The document provides information about Christianity including its origins, key beliefs, sacred texts, and religious leaders. It discusses how Christianity developed in 1st century Palestine under Roman rule and was founded by Jesus Christ. The core teachings are the life of Jesus, his status as the messiah or son of God, and the holy trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Bible serves as the sacred text, comprising the Old and New Testaments. The religion is led by figures such as the Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons.
The document provides information about Christianity including its origins, key beliefs, sacred texts, and religious leaders. It discusses how Christianity developed in 1st century Palestine under Roman rule and was founded by Jesus Christ. The core teachings are the life of Jesus, his status as the messiah or son of God, and the holy trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Bible serves as the sacred text, comprising the Old and New Testaments. The religion is led by figures such as the Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons.
The document provides information about Christianity including its origins, key beliefs, sacred texts, and religious leaders. It discusses how Christianity developed in 1st century Palestine under Roman rule and was founded by Jesus Christ. The core teachings are the life of Jesus, his status as the messiah or son of God, and the holy trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Bible serves as the sacred text, comprising the Old and New Testaments. The religion is led by figures such as the Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons.
The document provides information about Christianity including its origins, key beliefs, sacred texts, and religious leaders. It discusses how Christianity developed in 1st century Palestine under Roman rule and was founded by Jesus Christ. The core teachings are the life of Jesus, his status as the messiah or son of God, and the holy trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Bible serves as the sacred text, comprising the Old and New Testaments. The religion is led by figures such as the Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons.
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 85
Christianity is embedded in Filipino culture as
our country became predominantly Catholic
since the Spanish period. Thus, stories from the Old Testament and New Testament are something that most students have become familiar with. In this activity, summarize two Bible stories that you love and explain why you like those tales. Also, share the lessons you have learned from the stories that you selected. Be ready to share your Bible tales and insights in class. CHRISTIANIT Y What is the core teaching of Christianity? Why is Jesus called the Messiah? How should Christians live their lives according to Christian teachings? What are the political, cultural, and religious conditions that contributed to the birth of Christianity in Palestine in 100 C.E.? Christianity - is considered the most popular religion in the world with the most number of adherents among all religions. Starting around the 1st century C.E., it developed out of Judaism during the reign of the Roman Empire in West Asia. It centers on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is considered the Messiah or Savior of humanity. Christians also believe in the Holy Trinity, which means God has three aspects—Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is believed that God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth to redeem humanity from their sins for them to avoid the eternal flames of hell. The Jews do not accept that Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise. Instead, the Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to be sent by God the Father. Christianity - is considered the world’s largest religion, a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ who is considered the Son of God and the Messiah or Savior. According to the Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Christian Population (2011), 10 countries with the largest number of Christians are the following: U.S, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Philippines, Nigeria, China, DR Congo, Germany, Ethopia Christianity Symbol The most common symbol for Christianity is the cross. In Roman Catholic churches, the crucifix is a regular feature, with the image of Christ nailed on the cross. This aims to emphasize Christ’s sufferings for humanity. Meanwhile, Protestant churches often feature only the cross without the image of the body of Christ, to emphasize Christ’s resurrection and not His suffering. The fish symbol is as old as Christianity itself, for it was used by persecuted Christians as a secret sign when meeting other Christians. Because Christians were threatened by the Romans during the time, they had to make a secret code to avoid persecution. Thus, when meeting strangers on the way, a Christian would draw one arc of the fish outline, and if the stranger drew the other half it means they are both Christians and therefore safe in each other’s company. The word “fish” also has a secret meaning, for Christians made an acrostic from the Greek word for fish, which is ichtys: Iseous Christos Theou Yios Soter, meaning Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Christianity developed in Palestine around 100 C.E. It was founded by Jesus, considered to be the Son of God and Messiah or Savior. Today Christianity is divided into three major sects—Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodox Church, and Protestantism. These major Christian sects are further subdivided by Christian denominations that differ in certain beliefs and practices but are united in worshipping Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Historical Context Judea, the mountainous southern part of Palestine, was