A brief message about the Christian religion. Orthodoxy is not Christianity. How historical myths appeared

The most powerful, influential and numerous of all the main ones existing today, ahead of Buddhism and Islam, is Christianity. The essence of religion, which breaks down into so-called churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and others), as well as many sects, lies in the veneration and worship of one divine being, in other words, the God-man, whose name is Jesus Christ. Christians believe that he is the true son of God, that he is the Messiah, that he was sent to Earth for the salvation of the world and all humanity.

The religion of Christianity originated in distant Palestine in the first century AD. e. Already in the first years of its existence it had many adherents. The main reason the emergence of Christianity, according to the clergy, was the preaching activity of a certain Jesus Christ, who, being essentially a half-god, half-man, came to us in human form, in order to bring people the truth, and even scientists do not deny its existence. About the first coming of Christ (second christian world only awaits) four sacred books were written, which are called the Gospels. In written by his apostles (Matthew, John, as well as Mark and Luke, disciples of the other two and Peter) scriptures it tells about the miraculous birth of the boy Jesus in the glorious city of Bethlehem, how he grew up, and how he began to preach.

The main ideas of his new religious teaching were the following: the belief that he, Jesus, really is the Messiah, that he is the son of God, that there will be his second coming, there will be the end of the world and the resurrection from the dead. With his sermons, he called for loving one's neighbors and helping those in need. His Divine origin was proven by the miracles with which he accompanied his teachings. Many sick people were healed by his word or touch, he raised the dead three times, walked on water, turned it into wine and fed about five thousand people with just two fish and five cakes.

He expelled all merchants from the Jerusalem Temple, thereby showing that dishonest people have no place in the saints and noble deeds. Then there was the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, accusations of deliberate blasphemy and brazen encroachment on the royal throne and a death sentence. He died, being crucified on the cross, having taken upon himself torment for all human sins. Three days later, Jesus Christ was resurrected and then ascended to heaven. About the religion Christianity says the following: there are two places, two special spaces that are inaccessible to people during earthly life. and paradise. Hell is a place of terrible torment, located somewhere in the bowels of the earth, and heaven is a place of universal bliss, and only God himself will decide who is sent where.

The religion of Christianity is based on several dogmas. The first is that the Second is that he is trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The birth of Jesus occurred by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; God became incarnate in the Virgin Mary. Jesus was crucified and then died to atone for human sins, after which he was resurrected. At the end of time Christ will come to judge the world and the dead will rise. Divine and human nature inextricably united in the image of Jesus Christ.

All religions of the world have certain canons and commandments, but Christianity preaches to love God with all your heart, and also to love your neighbor as yourself. Without loving your neighbor, you cannot love God.

The religion of Christianity has its adherents in almost every country, half of all Christians are concentrated in Europe, including Russia, one quarter - in North America, one sixth - in the South, and significantly fewer believers in Africa, Australia and

The topic related to the emergence of early Christianity is quite interesting and deep. Let's try to understand as briefly as possible the question of who Christians are and when this arose. And it all started with the events of the Gospel, with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth.

Who are Christians

Christians are those people who believed in the teachings of Jesus and that he was the long-awaited messiah who came to save people. Christianity is the most widespread and numerous in terms of the number of adherents world religion, numbering about two-plus billion believers.

The first Christians appeared on the land of Palestine in the 1st century among the Jews as a messianic movement of Old Testament Judaism. At the time, Christianity was preached in a creed that is rooted in Old Testament Judaism.

Ancient Christians

Jesus Christ was circumcised, attended synagogue on Saturday, observed the Torah and religious holidays, in general, he was raised as a real Jew. His disciples, who later became apostles, were Jews. Three and a half years after the death of the first martyr Stephen and after the crucifixion of Jesus, Christianity began to spread throughout the Holy Land and throughout the Roman Empire.

From the Gospel in the text of the Acts of the Apostles, the word “Christians” was first designated, and it was interpreted as “people who supported the new faith in Antioch” (a Syriac-Hellenistic city of the 1st century).

A few decades later, a huge number of followers of the faith appeared. These were the first Christians from pagan peoples, who became such, largely thanks to the Apostle Paul.

Edict of Milan

For three centuries Christians were persecuted and betrayed martyrdom, if they did not renounce the teachings of Jesus and refused to sacrifice to pagan idols.

