Christian Church

We explain what the Christian Church is, its history and its mission. Also, the differences between the various Christian churches.

What is the Christian Church?

The term “Christian Church” is used to refer to all the faithful of Christianity and the various churches that are part of this religion. It is the group of people who share faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of the world, and who focus on the teachings of Jesus as found in the New Testament of the Bible.

Throughout its history, Christianity It was divided into different denominations (branches) due to differences over certain beliefs, practices, traditions and forms of organization. Although all of them share the faith in Jesus Christ, they differ in theological, liturgical and ecclesiastical government aspects. Among these Christian denominations are:

• Catholic church. It is directed by the Pope and is the denomination with the largest number of faithful.
• orthodox church. It separated from the Catholic Church in the 11th century. It is organized in autonomous patriarchates and does not recognize the authority of the pope.
• Protestantism. He separated from the Catholic Church in the 16th century and, in turn, founded different churches, such as Lutheran, Anglican, Evangelical, Calvinist and Methodist.

Christianity It is the largest monotheistic religion in the world and exceeds two billion faithful, which constitutes more than 25% of the population. Throughout history, it has had a great influence on culture, politics and society.

History of the Christian Church

The history of the Christian Church began with the life of Jesus of Nazareth and the formation of the first communities of faithful. From its beginnings, the Church expanded and evolved, developing ecclesiastical structures and fundamental doctrines. Over the centuries, it has experienced significant divisions and reforms, and has adapted to historical and social changes.

The Christian Church has profoundly influenced Western civilization and in many other cultures, leaving a lasting legacy in theology, art, ethics and social institutions. Today, it continues to be a relevant force in the contemporary world.

Early Christianity

The Christian Church It was founded by the apostles of Jesus of Nazareth, after his crucifixion and death as a way to perpetuate his teachings, disseminate his miracles and preach his return to judge all of humanity. The period of Christian history that elapsed from its foundation until the 4th century AD. C. is known as “primitive Christianity.”

During the first decades after the death of Christ, His cult expanded rapidly throughout the Roman Empire and Christian communities were formed in important cities, such as Antioch, Alexandria and Rome. These first congregations of Christians were led by a priest or bishop who was chosen from among the faithful.

The first Christians used the scriptures of Judaism as the foundation of their religion (Old Testament) and wrote their own texts with the teachings of Jesus. This new corpus later became the New Testament and included the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), the Pauline letters, and other apostolic writings.

At that time, there were many debates about the nature of Jesus and his teachings which led to the existence of different groups that proclaimed their own vision of Christianity as the true path of faith. At the same time, Christians were persecuted by the authorities of the Roman Empire, which strengthened their cohesion and commitment as a community.

The Roman Catholic Apostolic Church

During the first centuries, Christianity had spread throughout various parts of the Roman Empire, especially among the popular sectors of the population. However, at the beginning of the 4th century AD. C., the word of Jesus had reached the upper sectors of society. In the year 313 AD. C., the Roman emperor Constantine the Great converted to Christianity and, under his leadership, the Christian Church reached different places of power.

In the year 325 AD. C., the Council of Nicaea was held, in which Christian bishops from different parts of the world met to unify criteria. This council established the Nicene Creed, which defined Christian theology and doctrine, created a hierarchical ecclesiastical structure, and strengthened the role of the bishop of Rome (who later became the pope).

Medieval Christianity

During the Middle Ages, Christianity consolidated and expanded throughout Europe. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church became a central force in spiritual and political life. Christian beliefs spread among the Germanic peoples, Slavs and other European tribes. Furthermore, the power of the pope (bishop of Rome) as the main leader of the Christian community was consolidated.

In this era, monastic orders appeared which are religious communities that follow a specific rule of life, dedicated to contemplation, prayer and service to God. These communities lived in monasteries, where monks or nuns committed themselves to living in celibacy, obedience and poverty, seeking spiritual perfection through community life and discipline.

On the other hand, the history of medieval Christianity was crossed by different conflicts.

• The Great Schism of East and West. In the year 1054 AD. C., Christianity was divided between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church due to theological, political and liturgical differences.
• The crusades. In the 11th century, the pope ordered a series of wars to conquer the lands of Israel and Palestine (where Jerusalem is located) from Muslim rule. These wars had significant political and social consequences in both Europe and the Middle East.
• Heresies and reformist movements. These conflicts arose due to the different interpretations of Christian doctrine and the responses of the pope, who sought to impose his power and doctrine on the entire Christian community. The Inquisition was created to eradicate heterodox beliefs and maintain Catholic orthodoxy.

Christianity in the Modern Age

The Modern Age in the history of Christianity It began with the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century led by Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli. This movement questioned the authority of the Pope of Rome and the power structure of the Catholic Church, and led to the formation of various Protestant denominations. In response, The Catholic Church began the Counter-Reformation and reinforced its doctrine and practices through the Council of Trent.