the home of Christianity. During that time, Judaism was the dominant religion in Palestine and it was considered by the Jews as land promised to them by God. Historical Context It was conquered by the Assyrian Empire, then by the Babylonian Empire which enslaved the Jews, then the Achaemenid or Persian Empire under Cyrus, who permitted the Jews to return to their land. Historical Context Soon the Greeks under the leadership of Alexander the Great conquered West Asia including Palestine around 400 B.C. Then the Romans conquered Jerusalem in 63 B.C. When Jesus was born, Palestine was still under Roman rule. Historical Context Social conditions cooperated with the relatively free atmosphere created by Agustus’ Pax Romana or Roman Peace. Historical Context Also, the birth of a man who was considered as the fulfilment of the prophesy among the Jews that God will send His Son to liberate the people from sufferings and sins paved the way for the development and spread of a new religion called Christianity. Jesus as the Founder of Christianity His ministry began when he was in his early thirties. Preaching and healing in the villages, he started to preach teachings which were considered revolutionary at that time. Jesus as the Founder of Christianity He criticized the uprightness and insincerity of religious officials and emphasized that God values service and love. He also taught about the new covenant that God will bring to humanity: that of sending His begotten son to save humanity from their sins and restore the people’s relationship with Him. Religious Leaders The Catholic Church follows a certain hierarchy based on the Canon Law of the Catholic Church. At the top of the hierarchy is the pope, considered as Peter’s successor. The hierarchy also includes the cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, and deacons. Each member of the hierarchy has his own function for the efficiency of the church. Religious Leaders The Pope serves as the head of the Catholic Church, the inheritor of Peter. He has his headquarters in the Vatican, an independent state in Rome. He is responsible for the general supervision of the church. He is the head of the Catholic Church and the head of the Vatican. He also has the authority to appoint administrative and religious officials in the Vatican. Religious Leaders Cardinals - who are also appointed by the Pope. The cardinals represent the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church in different parts of the world. They serve as advisers to the Pope and elect a new pope as the need arises, thus they have the power to choose the successor of the outgoing pope. The body comprising the cardinals is called the College of Cardinals. Religious Leaders Bishops - are teachers of the doctrine, priests of sacred worship, and ministers of church government. They provide pastoral supervision for a diocese and serve as representatives of the Church. The Pope himself is a bishop. A bishop is ordained to his station, just like priests. Religious Leaders Priests - who are ordained ministers responsible for the administering of the sacraments, such as the Eucharist, Marriage, Baptism, and Confirmation. They may belong to particular religious order, such as Jesuits, Dominicans, Augustinians, among others, or they may be committed to serve a certain congregation. Religious Leaders Deacons are classified into two types: the transitional deacon is a seminarian who is studying for the priesthood the other one is a permanent deacon, who can get married and serve as a priest’s assistant in administering some of the sacraments. Deity/God Christians believe in one God, therefore Christianity is a monotheistic religion. God is seen as the creator and maintainer of the universe, and is believed to be omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all- knowing), omnipresent (all-present), and omnibenevolent (all-good). God is also sacred, moral, unchangeable, compassionate, graceful, and timeless. Holy Trinity This doctrine of the Holy Trinity was affirmed at the Council of Nicea in 25 C.E. where it was agreed upon that the Son has the same substance with the Father, therefore they are both eternal. Holy Trinity The doctrine of the Holy Trinity was Christianity’s way to end the controversy generated by Arianism, a teaching by Arius which claimed that Jesus Christ was not actually a God. Holy Trinity In Matthew 28:19, it is stated that: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Holy Trinity In 2 Corinthians 13:1: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” SACRED SCRIPTURES The Bible is considered the sacred scripture of Christianity. It is a collection of songs, stories, poetry, letters, history, as well as literature. It is composed of two books, the Old Testament and the New Testament. SACRED SCRIPTURES The Old Testament is considered the original Hebrew Bible, written between 1200 and 165 B.C.E. The New Testament was written by Christians around 100 C.E. Old Testament: - is composed of 39 books which are arranged in three parts: The first five books (Genesis to Deuteronomy) are considered “The Law” or Torah which may refer to guidance or instruction. Old Testament: Later these books were called the Pentateauch, which were attributed to Moses. Meanwhile, the second part of the Old Testament is called “The Prophets” which is divided into two parts, the earlier prophets and the latter prophets. Old Testament: The book of former prophets is considered historical while the book of latter prophets contain sayings and stories of the prophets. Old Testament: The third part is called “The Writings,” which include Psalms (songs, prayers, and worship liturgies), Proverbs (wise sayings), Job (a drama that explores the nature of suffering), and the five scrolls (Megiloth) which were grouped together for their associations with a particular religious festival. The New Testament - is composed of 27 books written around 50 to 100 