History Of Christianity

History of Christianity: The Beginning of the Faith

History of Christianity -- how did it all start? Christianity started about 2000 years ago in Judea
(present-day Israel) with Jesus Christ and His faithful group of disciples. During this period, Judea
was a cross-cultural mecca of bustling cities and farms. The emperor of Rome was the ruler. The
Jews at that time hated Roman rule -- it was but another reminder of the historical oppression they
faced as a people. The polytheistic cultural beliefs of Rome were also pagan and intrusive to Jewish
life. Some Jews saw that their only hope was to conform to this change. Others became religious
zealots who formed pockets of guerilla resistance against Rome. Still others withdrew themselves
into the Judean wilderness to study the Jewish law and wait for the eventual coming of their
promised Messiah (savior).

History of Christianity: The Arrival of Jesus Christ

History of Christianity -- With this cultural and religious backdrop, the ministry of Jesus began. Jesus
was a Jew. He observed the Jewish faith and was well acquainted with the Jewish Law. In His early
thirties, Jesus traveled from village to village, teaching in the synagogues and healing those who
were suffering. Jesus' teaching was revolutionary. He challenged the established religious
authorities to repent from their self-righteousness and hypocrisy and realize that the Kingdom of God
is rooted in service and love. Jesus' teachings stirred the hearts of people and created instability,
something the Jewish religious authorities feared. Soon, a faithful group of men began to follow
Jesus and call him teacher. These men became His disciples. Jesus taught His disciples about the
will of God and about the "new covenant" God will bring to humanity through Him. Jesus helped
them to see that mankind is bound to the pain and futility of life as a result of sin. Due to sin,
mankind lost its relationship with God. The purpose of this "new covenant" is to restore those who
accept it into a renewed fellowship of forgiveness and love with God. What is this new covenant?
Jesus himself would pay for the sins of all humanity by being crucified unjustly on a Roman cross.
Three days later, He would rise to life, having conquered death, to give hope to a hopeless world.
Well, it happened just as Jesus taught, and His disciples were witnesses to an amazing miracle.
Their teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, died and three days later rose again to become their Messiah.
Compelled by a great commission to share the love that the God of this universe had imparted upon
them, the disciples began to proclaim this gospel of hope throughout the territory. Thus, from a small
group of ordinary men that lived in a small province in Judea about 2000 years ago, the history of
the Christian Church began, and the Christian Faith has since spread to the rest of the world. Their
gospel message was simple: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

History of Christianity: Foretold by Prophecy

Though most of the historical record for the start of the Christian faith is recorded in the New
Testament accounts, the history of Christianity actually began with prophecy in the Old Testament.
There are over 300 prophecies (predictions) that span over a period of 1000 years that are recorded
in the Old Testament concerning the coming of a Jewish Messiah. A study of Jesus' life, death and
background will show that He was undoubtedly the fulfillment of these Messianic prophecies. Thus,
even long before Jesus walked the earth, His mission was made known to mankind through the
Word of God.

History of Christianity: A Faith Based on Historical Fact

History of Christianity- did it all really happen? At first glance, the history Christianity's origin may
seem like nothing more than a fairy tale. Many feel that it's just too implausible, and even
intellectually dishonest, for people living in the 21st century to believe that these events actually took
place. However, the Christian faith, unlike any other religion, hinges on historical events, including
one of pivotal importance. If Jesus Christ died and never rose to life, then Christianity is a myth or a
fraud. In 1 Corinthians 15:14, Paul exhorts his readers to grab hold of this central truth, that "And if
Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." The evidence for
theresurrection is the key to establishing that Jesus is indeed who He claims to be. It is the historical
validity of this central fact that gives Christians genuine and eternal hope amidst a hurting world.

