Lesson 3: Beliefs of Christianity

Early Christians first used the Hebrew Bible, which they called the Old Testament. They later added their own sacred writings to create the New Testament. This new collection, written in Greek between 50 and 150 CE, includes:

• The Gospels: Four books describing Jesus’s life and teachings.
• The Epistles: Letters from early leaders explaining Christian beliefs.
• Revelation: A book predicting future events.

Together, these two testaments form the complete Christian Bible, the foundation of the faith.

A central Christian belief is that Jesus is the Son of God, existing in human form. His crucifixion is seen as proof of his humanity, while his resurrection—rising from the dead—is seen as proof of his divinity. Christians believe that through faith in Jesus's sacrifice and resurrection, they can receive forgiveness for their sins and achieve eternal salvation. This core belief, explained in the New Testament, is a key difference from Judaism.

Although Christians are monotheistic, they believe God exists in three forms, known as the Trinity. This concept is a core element of the faith that explains God's nature. The three persons are:

• God the Father: The creator of the universe.
• Jesus the Son: God in human form, as you learned in the previous summary.
• The Holy Spirit: The power of God experienced by people on Earth.

This idea helps explain the different ways God interacts with the world.

Jesus's teachings, found in the Gospels, provide an ethical guide for how to live. A key part of this is the "Golden Rule": treat others as you would like to be treated. Jesus also emphasized love, mercy, and compassion, especially for the poor and marginalized. Following these ethical principles is as important as faith for living a Christian life, as it requires putting core beliefs about loving others into everyday, practical action.

Christians express their faith through shared practices, even across different denominations like Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. These practices include:

• Observing Sunday as a day of rest and prayer.
• Participating in Holy Communion (Eucharist).
• Celebrating major holidays like Christmas (Jesus's birth) and Easter (his resurrection).

These rituals help unite believers and reinforce the core beliefs about Jesus's life, death, and divinity, connecting practice directly to faith.

While Christianity and Judaism are distinct religions, they share significant historical and ethical foundations, known as the Judeo-Christian tradition. Both faiths:

• Are monotheistic, believing in one God.
• Consider the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) sacred scripture.
• Share ethical teachings, such as the Ten Commandments.

This shared heritage has deeply influenced laws, art, and culture in many parts of the world, showing how different faiths can have connected roots.