C.E. and is composed of two sections: The Gospels which tell the story of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John); and the Letters (or Epistles), written by various Christian leaders to serve as guide to the early Christian communities. The New Testament The Acts of Apostles and Luke tell how Christianity developed from a small group of Jewish believers to becoming one of the world’s major religions. Revelation is the last book of the New Testament, traditionally attributed to the apostle John, which is considered an epistle and an apocalypse. BELIEFS/DOCTRINES These teachings are essential to their belief system as Christians and not following them would lessen their chances of being called true Christians and reduces their chances of salvation in the afterlife. Poster-making. Make a poster depicting the set of laws given by God to people of Israel at Mt. Sinai through Moses. RUBRIC FOR POSTER Total: 20 points Organization - The concept was clearly and creatively conveyed. 10 points Content - The illustrations were appropriate to the theme. 5 points Visual Presentation - The idea was clearly presented based on the pictures and words used. 5 points Ten Commandments also called the Decalogue, these are a set of laws given by God to the people of Israel at Mt.Sinai through Moses. In Exodus, God gave Moses the tablets containing the Ten Commandments, which Moses smashed into pieces because of extreme anger when he saw the golden calf idol created and worshipped by the Hebrews. Ten Commandments 1. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. 2. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. Ten Commandments 3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord Your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” 4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. 5. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord Your God is giving you.” Ten Commandments 6. “You shall not murder.” 7. “You shall not commit adultery.” 8. “You shall not steal.” 9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.” 10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Seven Sacraments - considered signs of inner kindness given by God for Christians to live a genuine human life. The seven sacraments include Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. Seven Sacraments The first three sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion, which are considered the sacraments of initiation. Baptism is meant to remove the guilt and effects of Original Sin and welcome the baptized to the Church. Seven Sacraments Confirmation, which should be administered right after Baptism, is meant to complete Baptism and bring the baptized the graces of the Holy Spirit that were given the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday. Holy Communion entails the reception of Christ’s body and blood which helps Christians grow in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Seven Sacraments Confession is considered the fourth sacrament, which is meant to reconcile Christians with God by confessing their sins. The Sacrament of Marriage comes next, with the union of a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation and mutual support. It also reflects the union of Jesus Christ with His Church. Seven Sacraments The Sacrament of Holy Orders is considered the continuation of Christ’s priesthood which He passed on to His apostles. Anointing of the Sick, also known as Extreme Unction or Last Rites, which is administered to those who are on the verge of death or are seriously ill, or about to undergo a serious operation, for physical and moral strength. The Beatitudes It comprise what is known as the “Sermon on the Mount” recorded in Matthew 5-7. The Beatitudes refer to the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the “Sermon on the Mount.” Here are the Eight Beatitudes mentioned in Matthew 5-7: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew 5:1-12, New Testament King James Version Apostles’ Creed It is believed to have developed in the 100 or 200 C.E. and was influenced later by the Nicene Creed. A letter written by the Council of Milan in 390 C.E. is the earliest historical evidence of the existence of the Apostles’ Creed. It is not written by the apostles themselves but it serves as a summary of their basic teachings. Draw how God created the universe in 6 days. Story of Creation - narrates how God created the universe in six days, is found in Genesis 1 of the Old Testament. It narrates how God created light and darkness on the first day; the sky and the ocean on the second day; the earth and plants on the third day; the sun, moon, and the stars on the fourth day; sea creatures, land animals, and birds on the fifth day; and finally the first man and woman on the sixth day, after which He rested on the seventh day. Big Bang Theory - which states that the universe began as an incredibly hot, very dense point in space about 14 billion years ago. It then underwent rapid expansion in no time and, as it cooled, led to the creation of stars, galaxies and planets. WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES Advent, Lent, and Pentecost Advent - refers to the season of waiting for the birth of the Messiah, hence its celebration lasts for 4 weeks, beginning four Sundays before Christmas and ending on Christmas eve. It features certain colors, such as purple/ dark blue, which symbolizes seriousness, repentance, and royalty; and pink, which signifies joy. WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES Lent - refers to the season observed by Christians in preparation for Easter, a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Ash Wednesday signals the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days before Easter. WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES Pentecost - is celebrated as a holiday to commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit to the early