With its roots in Israel, Christianity is a historical religion since it is based on concrete, historical events (Smith 317).
Christians believe in one God who created the universe and all of its elements.
The Christian scripture is the Bible; Christians believe that God divinely
inspired the biblical writers and, thus, the Bible contains the Word of God.
Three essential Christian beliefs include incarnation, atonement, and trinity
(Smith 339).
Incarnation is the belief that Jesus Christ came down to heaven and took on the form of a human being. Christians believe that Jesus was fully God and fully man. God sent his Son, Jesus Christ to Earth to save humans from sin and eternal death; His earthly death by crucifixion and Resurrection restored the relationship between humanity and God. After his Resurrection, Christ ascended into heaven, where he remains until he returns again.
Albrecht Dürer, Man of sorrow
http://www.sas.ac.uk/warburg/
mnemosyne/captions/Christiacap.htm
Atonement can be understood simply as reconciliation-asking God for the forgiveness
of sins. According to Huston Smith, "Sins must be compensated for, otherwise
God's justice would be compromised"(343). Christians believe that sinners
will spend eternity in Hell, while those who have received salvation are rewarded
with an eternal life in Heaven.
There is an express belief in the Trinity, or God in three persons, which
consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Today, Christianity is one of the most widespread religions.
Within Christianity there are several branches, including Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and several Protestant churches.
Nestorian Christianity, an early branch, was found along the Silk Road (Foltz 64).
Foltz, Richard. Religions of the Silk Road. New York: St. Martin's
Press, 1999.
Smith, Huston. The World's Religions. New York: Harper Collins Books,
1991.
