Christianity

Christianity (also called the faith of Christ or Christendom) is a religion founded on the person of Jesus of Nazareth and his teachings. It began in the eastern Mediterranean in the first century of the common era, originally emerging from the Jewish community of Palestine. Its followers are called Christians.

Christians recognize Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) who was promised. Most believe that he suffered a sacrificial death and subsequently rose from the dead. The sacred text of the faith is the Holy Scripture (Bible), which is divided into two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Core doctrine

Most major Christian groups accept the doctrine of the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as one God. Also central are the doctrines of salvation and forgiveness of sins. Common practices include baptism (washing with water upon entry into the faith) and the Lord's Supper (Eucharist). Some smaller groups diverge from this theology, particularly regarding the Trinity.

Major divisions

Christianity is not a single organization. The three largest divisions are Roman Catholicism (led by the Bishop of Rome), Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism, which itself splits into many denominations such as Lutheranism, Anglicanism, Baptist churches, and Pentecostal churches. There are also ancient Eastern churches such as those of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt (Coptic), and Armenia.

History and spread

Initially, Christianity spread through cities of the Roman Empire. By the fourth century, the empire adopted it, which amplified its political and cultural influence. In later centuries, major schisms occurred, including the split between East and West in 1054 and the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century. European exploration and colonization brought Christianity to the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

Relationship to Islam and Somalia

Islam recognizes Jesus as a prophet (Jesus son of Mary), but rejects that he is the Son of God or that he was killed. In the Horn of Africa, Christianity with a long history remains in Ethiopia and Eritrea. In Somalia, the population is predominantly Muslim, and the number of Christians is very small.