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Christianity
Article Free Pass- Introduction
- The church and its history
- The essence and identity of Christianity
- The history of Christianity
- The primitive church
- The internal development of the early Christian Church
- Relations between Christianity and the Roman government and the Hellenistic culture
- The early liturgy, the calendar, and the arts
- The alliance between church and empire
- Theological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries
- Liturgy and the arts after Constantine
- Political relations between East and West
- Literature and art of the “Dark Ages”
- Missions and monasticism
- The Photian schism and the great East–West schism
- From the schism to the Reformation
- Christianity from the 16th to the 20th century
- Contemporary Christianity
- Christian doctrine
- The nature and functions of doctrine
- Scripture and tradition: the apostolic witness
- Evangelism: the first teaching about the God of Jesus Christ
- Catechesis: instructing candidates for baptism
- Liturgy: the school and feast of faith
- Ethics: obeying the truth
- Aversion of heresy: the establishment of orthodoxy
- Apologetics: defending the faith
- Restatement: respecting language and knowledge
- Inculturation: respecting places and peoples
- Dogma: the most authoritative teaching
- Consensus: patterns of agreement
- Theology: loving God with the mind
- Symbolics: creeds and confessions
- Development: the maturation of understanding
- Schism: division over substantial matters
- Controversy: fighting over the faith
- Ecumenism: speaking the truth in love
- God the Father
- God the Son
- God the Holy Spirit
- The Holy Trinity
- Anthropology
- What it is to be human
- The human as a creature
- The human as the image of God
- Human redemption
- The problem of suffering
- The resurrection of the body
- Progressive human perfection
- The “new man”: The human being in the light of Christ
- The “reborn human”
- Human liberation
- Joy in human existence
- The charismatic believer
- Christian perfection
- Fellow humans as the present Christ
- The church
- Church tradition
- Eschatology
- Expectations of the Kingdom of God in early Christianity
- Expectations of the Kingdom of God in the medieval and Reformation periods
- Expectations of the Kingdom of God in the post-Reformation period
- The role of imminent expectation in missions and emigrations
- Eschatological expectations and secularization
- Concepts of life after death
- Aspects of the Christian religion
- Christian philosophy
- Christian mysticism
- Christian myth and legend
- The Christian community and the world
- The relationships of Christianity
- Christian missions
- Ecumenism
- Christianity and world religions
- Related
- Contributors & Bibliography
- Year in Review Links
- Introduction
- The church and its history
- The essence and identity of Christianity
- The history of Christianity
- The primitive church
- The internal development of the early Christian Church
- Relations between Christianity and the Roman government and the Hellenistic culture
- The early liturgy, the calendar, and the arts
- The alliance between church and empire
- Theological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries
- Liturgy and the arts after Constantine
- Political relations between East and West
- Literature and art of the “Dark Ages”
- Missions and monasticism
- The Photian schism and the great East–West schism
- From the schism to the Reformation
- Christianity from the 16th to the 20th century
- Contemporary Christianity
- Christian doctrine
- The nature and functions of doctrine
- Scripture and tradition: the apostolic witness
- Evangelism: the first teaching about the God of Jesus Christ
- Catechesis: instructing candidates for baptism
- Liturgy: the school and feast of faith
- Ethics: obeying the truth
- Aversion of heresy: the establishment of orthodoxy
- Apologetics: defending the faith
- Restatement: respecting language and knowledge
- Inculturation: respecting places and peoples
- Dogma: the most authoritative teaching
- Consensus: patterns of agreement
- Theology: loving God with the mind
- Symbolics: creeds and confessions
- Development: the maturation of understanding
- Schism: division over substantial matters
- Controversy: fighting over the faith
- Ecumenism: speaking the truth in love
- God the Father
- God the Son
- God the Holy Spirit
- The Holy Trinity
- Anthropology
- What it is to be human
- The human as a creature
- The human as the image of God
- Human redemption
- The problem of suffering
- The resurrection of the body
- Progressive human perfection
- The “new man”: The human being in the light of Christ
- The “reborn human”
- Human liberation
- Joy in human existence
- The charismatic believer
- Christian perfection
- Fellow humans as the present Christ
- The church
- Church tradition
- Eschatology
- Expectations of the Kingdom of God in early Christianity
- Expectations of the Kingdom of God in the medieval and Reformation periods
- Expectations of the Kingdom of God in the post-Reformation period
- The role of imminent expectation in missions and emigrations
- Eschatological expectations and secularization
- Concepts of life after death
- Aspects of the Christian religion
- Christian philosophy
- Christian mysticism
- Christian myth and legend
- The Christian community and the world
- The relationships of Christianity
- Christian missions
- Ecumenism
- Christianity and world religions
- Related
- Contributors & Bibliography
- Year in Review Links
Freedom and responsibility
The Reformation revitalized a personal sense of Christian responsibility by anchoring it in the free forgiveness of sins. Luther summarized this in “The Freedom of a Christian Man” (1520): “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” The second sentence expressed the theme of Christian vocation developed by Luther and Calvin, which they applied to all Christians and to everyday responsibility for the neighbour and for the world. The Reformers emphasized that Christian service is not limited to a narrow religious sphere of life but extends to the everyday relationships of family, marriage, work, and politics.