Christian Faith
Christian Faith: The Early Creed
The Christian faith is founded on Jesus Christ and His resurrection. Before the New Testament
gospels were even written, the early Christian leaders declared their belief in the death and
resurrection of Jesus through a statement of belief known as a creed. The earliest record of the
Christian creed is presented by Paul and found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according
to the scriptures: And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of
above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some
are fallen asleep. After that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all He was
seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”

Christian Faith: Importance of the Early Record for the Creed

One of the biggest arguments against the Christian faith is that the resurrection story is a myth that
developed over as much as a century after Jesus was crucified on a Roman cross. It was originally
thought that the gospel accounts were written as much as 100 years after Jesus walked the earth.
Recent scholarship in manuscript reliability and textual criticism now places the gospels at 30 to 50
years after Jesus. Why is the above passage so important? Because Biblical scholars, using the
historical records of Paul and his early travels to Damascus and Jerusalem, place the above
scripture at about 35 A.D., just 3 to 5 years after the death of Jesus Christ. This is dramatic, because
those same scholars would hold that this basic creed for the Christian faith developed far too quickly
for a myth to develop and distort the historical record of the resurrection.
Christian Faith: Jesus Christ and His Resurrection
Since the foundation of the Christian Faith is Jesus Christ and His resurrection, then the historical
veracity of His life, death and resurrection are tantamount. For as Paul declared later in his letter to
the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:14-17):

“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are
found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: whom He
raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if
Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

Although the Christian faith is not based purely on evidence, it is definitely supported by evidence.
Faith is not about turning off the brain and merely relying on the heart, or squashing reason in favor
of emotion. No, Christian faith is about seeking and knowing Jesus Christ with all facets of the
human character. It’s about loving Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.

Become A Christian
Become a Christian Today!
How do I become a Christian? Once you have asked all your questions, weighed all the evidence,
and tested all the arguments, you will ultimately be confronted with the basic question Jesus asked
his own disciples in Matthew 16:15

‘But who do you say that I am?’

Simon Peter replied:

‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’

What is your reply?

If you have come to the same conclusion as Simon Peter, you are a few steps away from having a
personal relationship with our loving God. It is our sincere hope and prayer that each of you reach
this conclusion, for we know that true happiness, joy and peace only come when we recognize our
purpose for existing and yield our wills to our Creator. As you will see, Christianity is not based on a
religious building, formula or ritual, it’s a matter of what you truly believe in your heart.

Become a Christian: Step through the Gospel

First, you can be sure that God loves you unconditionally and desires to have a personal relationship
with you.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Second, you need to admit your sinful nature to God, because this is what separates all of us from
Him.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Third, you should stop trying to please God through your own efforts, and realize that salvation
through the blood of Jesus Christ is a gift that none of us deserves.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Finally, you just need to step in and truly accept God’s gift -- His Son, Jesus Christ.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those
who believe in His name” (John 1:12).

So, now you know the basic steps to become a Christian. As a result, if you desire God’s gift of
eternal life and fellowship with Him, you are as close as a sincere act of faith.

Jesus says,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John
14:6).

Jesus also says,

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will
come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

Receiving Jesus is a matter of truly asking Him to come into your life, to forgive your sins, and to
become your Lord and Savior. It’s not merely an intellectual undertaking, but rather, an act of sincere
faith and heart-felt will.

If you want to receive Jesus now, and accept His gift of salvation, it's a matter of believing in Jesus
Christ, repenting of your sins, and turning the rest of your life over to Him. This is not a ritual based
on specific words, but rather, a prayerful guideline for your sincere step of faith.

“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you.
I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you.
Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus
Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I
invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day
 forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the
rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).

If you decided to become a Christian today, welcome to God's family. Now, as a way to grow closer
to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.

 Get baptized as commanded by Christ.

 Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
 Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the
daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your
understanding of the Bible.
 Seek fellowship with other Christians. Develop a group of Christian friends to answer your
questions and support you.
 Find a local church where you can worship God.

What is the story of the Hindu faith?

The history of Hinduism is unique among the world religions in that it has no
founder or date of origin. While most major religions derive from new ideas
taught by a charismatic leader, Hinduism is simply the religion of the people of
India, which has gradually developed over four thousand years. The origins
and authors of its sacred texts are largely unknown.

Although today's Hinduism differs significantly from earlier forms of Indian

religion, its roots date back as far as 2000 BC, making it one of the oldest
surviving religions. Because of its age, the early history of Hinduism is
unclear. The most ancient writings have yet to be deciphered, so for the
earliest periods scholars must rely on educated guesses based on
archaeology and contemporary texts.

