Christianity Guide - Book Report/Review Example

Religion 9 March Summary Christianity is a religion with a quarter of the world’s population as its followers. It is regarded as the New Testament or Covenant between Man and God although its roots in the Old Covenant and the Jewish traditions. Jesus is believed to be an entity that God sent in this world to restore peace and order and the story of the life of Jesus is reiterated in New Testament which includes Gospels, Epistles and letters. Jesus taught his followers forgiveness and conveyed God’s message to the people and it appeared as if God was acting and speaking through Jesus although Jesus himself referred to God as ‘Abba’/ Father.

This gave rise to the Christian belief that Jesus is both God and Man. This belief formed the Basis of all the other Christian Doctrines i.e. Incarnation, Christology, the Trinity and Atonement. Incarnation states that although God ruled every action of Jesus and God’s presence reflects in Jesus’ every action yet he did not overwhelm or destroy a human life. Hence Christology states that Jesus was the only human being who reflects the two sides of human nature i.e. the divine and the human.

While according to the Doctrine of Trinity everything that God is has always been that which has been revealed through Christ. Atonement is a doctrine that describes how sin can be forgiven by God. In Christian theology the atonement refers to the forgiving or pardoning of sin through the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion, which made possible the reconciliation between God and his creation. The teachings of Jesus were a summary of everything that was states in the Jewish Bible. It demanded love for one’s neighbors, fellow men and God.

Jesus through his preaching also promised his followers that even after his death he will continue to pray for their well fare and will always guide them. In the beginning Church was used as a metaphor for Christ as the head ruling power over his followers. However in the second century the definition changed because in Roman Catholicism Church comprised of a Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, monks and nuns, and the laity. Christianity declared creed as the minimal statements of true belief although two creeds that are still used are the Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed.

However major divisions appeared between Western and Eastern or Orthodox Christianity. The word Incarnation is driven from a Latin word in carne meaning ‘in flesh or body’ and illustrate that God came in this world as a man and this man was Jesus. This concept is driven from is Jesus’ own New Testament that it was not himself but the God the Father that gave him the power to heal and restore and heal people, forgive them and sometimes judge them. The last meal that Jesus had with his disciples is known as The Last Supper before he left for Jerusalem and it is believed that he was aware that death awaited him their because he told his disciples that all the God’s teaching that he had preached will remain with them even after he died.

Hence Christians believe that Jesus’ death opens way to eternal life for all. Jesus’ refusal to submit to the authority of the High Priest and it was an offense punishable by death and hence this led to the crucifixion of the Christ. However according to Christian believes his crucifixion means atonement or at-onement with God. Christians perceive Jesus’ resurrection as the path-finding demonstration of the life that waits after death: hence it carries human life over the next step in its unfolding into God.

The church in Christianity is referred to as the body of the Christ. It also symbolizes all the teachings of Jesus and follows in the foot steps of Jesus’ preaching. There are two sacraments that come from Jesus’ commands: Baptism and Eucharist. Baptism is the act of sacrament through which an individual is accepted in the Church. While Eucharist that is also known as the Last Supper or Mass is when a believer receives bread and wine of the Last Supper that is symbolic of an assurance that he is with them.

In 1450s when printing press was introduced preaching of Christianity were formed in the form of a scripture in order to preserve them. Although in 1500s a new Protestant Church was introduced that stated that the scriptures should not be the property of the Catholic Churches. These books should be accessible to the common man as religion is about the relation of a man with Christ without the interference of a Pope or a priest. According to the teachings of Jesus every man will be accountable for his every god and bad action in this world to God and will be questioned about it on the Day of Judgment.

However salvation cannot be achieved only on the basis of good actions so St. Paul stresses that through Christ’s death God has forgiven and canceled all the charges. Hence this is a common belief in Christianity about mercy and benevolence of Christ and God.