When asking who Christians are, it must be said that Christianity as a state religion was first established in 301. In 313 the Edict of Milan was signed. This letter was also endorsed by the Roman emperors Constantine and Licinius. The document itself became important point on its way as the official religion of the Empire.

Until the 5th century, Christianity spread mainly within the Roman Empire and then in the sphere of cultural influence in Armenia, Ethiopia, eastern Syria, and in the second half of the first millennium it came to the Germanic and Slavic peoples. And later, from the 13th to the 14th centuries, to the Finnish and Baltic peoples. Into the new and modern times Christianity spread outside Europe thanks to missionary activity and colonial expansion.

Split of the Christian Church

In the topic entitled “Who are Christians”, it is necessary to note the fact that in 1054 a schism occurred: the Christian Church was divided into Orthodox and Catholic. In turn, the latter, as a result of the reformation movement in the 16th century, formed a Protestant branch. The Orthodox Church has maintained its relative unity to this day. Thus, three major Christian movements emerged: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Became a single organism controlled from general center- Vatican. But there are many Orthodox churches, the largest of them is Russian. Among them there is Eucharistic communion, which presupposes the possibility of celebrating liturgies together.

As for Protestantism, it has become that motley Christian direction, which consists of a large number of independent denominations with varying degrees of recognition by other directions of Christianity.

Russian Orthodoxy

By the 9th century, Orthodox Christians appeared in Rus'. The proximity to the powerful Byzantium influenced this process. The first preachers were Cyril and Methodius, who were engaged in educational activities.

Also, Princess Olga of Kiev was the first to be baptized (in 954), and then her grandson, Prince Vladimir, baptized Rus' (988).

The word “orthodoxy” itself is translated from Greek as “correct teaching,” “judgment,” or “glorification” (“glorification”). In Rus', the earliest use of this word in writing was found in the first Russian (1037 - 1050) in the “Sermon on Law and Grace”. But the term “Orthodox” itself began to be used in official language churches in Rus' by the end of the 14th century and was already actively used in the 16th century.

Christianity is one of the world religions along with Buddhism and Judaism. Behind thousand-year history it underwent changes that led to branches from a single religion. The main ones are Orthodoxy, Protestantism and Catholicism. Christianity also has other movements, but usually they are classified as sectarian and are condemned by representatives of generally recognized movements.

Differences between Orthodoxy and Christianity

What is the difference between these two concepts? Everything is very simple. All Orthodox are Christians, but not all Christians are Orthodox. Followers, united by the confession of this world religion, are divided by belonging to a separate direction, one of which is Orthodoxy. To understand how Orthodoxy differs from Christianity, you need to turn to the history of the emergence of world religion.

Origins of religions

It is believed that Christianity arose in the 1st century. from the birth of Christ in Palestine, although some sources claim that it became known two centuries earlier. People who preached the faith were waiting for God to come to earth. The doctrine absorbed the foundations of Judaism and philosophical directions At that time, he was greatly influenced by the political situation.

The spread of this religion was greatly facilitated by the preaching of the apostles, especially Paul. Many pagans were converted to the new faith, and this process continued for a long time. IN currently Christianity has the most a large number of followers compared to other world religions.

Orthodox Christianity began to stand out only in Rome in the 10th century. AD, and was officially approved in 1054. Although its origins can be dated back to the 1st century. from the birth of Christ. Orthodox believe that the history of their religion began immediately after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, when the apostles preached a new creed and attracted everyone to religion large quantity of people.

By the 2nd-3rd centuries. Orthodoxy opposed Gnosticism, which rejected the authenticity of history Old Testament and interpreter New Testament in a different way that does not correspond to the generally accepted one. Confrontation was also observed in relations with the followers of the presbyter Arius, who formed a new movement - Arianism. According to their ideas, Christ did not have a divine nature and was only a mediator between God and people.

On the doctrine of the emerging Orthodoxy The Ecumenical Councils had a great influence, supported by a number of Byzantine emperors. Seven Councils, convened over five centuries, established the basic axioms subsequently accepted in modern Orthodoxy, in particular, they confirmed the divine origin of Jesus, which was disputed in a number of teachings. This strengthened the Orthodox faith and allowed more and more people to join it.

In addition to Orthodoxy and small heretical teachings, which quickly faded in the process of developing stronger trends, Catholicism emerged from Christianity. This was facilitated by the split of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern. Huge differences in social, political and religious views led to the collapse of a single religion into the Roman Catholic and Orthodox, which at first was called Eastern Catholic. The head of the first church was the Pope, the second - the patriarch. Their mutual separation of each other from the common faith led to a split in Christianity. The process began in 1054 and ended in 1204 with the fall of Constantinople.