In the last few decades, the history of India's religion has also become a
matter of political controversy. The history of any nation (or individual) is an
important part of its self-identity, and this is especially true of India, which so
recently gained independence after centuries of colonial rule. The controversy
over India's history centers on the origin of the Aryan culture, as we shall see
in more detail below.

The Hindu religion: past and present

The Indus River Valley Civilization
In 1921, archaeologists uncovered evidence of an ancient civilization along
the Indus River, which today runs through northwest India into Pakistan. The
so-called Indus Valley civilization (also known as the "Harappan civilization"
for one of its chief cities) is thought to have originated as early as 7000 BC
and to have reached is height between 2300 to 2000 BC, at which point it
encompassed over 750,000 square miles and traded with Mesopotamia.

Some writings of this period has been discovered, but unfortunately in such
small amounts that they have yet to be deciphered. Knowledge of this great
civilization's religion must therefore be based on physical evidence alone.
Baths have been found that may indicate ritual bathing, a component of
modern Hinduism. Some altar-like structures may be evidence of animal
sacrifice, and terracotta figures may represent deities. An important seal
features a horned figure surrounded by animals, which some conjecture is a
prototype of Shiva, but it could be a bull parallel to that found on
Mesopotamian seals.

The Controversial Aryans

The Indus Valley culture began to decline around 1800 BC, due possibly to
flooding or drought. Until recently, it was held that the Aryans (an Indo-
European culture whose name comes from the Sanskrit for "noble") [3]
invaded India and Iran at this time. According to this hypothesis, both the
Sanskrit language and the Vedic religion foundational to Hinduism is
attributable to the Aryans and their descendants. The original inhabitants of
the Indus Valley are thought to have had a Dravidian language and culture,
which became subordinate to that of the invading peoples.

Proponents of this hypothesis point to similarities between Zoroastrianism (the

ancient religion of Iran) and the Vedic religion of ancient India, as well as
similar finds in ancient cemeteries in modern-day India and Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan. In addition, no trace of horses or chariots have been found in the
remains of the Indus Valley culture, but were central to Aryan military and
ritual life.

Since the 1980s, this "Aryan Invasion" hypothesis has been strongly
challenged as a myth propagated by colonial scholars who sought to reinforce
the idea that anything valuable in India must have come from elsewhere.
Critics of the hypothesis note that there is lack of evidence of any conquest,
among other historical and archaeological problems. One alternative
hypothesis is explained by Encyclopædia Britannica as follows:

Between about 2000 and 1500 BCE not an invasion but a continuing spread
of Indo-Aryan speakers occurred, carrying them much farther into India, to the
east and south, and coinciding with a growing cultural interaction between the
native population and the new arrivals. From these processes a new cultural
synthesis emerged, giving rise by the end of the 2nd millennium to the
conscious expressions of Aryan ethnicity found in the Rigveda, particularly in
the later hymns.[4] The 19th-century Aryan Invasion theory has generally
been abandoned as inaccurate, but most scholars do not reject the notion of
some outside influence on the Indus Valley civilization. For many, it is a
political issue as well as a historical one, with the original theory is regarded
as racist and offensive. BBC Religion & Ethics summarizes the matter this
way:

Many people argue that there is now evidence to show that Muller [original
proponent of the hypothesis], and those who followed him, were wrong.
Others, however, believe that the case against the Aryan invasion theory is far
from conclusive. Resources:

- "History of Hinduism." Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica

Premium Service, 2004).
- "Indian Religions and the Hindu Tradition" The Cambridge Illustrated History
of Religions (Cambridge University Press, 2002).
- "Aryan." Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica Premium
Service, 2009).
- "India » History » India from the Paleolithic Period to the decline of the Indus
civilization » Post-Harappan developments » The appearance of Indo-Aryan
speakers." Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica Premium
Service, 2009).
- "Hinduism: History: Aryan Invasion Theory" - BBC Religion & Ethics
The gods of the Aryans: from 1500 BC

The first traceable roots of Hinduism lie with the invading Aryans, who move into the northwest of the
Indian subcontinent from about 1500 BC (see the history ofIndia for recent archaeological arguments
against the concept of an Aryan invasion). The Aryans' priestly caste, the Brahmans, are responsible for
the sacrificial rites (the most solemn, among this nomadic people, being the sacrifice of a horse). The
ritual hymns which they chant, passed down orally for many centuries, are gathered in theRigveda, the
earliest of all religious texts.

