Some historical evidence suggests, however, that some early Christians
continued to attend the Synagogue on the Sabbath.
The content of the Christian worship service included hymns, prayers,
readings from the Septuagint [a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible],
readings from the letters of Paul and other, readings from the Gospels,
and instruction on holy living. Eventually the outline of the worship
services became somewhat standardized with certain parts that remained
unchanged [Ordinaries] and parts that changed regularly [Propers].
The Church Year
Christians, by the fourth century, developed a church calendar, the
purpose of which seems to be to recapitulate the life of Jesus Christ.
ADVENT [coming] - begins four Sundays before
Christmas. This season looks back to the historical coming of Jesus and
his final coming at the judgment.
CHRISTMAS [literally "Christ's Mass] - celebrates the birth of Jesus and
the incarnation of God in Jesus.
EPIPHANY [manifestation] - recalls the actions in which the divine power
present in Jesus is manifested.
LENT - A forty-day period when Christians are invited to contemplate the
suffering of Jesus. Christians often "give up" something to share some of
the deprivations which Jesus suffered. Some Christians are encouraged to
fast. Often, special worship services or meditative periods are scheduled.
This season begins on ASH WEDNESDAY and reaches its climax on PALM SUNDAY
[on which HOLY WEEK begins] and GOOD FRIDAY on which Christians
commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.
EASTER - On Easter Sunday Christians celebrate the Resurrection of
Jesus. The date of Easter in the Western
Half of the Church is fixed as the first Sunday after the first full moon
after the Vernal Equinox. In the Eastern Church its date is determined by
the Jewish Passover.
ASCENSION - the ascension of Jesus into
heaven is marked on the
Thursday following the sixth week of the
Easter season.
PENTECOST - celebrated 50 days after Easter Sunday, remembers the gift of
the Spirit to the disciples of Jesus that enables them to preach the
Gospel in various languages. Most Christians celebrate it as the birthday
of the Christian Church.
Special Rites [Sacraments]
The first two rites described below are practiced by all Christians and
considered Sacraments. Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox
Christians include five more.
THE EUCHARIST OR LORD'S SUPPER - Eucharist
means
"thanksgiving." It is intended to remember
the "Last Supper" Jesus had with his disciples. Originally, it probably
involved a complete meal, beginning with the blessing and breaking of
bread and ending with wine after the meal. Today it is celebrated only
with specially blessed or consecrated bread and wine. Christian groups
that do not approve of alcohol use grape juice instead of wine.
BAPTISM - a rite of initiation that marks the point at which a person
receives the gift of the Holy Spirit and becomes a Christian. Some
Christians also believe that it signals the
washing away of the stain of
Original Sin [i.e., the sin of origin] and
effects a spiritual rebirth. Hence the term "bom again."
CONFIRMATION - A special rite in which a person formerly baptized confirms
her/his commitment to Christian faith and life, with a special blessing by
a Bishop or Minister.
MARRIAGE - Only in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
Traditions is marriage considered a
Sacrament. In the Anglican
Tradition it is considered "sacramental" but
not a Sacrament as such.
HOLY ORDERS - this is the laying on of hands by a Bishop or
Bishops that confers on a candidate the
office of Deacon, Priest or
Bishop.
UNCTION - the rite that involves the blessing of the sick and/or dying
with consecrated oil and prayers.
PENANCE [RECONCILIATION] - a special rite that involves a
Priest or Bishop declaring the forgiveness
of sins to an individual after confession.
Church Offices
BISHOP (from Greek episkopos, "overseer") -
The Bishop exercises responsibility and authority over a geographical
territory called a
Diocese. Other Christian denominations have
geographical divisions called "synods" or "districts" or "wards."
PRIEST, PASTOR - the head cleric in a Christian congregation.
DEACON - an assistant to a Priest, but usually under the oversight of a
Bishop. In some Christian Churches becoming a deacon is the first step
toward the priesthood, but one may also be ordained as a "Perpetual
Deacon." Many Christian denominations do not ordain Deacons. What all
Deacons seem to have in common is that they are engaged in various
activities that assist Priests or Pastors.
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