Later Protestantism under the influence of Pietism and Romanticism restricted the social and communal orientation of the Reformers to a more individualistic orientation. This met, however, with an energetic counterattack from the circles of the Free churches (e.g., Baptists and Methodists) who supported the social task of Christian ethic (mainly through the Social Gospel of the American theologian Walter Rauschenbusch, who attempted to change social institutions and bring about a Kingdom of God), which spread through the whole church, penetrating the area of Christian mission. Love rooted in faith played an important role in the 20th century in the struggle between Christianity and ideologies such as Fascism, Communism, and jingoistic nationalisms.
Ernst Wilhelm Benz Carter H. LindbergChristian missions
In the early 21st century, about one-third of the world’s people claimed the Christian faith. Christians thus constituted the world’s largest religious community and embraced remarkable diversity, with churches in every nation. Christianity’s demographic and dynamic centre had shifted from its Western base to Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific region, where more than half the world’s Christians lived. This trend steadily accelerated as the church declined in Europe. The global extent of Christianity represented a new phenomenon in the history of religions. This was the fruit of mission.
Biblical foundations
The word mission (Latin: missio), as a translation of the Greek apostolē, “a sending,” appears only once in the English New Testament (Galatians 2:8). An apostle (apostolos) is one commissioned and sent to fulfill a special purpose. The roots of mission, Christians have believed, lie in God’s active outreach to humanity in history—as a call to those able to fulfill the divine purpose, among them Abraham, Moses, Jonah, and Paul. The New Testament designated Jesus as God’s apostle (Hebrews 3:1). Jesus’ prayer in The Gospel According to John includes the words “As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.… [I pray also] for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one…so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:18, 20–21). Moreover, the “Great Commission” of Jesus declares: “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20; compare Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47, John 20:21–22, and Acts 1:8).
The history of Christian missions
The Christian mission, the church, and Christianity—each distinguishable, but inseparably related—have experienced four major transitions in their history.
-
People
- (German theologian and church historian)"/> (German theologian and church historian)"/> Adolf von Harnack (German theologian and church historian)
- al-Ḥākim (Fāṭimid caliph)
- (Flemish theologian)"/> (Flemish theologian)"/> Cornelius Otto Jansen (Flemish theologian)
- (king of Scotland)"/> (king of Scotland)"/> David I (king of Scotland)
- (Dutch humanist and scholar)"/> (Dutch humanist and scholar)"/> Desiderius Erasmus (Dutch humanist and scholar)
- Elaine Pagels (American scholar)
- (German theologian)"/> (German theologian)"/> Ernst Troeltsch (German theologian)
- (German theologian)"/> (German theologian)"/> Ferdinand Christian Baur (German theologian)
- (king of Denmark)"/> (king of Denmark)"/> Harald I (king of Denmark)
- (Bohemian religious leader)"/> (Bohemian religious leader)"/> Jan Hus (Bohemian religious leader)
- (Czech philosopher)"/> (Czech philosopher)"/> Jerome Of Prague (Czech philosopher)
- Jesus Christ
- (English philosopher)"/> (English philosopher)"/> John Locke (English philosopher)
- John Toland (British author)
- (Mohawk chief)"/> (Mohawk chief)"/> Joseph Brant (Mohawk chief)
- (Spanish architect)"/> (Spanish architect)"/> Juan de Herrera (Spanish architect)
- Keshab Chunder Sen (Hindu philosopher and social reformer)
- (German religious philosopher)"/> (German religious philosopher)"/> Martin Buber (German religious philosopher)
- Martin E. Marty (American historian of religion)
- (mother of Jesus)"/> (mother of Jesus)"/> Mary (mother of Jesus)
- Mary Hannah Fulton (American physician and missionary)
- Matthias Flacius Illyricus (European religious reformer)
- Michael Psellus (Byzantine philosopher, theologian, and statesman)
- (Italian artist)"/> (Italian artist)"/> Michelozzo (Italian artist)
- Mieszko I (duke and prince of Poland)
- Minh Mang (emperor of Vietnam)
- (Danish bishop and poet)"/> (Danish bishop and poet)"/> N.F.S. Grundtvig (Danish bishop and poet)
- (German religious leader)"/> (German religious leader)"/> Nikolaus Ludwig, count von Zinzendorf (German religious leader)
- Nikolay Aleksandrovich Berdyayev (Russian philosopher)
- Olaf I Tryggvason (king of Norway)
- Olaf II Haraldsson (king of Norway)