Although Christianity was adopted in Rus' back in 988, it was not affected by the schism process. The official division of the church occurred only several decades later, but At the baptism of Rus', Orthodox customs were immediately introduced, formed in Byzantium and borrowed from there.

Strictly speaking, the term Orthodoxy was practically never found in ancient sources; instead, the word Orthodoxy was used. According to a number of researchers, these concepts were previously given different meaning(orthodoxy meant one of the Christian directions, and Orthodoxy was almost a pagan faith). Subsequently, they began to be given a similar meaning, made synonyms and replaced one with another.

Fundamentals of Orthodoxy

Faith in Orthodoxy is the essence of all divine teaching. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, compiled during the convening of the Second Ecumenical Council, is the basis of the doctrine. The ban on changing any provisions in this system of dogmas has been in effect since the Fourth Council.

Based on the Creed, Orthodoxy is based on the following dogmas:

The desire to deserve eternal life in heaven after death is the main goal of those who profess the religion in question. True Orthodox Christian must throughout his life follow the commandments handed down to Moses and confirmed by Christ. According to them, you need to be kind and merciful, love God and your neighbors. The commandments indicate that all hardships and hardships must be endured resignedly and even joyfully; despondency is one of the deadly sins.

Differences from other Christian denominations

Compare Orthodoxy with Christianity possible by comparing its main directions. They are closely related to each other, since they are united in one world religion. However, there are huge differences between them on a number of issues:

Thus, the differences between directions are not always controversial nature. There are more similarities between Catholicism and Protestantism, since the latter appeared as a result of the schism of the Roman- catholic church in the 16th century. If desired, the currents could be reconciled. But this has not happened for many years and is not expected in the future.

Attitudes towards other religions

Orthodoxy is tolerant of confessors of other religions. However, without condemning and peacefully coexisting with them, this movement recognizes them as heretical. It is believed that of all religions, only one is true; its confession leads to the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. This dogma is contained in the very name of the movement, indicating that this religion is correct and opposite to other movements. Nevertheless, Orthodoxy recognizes that Catholics and Protestants are also not deprived of the grace of God, since, although they glorify Him differently, the essence of their faith is the same.

By comparison, Catholics consider the only possibility of salvation to be the practice of their religion, while others, including Orthodoxy, are false. The task of this church is to convince all dissenters. The Pope is the head christian church, although in Orthodoxy this thesis is refuted.

The support of the Orthodox Church by secular authorities and their close cooperation led to an increase in the number of followers of the religion and its development. In a number of countries Orthodoxy is practiced most of population. These include:

A large number of temples are being built in these countries, Sunday schools, in secular educational institutions Subjects dedicated to the study of Orthodoxy are introduced. Popularization has reverse side: Often people who consider themselves Orthodox have a superficial attitude towards performing rituals and do not comply with the prescribed moral principles.

You can perform rituals and treat shrines differently, have different views for the purpose of their own stay on earth, but ultimately everyone who professes Christianity united by faith in one God. The concept of Christianity is not identical to Orthodoxy, but includes it. Maintain moral principles and be sincere in your relationships with By Higher Powers- the basis of any religion.

The emergence of Orthodoxy Historically, it so happened that on the territory of Russia, for the most part, several Great World Religions found their place and from time immemorial peacefully coexisted. Paying tribute to other Religions, I want to draw your attention to Orthodoxy as the main religion of Russia.
Christianity(emerged in Palestine in the 1st century AD from Judaism and received new development after the break with Judaism in the 2nd century) - one of the three main world religions (along with Buddhism And Islam).

During the formation Christianity broke up into three main branches :
- Catholicism ,
- Orthodoxy ,
- Protestantism ,
each of which began to form its own ideology, which practically did not coincide with other branches.