This period also witnessed the global expansion of Christianity through European colonialism. In America, Christian missions played a crucial role in the colonization and conversion of indigenous populations to Catholic Christianity. In Africa and Asia, missionaries faced various cultural and religious challenges as they attempted to establish Christian communities and spread the teaching of Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, the Enlightenment movement in the 18th century questioned traditional beliefs and the authority of religious institutions, especially the Catholic Church. Thinkers, politicians and different cultural agents advocated the separation between Church and State, and encouraged the development of secularism and freedom of thought.

Function and mission of the Christian Church

The purpose of the Christian Church is perpetuate the teachings of Jesus Christ and lead humanity to salvation and eternal life in the kingdom of God. In that sense, it fulfills two fundamental roles, which are:

• Evangelization. It consists of bringing the word of Christ to non-believers, to try to convert them to Christianity and thus give them the opportunity to be saved when the Final Judgment arrives.
• The perpetuation of the Christian legacy. It consists of preserving the word of Christ and the account of his sayings, works and miracles, through fundamental Christian rites and the reading of the Holy Scriptures. Only in this way can Christians stay on the right path.

In other times, the Christian Church also played an important role in preserving the moral, social and political order. In that sense, it was a powerful institution, capable of persecuting and torturing those it considered infidels or heretics, confiscating other people's property and other forceful measures.

Difference between Christians, Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox

Christians are all those who practice Christianity (or who have been educated in the moral and cultural values ​​of Christian civilization). Therefore, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants are Christians. However, these are distinguished from each other by a series of doctrinal and ritual elements.

Catholics	Protestants	Orthodox
Their version of Christianity is unified in the doctrine of the Apostolic Catholic Church.	His version of Christianity moves away from Catholic doctrine. They reject papal authority, emphasize salvation through faith (and not through the intermediation of priests) and establish the free interpretation of the Bible.	Their version of Christianity differs from the Catholic one. They reject papal authority, propose a doctrine faithful to the teachings of the Holy Fathers of the Church and profess a ceremonial liturgy with greater emphasis on sacramental life.
They believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God and messiah of ancient Hebrew prophecies, but also in the holiness of the Virgin Mary (in her numerous appearances) and in the rest of the Catholic saints as intermediaries between the faithful and God.	They believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God and messiah of the ancient Hebrew prophecies, but not in the saints or intermediaries between the faithful and God. In their churches, images are not venerated nor is Jesus Christ shown on the cross on the main altar.	They believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God and messiah of ancient Hebrew prophecies and consider Mary an important symbol of Christian humanity, but do not profess her holiness. In their churches, three-dimensional images are not venerated.
They grant the pope in the Vatican the role of spiritual and doctrinal leader of Christianity, and consider him the visible head of the Christian Church. Furthermore, its priests and nuns are celibate and live consecrated to God.	They have no figure of supreme ecclesiastical or hierarchical authority. Pastors can be men and women who are committed to teaching the word of God and caring for their faithful.	Each Orthodox church is governed by an independent patriarch, who serves as worship leader and religious authority. Among all the patriarchs, the one of Constantinople (Istanbul) plays a predominant role, without having papal authority.
They read the Bible (Old and New Testament) and Catholic authors, and identify themselves with the sign of the cross. Their rites were traditionally in Latin.	They read the Bible (Old and New Testament) and identify themselves with the sign of the cross. Their rites have always been in the vernacular language.	They read the Bible (Old and New Testament) under the guidance of the Holy Christian Fathers, as well as Orthodox Christian literature. They identify themselves with the sign of the cross (with two arms instead of one). Their rites were traditionally done in Greek.

What is evangelical Christianity?

Evangelical Christianity is one of the numerous Protestant churches that distanced themselves from the Catholic creed and papal authority in the 15th century. It is a specific Protestant movement, which gained great popularity between the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, and which centers its doctrine on “faith alone” in salvation through Jesus Christ.

Within Protestantism as a whole, evangelicals tend to constitute the most conservative religious element, unlike other more liberal and modern Protestant churches. In addition, they are famous for their massive and charismatic rites, in which there are usually rites of healing by faith (with the laying on of hands by the pastor), acts of giving of tongues and similar manifestations.

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References

• Ackermann, M. (2008). Christianity, early. Encyclopedia of World Historyvol. YO: The Ancient World. Prehistoric Eras to 600 CE Facts on File.
• Ackermann, M. (2008). Crusades; Heresies, pre-Reformation; Inquisition; Mendicants; Rome, papacy in Renaissance. Encyclopedia of World Historyvol. II: The Expanding World. 600 CE to 1450. Facts on File.
• Benz, F. et al. (2024). Christianity. Encyclopedia Britannica.
  https://www.britannica.com/
• Ellwood, RR and Alles, GD (Eds.). (2007). Christianity. The Encyclopedia of World Religions. Facts on File.