- Pelagius (Christian theologian)
- (American theologian)"/> (American theologian)"/> Philip Schaff (American theologian)
- (French philosopher)"/> (French philosopher)"/> Pierre Bayle (French philosopher)
- Pseudo-Dionysius The Areopagite (Syrian author)
- (German theologian, scientist, and philosopher)"/> (German theologian, scientist, and philosopher)"/> Saint Albertus Magnus (German theologian, scientist, and philosopher)
- (Russian painter)"/> (Russian painter)"/> Saint Andrey Rublyov (Russian painter)
- (Christian bishop and theologian)"/> (Christian bishop and theologian)"/> Saint Augustine (Christian bishop and theologian)
- (Anglo-Saxon historian)"/> (Anglo-Saxon historian)"/> Saint Bede the Venerable (Anglo-Saxon historian)
- (Christian Apostle)"/> (Christian Apostle)"/> Saint Paul, the Apostle (Christian Apostle)
- Saint Theophilus of Alexandria (Egyptian theologian)
- Sir Sigmund Sternberg (British philanthropist and entrepreneur)
- (Danish philosopher)"/> (Danish philosopher)"/> Søren Kierkegaard (Danish philosopher)
- (king of Hungary)"/> (king of Hungary)"/> Stephen I (king of Hungary)
- (American missionary and educator)"/> (American missionary and educator)"/> Susan Lincoln Tolman Mills (American missionary and educator)
- Theōdūrus Abū Qurrah (Syrian bishop)
- Tu Duc (emperor of Vietnam)
- (grand prince of Kiev)"/> (grand prince of Kiev)"/> Vladimir I (grand prince of Kiev)
- (prince of Bohemia)"/> (prince of Bohemia)"/> Wenceslas I (prince of Bohemia)
- (British missionary)"/> (British missionary)"/> William Carey (British missionary)
-
Places
- Armageddon (biblical place)
- (ancient city, Israel)"/> (ancient city, Israel)"/> Caesarea (ancient city, Israel)
- (Ireland)"/> (Ireland)"/> Clonmacnoise (Ireland)
- (Spain)"/> (Spain)"/> El Escorial (Spain)
- Le Temple (prison, Paris, France)
- (monasteries, Greece)"/> (monasteries, Greece)"/> Metéora (monasteries, Greece)
- (mosque, Córdoba, Spain)"/> (mosque, Córdoba, Spain)"/> Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba (mosque, Córdoba, Spain)
- (mountain, Greece)"/> (mountain, Greece)"/> Mount Athos (mountain, Greece)
- (ridge, Jerusalem)"/> (ridge, Jerusalem)"/> Mount of Olives (ridge, Jerusalem)
- (Italy)"/> (Italy)"/> Rome (Italy)
- (monastery and church, Assisi, Italy)"/> (monastery and church, Assisi, Italy)"/> San Francesco (monastery and church, Assisi, Italy)
- School of Alexandria (institution, Alexandria, Egypt)
- (ecclesiastical state, Europe)"/> (ecclesiastical state, Europe)"/> Vatican City (ecclesiastical state, Europe)
- (Scotland, United Kingdom)"/> (Scotland, United Kingdom)"/> Whithorn (Scotland, United Kingdom)
-
Topics
- (Christianity)"/> (Christianity)"/> Annunciation (Christianity)
- apocrypha (biblical literature)
- apologetics (Christianity)
- (Christianity)"/> (Christianity)"/> Apostle (Christianity)
- (Christianity)"/> (Christianity)"/> Ascension (Christianity)
- (Christianity)"/> (Christianity)"/> Assumption (Christianity)
- (Christianity)"/> (Christianity)"/> baptism (Christianity)
- (denomination)"/> (denomination)"/> Baptist (denomination)
- (biblical literature)"/> (biblical literature)"/> Beatitude (biblical literature)
- (sacred text)"/> (sacred text)"/> Bible (sacred text)
- biblical literature
- canon law (religion)
- catechism (religious manual)
- (liturgical vessel)"/> (liturgical vessel)"/> chalice (liturgical vessel)
- (doctrine of Christ)"/> (doctrine of Christ)"/> Christology (doctrine of Christ)
- church (Christianity)
- Church Father (Christianity)
- church year (Christianity)
- city mission (Christianity)
- confirmation (Christianity)
- creationism
- (religious symbol)"/> (religious symbol)"/> cross (religious symbol)
- (Christianity)"/> (Christianity)"/> ecumenism (Christianity)
- gospel music
- heresy
- (Jesus Christ)"/> (Jesus Christ)"/> Incarnation (Jesus Christ)
- justification (Christianity)
- kerygma and catechesis (Christian theology)
- Kingdom of God (Christianity)
- Kirishitan (religion)
- (Christianity)"/> (Christianity)"/> Last Supper (Christianity)
- (philosophy and theology)"/> (philosophy and theology)"/> logos (philosophy and theology)
- Lord’s Prayer (Christianity)
- (theology)"/> (theology)"/> Mariology (theology)
- ministry (Christianity)
- moral theology
- (biblical literature)"/> (biblical literature)"/> New Testament (biblical literature)
- oratorio (music)
- (religion)"/> (religion)"/> ordination (religion)
- original sin (theology)
- Passion music (vocal music)
- patristic literature (Christianity)
- (Christianity)"/> (Christianity)"/> Protestantism (Christianity)
- Religionsgeschichtliche Schule (biblical criticism)
- Roman Catholicism
- Second Coming (Christianity)
- Sunday school
- theological liberalism (religion)
- tithe (almsgiving)
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