ORTHODOXY(which means to correctly glorify God) is one of the directions of Christianity, which became isolated and organizationally formed in the 11th century as a result of the division of churches. The split occurred in the period of time from the 60s. 9th century until the 50s XI century As a result of the schism in the eastern part of the former Roman Empire, a confession arose, which in Greek began to be called orthodoxy (from the words “orthos” - “straight”, “correct” and “doxos” - “opinion”, “judgment”, “teaching”) , and in Russian-language theology - Orthodoxy, and in the western part - a confession that its followers called Catholicism (from the Greek “catolikos” - “universal”, “ecumenical”). Orthodoxy arose in the territory Byzantine Empire. Initially, it did not have a church center, since the church power of Byzantium was concentrated in the hands of four patriarchs: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. As the Byzantine Empire collapsed, each of the ruling patriarchs headed an independent (autocephalous) Orthodox Church. Subsequently, autocephalous and autonomous churches arose in other countries, mainly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

Orthodoxy is characterized by a complex, detailed cult. The most important postulates of the Orthodox faith are the dogmas of the trinity of God, the incarnation of God, the atonement, the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. It is believed that dogmas are not subject to change and clarification, not only in content, but also in form.
The religious basis of Orthodoxy is Holy Scripture (Bible) And Sacred Tradition .

The clergy in Orthodoxy is divided into white (married parish priests) and black (monastics who take a vow of celibacy). Available for men's and nunneries. Only a monk can become a bishop. Currently in Orthodoxy there are distinguished

• Local Churches
• Constantinople
• Alexandria
• Antioch
• Jerusalem
• Georgian
• Serbian
• Romanian
• Bulgarian
• Cyprus
• Hellasic
• Albanian
• Polish
• Czecho-Slovak
• American
• Japanese
• Chinese

The Russian Orthodox Church is part of the Churches of Ecumenical Orthodoxy.

Orthodoxy in Rus'

The history of the Orthodox Church in Russia remains to this day one of the least developed areas of Russian historiography.

The history of the Russian Orthodox Church was not unambiguous: it was contradictory, replete with internal conflicts, reflecting social contradictions throughout its journey.

The introduction of Christianity in Rus' was a natural phenomenon for the reason that in the 8th - 9th centuries. The early feudal class system begins to emerge.

Major events in history Russian Orthodoxy. In the history of Russian Orthodoxy, nine main events, nine main historical milestones can be distinguished. Here's what they look like in chronological order.

First milestone - 988. This year's event was called: “The Baptism of Rus'”. But this figurative expression. But in fact the following processes took place: the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion Kievan Rus and the formation of the Russian Christian Church (in the next century it will be called the Russian Orthodox Church). A symbolic action that showed that Christianity had become the state religion was the mass baptism of Kiev residents in the Dnieper.

Second milestone - 1448. This year, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) became autocephalous. Until this year, the Russian Orthodox Church was integral part Patriarchate of Constantinople. Autocephaly (from the Greek words “auto” - “himself” and “mullet” - “head”) meant complete independence. This year Grand Duke Vasily Vasilyevich, nicknamed the Dark (in 1446 he was blinded by his rivals in the inter-feudal struggle), ordered the metropolitan not to be accepted from the Greeks, but to be chosen local cathedral his metropolitan. On church cathedral in Moscow in 1448, Bishop Jonah of Ryazan was elected the first metropolitan of the autocephalous church. The Patriarch of Constantinople recognized the autocephaly of the Russian Orthodox Church. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire (1553), after the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, the Russian Orthodox Church, being the largest and most significant among the Orthodox Churches, became a natural stronghold of Ecumenical Orthodoxy. And to this day the Russian Orthodox Church claims to be the “third Rome”.

Third milestone - 1589. Until 1589, the Russian Orthodox Church was headed by a metropolitan, and therefore it was called a metropolitanate. In 1589, the patriarch began to lead it, and the Russian Orthodox Church became a patriarchate. Patriarch is the highest rank in Orthodoxy. The establishment of the patriarchate raised the role of the Russian Orthodox Church both in the internal life of the country and in international relations. At the same time, the importance of royal power, which no longer relied on the metropolitanate, but on the patriarchate. It was possible to establish the Patriarchate under Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, and main merit in raising the level of church organization in Rus' belongs to the Tsar's first minister Boris Godunov. It was he who invited the Patriarch of Constantinople Jeremiah to Russia and obtained his consent to establish the patriarchate in Rus'.