Christians. Thus, Pentecost is also celebrated as the birthday of the Church. The word Pentecost comes from the Greek word pentekostos, which means “fifty,” pertaining to the Jewish holiday celebrated every fifty days from the end of Passover to the beginning of the next holiday (also known as Shavuot). Prior to the reign of Emperor Constantine who declared himself a Christian in 312 C.E., Christians were persecuted under Roman emperors. Christianity was only legalized in 313 C.E. upon Constantine’s declaration of the Edict of Milan, which declared equality among all religions. In 324 C.E., Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the empire and sought to end all doctrinal arguments on Christianity. As time went by, conflicts arose between the Roman Empire and the Byzantium Empire, resulting in the inevitable split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church. The conflict was further heightened when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, King of the Franks, the Holy Roman Emperor in 800 without consulting the Byzantine Empire. The official split happened in 105 with the “Great Schism” which divided the Western Latin Roman Christianity from the Eastern Greek Byzantine Christianity. Abuses and corruption in the church led another sect to be formed around the 16th century. Martin Luther, a teacher and a monk, posted his list of ninety five propositions to the door of the church at Wittenberg in Saxony in 1517, which signalled the beginnings of another Christian sect called Protestantism. The Protestant Reformation is considered the second greatest split in Christianity. One of the things he opposed was the selling of indulgences (indulgence refers to the pardon granted by the Pope to purgatorial punishment to Christians who pay a certain amount for the absolution of their sins) of the Catholic Church, which was meant to save the soul in the afterlife. SELECTED ISSUES In order to address the issue of disunity among Christians, the concept of ecumenism was adopted by the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, ecumenism is one important issue in Christianity. Still, there are some issues which are in conflict with Christian teachings, concerning sexuality (especially issues of contraception, abortion, and homosexuality); divorce; capital punishment and euthanasia. SELECTED ISSUES Ecumenism - refers to the effort of the Catholic Church to sponsor activities and initiatives to promote mutual understanding and unity among all Christians. Ecumenism can also be described as the promotion of worldwide Christian unity (Brodd 2003). SELECTED ISSUES - Ecumenism Itis based on Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism which states that: “The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council. Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. However, many Christian communions present themselves to men as the true inheritors of Jesus Christ; all indeed profess to be followers of the Lord but differ in mind and go their different ways, as if Christ Himself were divided. Such division openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages the only cause of preaching the Gospel to every creature.” Ecumenism is based on three principles: 1 )Christ established the Church on the Apostles and their successors, whose head became Peter and his successor the Bishop of Rome; 2) since the 1st century there have been divisions in Christianity, but many persons now separated from visible unity with the successors of the Apostles under Peter are nevertheless Christians who possess more or less the fullness of grace available in the Roman Catholic Church; Ecumenism is based on three principles: 3) Catholics are to do everything possible to foster the ecumenical movement, which comprehends all “the initiatives and activities, planned and undertaken to promote Christian unity, according to the Church’s various needs and opportunities” (Decree on Ecumenism, I,4). Ecumenism is based on three principles: 3) Catholics are to do everything possible to foster the ecumenical movement, which comprehends all “the initiatives and activities, planned and undertaken to promote Christian unity, according to the Church’s various needs and opportunities” (Decree on Ecumenism, I,4). The goal of ecumenism is Christian unity. Christianity advocates natural family planning methods such as the rhythm method, wherein couples will engage in sexual acts only during days when the woman is not fertile and cannot conceive a baby. Another issue with regard to sexuality is that of homosexuality. It refers to attraction to members of the same sex. Thus, in the Christian line of thinking, homosexuality should not be practiced since it is not in accordance with God’s plan. The Church does not allow same-sex marriage and is vocal in opposing homosexual relationships. The Christian view on marriage is based on Matthew 19:-6, “He who made man from the beginning, made them male and female. And he said: For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” Capital punishment or death penalty - wherein a person is punished by death for his or her capital crime goes against the Christian belief that life is given by God and should not be taken away by any person. Euthanasia or mercy killing - is also considered immoral since it entails taking away what has been given by God, and that human beings should not interfere with the natural process of death. Short debate about euthanasia, marriage or live in and death penalty. Why euthanasia is really not allowed in Christians view? Why more people continue practicing euthanasia not just to human but to animals as well? Write a short reflection about the beauty of God’s creation. Romans 10:11 “As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
(Oxford Handbooks) Ulrich L. Lehner, Richard A. Muller, A.G. Roeber - The Oxford Handbook of Early Modern Theology, 1600-1800 (2016, Oxford University Press)