What Do Christians Believe?
Understanding Orthodox Christianity and Basic Christian Beliefs
Mar 24, 2009
While Christianity is the world's largest religion, the 2 billion plus people who identify with Christianity constitute a diverse array of groups and individuals.
What, then, does the term "Christian" really mean? What is Christianity? What do Christians believe? What are they supposed to believe?
Understanding these questions will help untangle the mysteries and controversies of Christianity.
What is Christianity?
Christianity is a monotheistic faith that holds the first-century Jewish leader named Jesus of Nazareth to be the divine Son of God (John 3:16) sent to redeem the world from its sins (Romans 10:9-10). Christian beliefs about Jesus are drawn essentially from the New Testament.
The quest to understand the Christian faith should begin at the origins of Christianity. The term "Christian" comes from the New Testament book of Acts, where Luke (the likely author) explains that followers (or "disciples") of Jesus were first called "Christians" in the city of Antioch (Acts 11:26). The term stuck, and quickly came to define all those who believed in and followed Jesus of Nazareth.
The Cornerstone of Christianity: Who is Jesus?
Given the overwhelming evidence for Jesus, historians generally concede that there was a first-century leader named Jesus of Nazareth, who emerged sometime in the 20s A.D. and amassed a sizable following in Judeo-Palestine. It was this Jesus who triggered the beginning of Christianity.
Following Jesus' crucifixion at the hand of Roman governor Pontius Pilate, many of Jesus' followers claimed to have seen him alive (I Corinthians 15).
These resurrection appearances fueled the rise and spread of Christianity, which held Jesus to be the divine sacrifice for the sins of the world.
What is the Difference Between Catholics and Non-Catholic Christians?
One of the more common questions raised concerns the difference between Catholics and non-Catholic Christians. This question, of course, betrays a western perspective on what is a global faith. There are actually hundreds of divisions or groups of churches and individuals who call themselves "Christian." While it is possible to form broad categories for those divisions, it is nevertheless problematic.
The basic categories of Christian churches and adherents are:
- Roman Catholic - Headed by the Pope (the Bishop of Rome), the Roman Catholic Church claims a direct organizational and ideological line to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Through the doctrine of apostolic succession, the Vatican claims full authority over Christians today in matters of doctrine, morality, and church governance.
- Oriental Orthodox - These churches are the descendants of those who broke from the Roman Catholic Church in the 5th century, after rejecting the Council of Chalcedon.
- Eastern Orthodox - Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church claims an unbroken line back to the time of Jesus and the apostles. Eastern Orthodox Christians, however, believe the Vatican erred and broke away from the truth in 1054, when the split between East and West took place.
- Protestant - While the term "Protestant" historically referred to those who broke their allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church during the tumult of the Protestant Reformation, the term has come to mean virtually all non-Catholic Christians (particularly in the West), including Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, etc.
- Non-Mainstream or Restorationist - Loosely defined, this category compromises all churches and groups considered outside "mainstream" Christianity (e.g., Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Disciples of Christ, Churches of Christ, etc.).
Any effort, including the above, to group or categorize Christian churches and denominations is problematic and controversial. Many Christians strenuously object being grouped into any category, but the above should give the reader an idea as to the wide diversity in the Christian world.
Orthodox Christianity: Is There Such a Thing?
With all this diversity and controversy, is it possible to establish basic Christian doctrine? Are there basic Christian beliefs that constitute some semblance of orthodoxy -- beliefs that transcend or cut across denominational lines?
Efforts have been made over the centuries to codify Christianity. These efforts have included numerous councils (most notably the first-century Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 and the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.), creeds (including the Nicene Creed), and declarations. All attempts to explain or define Christianity, however, lead ultimately back to one person: Jesus of Nazareth.
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote that all believers in Christ were part of "the household of God," which was "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:19-20).
Not only is Jesus of Nazareth the founder of Christianity, he's the essence and purpose of it. This is why understanding Christianity is ultimately about understanding Jesus.
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