Fourth milestone - 1656. This year the Moscow Local Council anathematized the Old Believers. This decision of the council revealed the existence of a schism in the church. A denomination separated from the church, which began to be called the Old Believers. In his further development The Old Believers turned into a set of confessions. The main reason for the split, according to historians, was social contradictions in Russia at that time. Representatives of those social strata of the population who were dissatisfied with their position became Old Believers. Firstly, many peasants became Old Believers, whom late XVI century they finally enslaved, abolishing the right to transfer to another feudal lord on the so-called “St. George’s Day”. Secondly, part of the merchants joined the Old Believer movement, because the tsar and feudal lords economic policy the support of foreign merchants prevented the development of their trade, Russian merchants. And finally, some well-born boyars, dissatisfied with the loss of a number of their privileges, also joined the Old Believers. The reason for the schism was the church reform, which was carried out by the highest clergy under the leadership of Patriarch Nikon. In particular, the reform provided for the replacement of some old rituals with new ones: instead of two-fingered, three-fingered, instead of bowing to the ground during worship, waist bows, instead of a procession around the temple in the direction of the sun, a procession against the sun, etc. The breakaway religious movement advocated the preservation of the old rituals, this explains its Name.

Fifth milestone - 1667. The Moscow Local Council of 1667 found Patriarch Nikon guilty of blaspheming Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, deprived him of his rank (declared him a simple monk) and sentenced him to exile in a monastery. At the same time, the cathedral anathematized the Old Believers for the second time. The council was held with the participation of the patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch.

Sixth milestone - 1721. Peter I established the highest church body, which was called the Holy Synod. This government act completed the church reforms carried out by Peter I. When Patriarch Adrian died in 1700, the tsar “temporarily” prohibited the election of a new patriarch. This “temporary” period of abolition of the patriarchal elections lasted 217 years (until 1917)! At first, the church was led by the Spiritual College established by the tsar. In 1721, the Spiritual College was replaced by the Holy Synod. All members of the Synod (and there were 11 of them) were appointed and removed by the tsar. At the head of the Synod, as a minister, was a government official appointed and removed by the tsar, whose position was called “chief prosecutor.” Holy Synod" If all members of the Synod were required to be priests, then this was optional for the chief prosecutor. Thus, in the 18th century, more than half of all chief prosecutors were military men. Church reforms Peter I made the Russian Orthodox Church part of the state apparatus.

Seventh milestone - 1917. This year the patriarchate was restored in Russia. On August 15, 1917, for the first time after a break of more than two centuries, a council was convened in Moscow to elect a patriarch. On October 31 (November 13, new style), the council elected three candidates for patriarchs. On November 5 (18), in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the elder monk Alexy drew lots from the casket. The lot fell on Metropolitan Tikhon of Moscow. At the same time, the Church experienced severe persecution from Soviet power and suffered a series of splits. On January 20, 1918, the Council of People's Commissars adopted the Decree on Freedom of Conscience, which “separated the church from the state.” Each person received the right “to profess any religion or not to profess any.” Any infringement of rights on the basis of faith was prohibited. The decree also “separated the school from the church.” The teaching of the Law of God was prohibited in schools. After October, Patriarch Tikhon at first made sharp denunciations of Soviet power, but in 1919 he took a more restrained position, calling on the clergy not to participate in the political struggle. However, about 10 thousand representatives Orthodox clergy were among the victims civil war. The Bolsheviks shot priests who served thanksgiving services after the fall of local Soviet power. Some priests accepted Soviet power in 1921-1922. began the "renovationism" movement. The part that did not accept this movement and did not have time or did not want to emigrate, went underground and formed the so-called “catacomb church.” In 1923, at a local council of renovationist communities, programs for the radical renewal of the Russian Orthodox Church were considered. At the council, Patriarch Tikhon was deposed and full support for Soviet power was proclaimed. Patriarch Tikhon anathematized the Renovationists. In 1924, the Supreme Church Council was transformed into a renovationist Synod headed by the Metropolitan. Some of the clergy and believers who found themselves in exile formed the so-called “Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.” Until 1928, the Russian Orthodox Church abroad maintained close contacts with the Russian Orthodox Church, however, these contacts were subsequently terminated. In the 1930s, the church was on the verge of extinction. Only in 1943 did its slow revival as a Patriarchy begin. In total, during the war years, the church collected over 300 million rubles for military needs. Many priests fought in partisan detachments and army, were awarded military orders. During the long blockade of Leningrad, eight Orthodox churches. After the death of I. Stalin, the authorities’ policy towards the church again became tougher. In the summer of 1954, a decision was made by the Party Central Committee to intensify anti-religious propaganda. Nikita Khrushchev made a sharp speech against religion and the church at the same time.