The hymns of theRigveda reveal that the foremost god of the Aryans is Indra, a war god and a great
slayer of demons and animals. He is possibly based on a historical leader of the Aryans in their advance
into India, for one of his titles is 'city-breaker'.

The two other main gods of theAryans are Agni, the god of fire; and Soma, a god associated with a drink
(also calledsoma and probably hallucinogenic) which plays a major part in the priests' rituals. In the long
term none of these gods feature prominently in Hinduism. But two minor characters are waiting in the
wings for a major role.

Vishnu appears in the Rigveda as a sun god who occasionally helps Indra to slay demons. And Shiva
(under the name of Rudra) has a small and sinister part, prowling in the mountains, shooting humans
and animals with his arrows, and both causing and curing disease.

Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma: from 300 BC

By about 300 BC, when Indian myth and folk tale begin to coalesce in theMahabharata, Vishnu and Shiva
are emerging as the main Hindu gods. In most ways they are direct opposites of each other. Vishnu is
associated with creation, Shiva with destruction - though in the eternal cycle of events destruction must
precede the next act of creation, so there is not the clear moral difference between the gods that the
words would normally imply.

But opposites do require a middle way, a reconciliation. This is provided by a new god, Brahma, who by
the 1st century BC emerges as the central and senior figure in the Hindu trinity. He therefore acquires
the role of creator (Vishnu becoming the preserver, and Shiva remaining the destroyer). Brahma's name
clearly relates to the Brahman, the priest. It is thought perhaps to have been a key word in sacrificial
incantations.

Brahma has had no popular cult in India, for he is in a sense the godhead behind all the other gods. But
Vishnu and Shiva become conclusively established as the two main deities of popular Hinduism. The
majority of temples in India today are sacred to one or the other.

Temples to Vishnu are often not directly linked with his name, for he is believed to have had many
different incarnations and he is usually worshipped as one of these. By far the most popular of these
incarnations, oravatars, are Krishna (associated with the influentialBhagavad Gita) and Rama.

By contrast, temples to Shiva take a standard and easily recognizable form. At the entrance there is
invariably the reclining figure of Nandi, the sacred bull who carries Shiva on any journey.

Raised on a platform, Nandi gazes into the central shrine of the temple where the lord Shiva is
represented in symbolic form as a rounded stump of stone - the linga, or phallus - to which priests and
pilgrims make offerings of flowers, fruit and rice.

The colourful polytheism of popular Hinduism is the glitter on the surface of a faith which is essentially
ascetic. As with the other religions originating in India (Jainism,Buddhism,Sikhism), the ultimate purpose of
any devout Hindu is to escape from the recurring pattern of existence.

The tally of a person's life is his or her karma(action). This is the total of the good works or sacred
practices which have been carried out. In the short term a goodkarma will lead to reincarnation in more
fortunate circumstances, or in a higher caste. Eventually it may make possible the ideal, which
ismoksha ('release' from this earth and from the cycle of rebirth).

Hinduism in southeast Asia: from the 1st century AD

 Traders from India, increasingly adventurous as seafarers from the 1st century AD,
carry Hinduism throughsoutheast Asia. On the mainland (Burma, Cambodia, the southern part of Vietnam)
and in the islands (Sumatra, Java), Hindu kingdoms are established. In later centuries impressive Hindu
temples are built.Angkor Wat is merely the best known.

As in India itself, Hinduism andBuddhism coexist in the early centuries. In southeast Asia, Buddhism
eventually prevails and Hinduism fades away (except in the small island ofBali). In India, by contrast,
Buddhism vanishes in its homeland - leaving the field to the subcontinent's first great religion, Hinduism,
and to a newcomer,Islam.