Christianity (from the Greek Christos, literally - anointed one) is one of the three world religions that arose in the 1st century AD. in Palestine, in the center of which stands the image of the God-man - Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sins of humanity with his martyrdom on the cross and revealed the last way to reunification with God. IN modern times this term is used for characteristics of three main directions of Christianity: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. Now, according to the UN, there are 1.5 billion Christians in the world, according to UNESCO 1.3 billion.

Unlike other religions, Christianity was given to man by God. Any Christian will tell you this, because this position is part of his faith, but people who are somewhat far from Christianity (or simply curious scientists) have spent comparative analysis history of religious teachings, came to the conclusion that Christianity has absorbed various ethical and philosophical ideas other religions, for example, such as Judaism, Mithraism and the views of ancient Eastern religions.

Christianity came out of the Jewish environment. One of the confirmations can be the following words of Christ: “Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets; I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:27) and the very fact that Jesus was born into the Jewish people, which within the framework of Judaism and waited for his Messiah. Subsequently, Judaism was rethought by Christianity in the direction of deepening the moral religious aspect, which established love for all things as the basic principle.

Jesus Christ is a historical figure. This is the opinion of representatives of one of the main schools studying this issue. Representatives of the other believe that Jesus is a rather mythological person. According to the latter, modern science lacks specific historical data about this person. In their eyes, the Gospels lack historical accuracy, since they were written many years after the events took place, repeat other eastern religions and suffer from a large number of contradictions. Actually, the historical sources of the beginning of the 1st century do not at all reflect either the preaching activity of Christ or information about the miracles he performed.
The historical school cites the following facts as evidence of the real existence of Jesus Christ: the reality of the characters spoken of in the New Testament, a number historical sources, containing information about Christ, the most famous of which is considered to be the “Antiquities” of Josephus.
It is worth noting that in last years Most religious scholars, as well as Christians themselves, take the position that Jesus Christ really existed.

In Christianity, there are 10 basic commandments that a person must live by. Written on stone tablets, they were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.
1. I am the Lord your God... You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. Don't make yourself an idol.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Dedicate the seventh day to the Lord your God.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. Don't kill.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. Do not covet anything that your neighbor has.

The Sermon on the Mount is of great importance for Christian understanding and guidance in life. The Sermon on the Mount is considered to be the core of the teachings of Jesus Christ. In it, God the Son gave the people the so-called beatitudes (“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (hereinafter - Matthew 5:3 -16) and revealed the understanding of the 10 commandments. Thus, the commandment “You shall not murder; whoever kills shall be liable to judgment” turns into “Whoever is angry with his brother without cause will be liable to judgment” (Matthew 5:17-37), “You shall not commit adultery” - in “...everyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart...” (Matthew 5:17-37) It was in the Sermon on the Mount that the following thoughts were heard: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.” you and pray for those who curse you" (Matthew 5:38-48; 6:1-8), "Judge not, lest you be judged..." (Matthew 7:1-14), "Ask, and it will be given to you "Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you; for everyone who asks receives" (Matthew 7:1-14). "In everything therefore, whatever you want people to do to you, do so also to them; For this is the law and the prophets" (Matthew 7:1-14).

The Bible is the holy book of Christians. It consists of two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The latter, in turn, consists of four Gospels: Matthew, John, Mark and Luke, the Acts of the Apostles and the Revelation of John the Evangelist (known as the Apocalypse).

The main provisions of the Christian faith are 12 dogmas and 7 sacraments. They were adopted at the first and second ecumenical councils in 325 and 381. The 12 dogmas of Christianity are usually called the Creed. It reflects what a Christian believes in: in one God the Father, in one God the Son, in the fact that God the Son came down from heaven for our salvation, in the fact that God the Son was incarnate on earth from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, that God the Son was crucified for us, rose again on the third day and ascended into heaven to God the Father, at the second coming of God the Son for the judgment of the living and the dead, in the Holy Spirit, in the one Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, into baptism and, finally, into resurrection and future eternal life.
The seven Christian sacraments are currently recognized by both the Orthodox and Catholic churches. These sacraments include: baptism (acceptance of a person into the bosom of the church), anointing, communion (drawing closer to God), repentance (or confession), marriage, priesthood and consecration of oil (for deliverance from illness).

Symbol Christian faith is the cross. The cross in Christianity is adopted in memory of the martyrdom of Jesus Christ. The cross adorns Christian churches, clergy clothes, church literature and is used in the performance of Christian rituals. In addition, believers wear a cross (mostly consecrated) on their bodies.

An important place in Christianity is given to the veneration of the Mother of God. Four of the main Christian holidays are dedicated to her: the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the Entry into the Temple of the Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, many churches were erected in her honor and icons were painted.

Priests did not appear in Christianity immediately. Only after the final break with Judaism and a gradual change in the social layer of early Christian society, a clergy appeared in the Christian environment, who took full power into their hands.

Christian sacraments and rituals were not formed immediately. The sacrament of baptism was determined only at the end of the 5th century, after which the sacrament of communion (Eucharist) was formed. Then, over the course of several centuries, chrismation, consecration of oil, marriage, repentance, confession and the priesthood gradually began to appear in Christian rituals.

For a long time, images of saints were prohibited in Christianity. Just as any objects of veneration were prohibited, in the worship of which a number of Christians saw idolatry. The dispute over icons came to a logical conclusion only in 787 at the seventh (Nicene) Ecumenical Council, which allowed the depiction of sacred persons and events associated with them, as well as the worship of them.

The Christian Church is a special divine-human organization. But it is in no way historical. The Christian Church is a mystical formation, which, along with God, includes both living and dead people, and, more simply, souls that, according to Christianity, are immortal. At the same time, modern theologians, of course, do not deny the social component of the Christian church, however, for them it is not the main point for determining its essence.

The spread of Christianity in Rome was associated with the crisis of ancient society. This socio-historical factor, which caused a sense of uncertainty in society in the ancient system of the world order and, as a result, criticism of ancient orders, had a direct impact on the spread of Christianity within the Roman Empire. Separation between different layers of Roman society, which are antagonistic pairs, for example, such as free people and slaves, Roman citizens and provincial subjects also increased the general instability in society and helped the advancement of Christianity, which affirmed among needy people the idea of ​​​​universal equality and salvation in another world.

In the Roman Empire, Christians were always persecuted. From the very beginning of the emergence of Christianity and right up to the 4th century, this was the case, then the imperial power, sensing a weakening of control over the country, began to look for a religion that would unite all the peoples of the empire, and eventually settled on Christianity. In 324, the Roman Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.

There has never been unity within Christianity. Representatives of the Christian faith constantly held discussions on Christological topics that touched upon three main dogmas: the trinity of God, incarnation and atonement. Thus, the first Council of Nicaea, having condemned the Arian teaching, which believed that God the Son is not consubstantial with God the Father, established one Christian understanding this dogma, according to which God began to be defined as the unity of three hypostases, each of which is also an independent personality. The third ecumenical council, called the Ephesian Council, in 431 condemned the Nesterian heresy, which rejected the idea of ​​​​the birth of Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary (the Nestorians believed that a man was born from the Virgin Mary, and then the deity moved into him). The fourth (Chalcedon) Ecumenical Council (451) was dedicated to the substantiation of the dogma of atonement and incarnation, which affirmed the equal presence in the person of Christ of both human and divine, united inseparably and inseparably. The issue of depicting Jesus Christ was resolved even later - in the 6th century at the fifth (Constantinople) Ecumenical Council (553), where it was decided to depict the Son of God in the form of a man, and not a lamb.

There have been several major schisms within Christianity. Differences in religious views, as a rule, led to differences in social and religious life different Christian communities. Thus, in the 5th century in Byzantium, the teaching of the Monophysites arose, which did not want to recognize Christ as both man and God. Despite the condemnation of this teaching by one of the ecumenical councils (415), it spread to some Byzantine provinces, such as Egypt, Syria and Armenia.
One of the largest is considered to be the schism of the 11th century, which occurred during the division of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern. In the first, in connection with the fall of the emperor's power, the authority of the Roman bishop (pope) greatly increased; in the second, where imperial power was preserved, the patriarchs of the churches were deprived of an approach to power. Thus, historical conditions formed the basis for the division of the once united Christian church. In addition, certain dogmatic and even organizational disagreements began between the two churches, which led to the final break in 1054. Christianity split into two branches: Catholicism (Western Church) and Orthodoxy ( Eastern Church).
The last split in Christianity occurred within the Catholic Church during the Reformation. The anti-Catholic movement that emerged in Europe in the 16th century led to the separation from Catholicism of several European churches and the creation of a new direction in Christianity - Protestantism.