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The three largest self-governing bodies of Christians are:

The three largest self-governing bodies of Christians are:

* the [[Roman Catholic Church]] (approx. 1.1 billion baptized members) traces her roots back to [[Saint Peter]] and [[Saint Paul]] who are believed to have established the Church in Rome; and the succession of the [[Pope]]s as the spiritual authority of Christian believers.  

* the [[Roman Catholic Church]] (approx. 1.1 billion baptized members) traces its roots back to [[Saint Peter]] who Catholic believed established the Church and the succession of the [[Pope]]s as the spiritual authority over the Christian body of believers.  

* the [[Orthodox Church]]es (approx. 300 million baptized members) also trace their roots back to the beginnings of Christianity.  The Orthodox Churches have no problem with the Primacy of the Pope in theory, as First Among Equals, but reject Papal claims to Universal Jurisdiction and Infallibility.  Different theological perspectives led to the [[Great Schism]] between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches in A.D. 1054.  

* the [[Orthodox Church]]es (approx. 300 million baptized members) also trace their roots back to the beginnings of Christianity, but do not believe in the Primacy of the Pope.  Different theological perspectives led to the [[Great Schism]] between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches in A.D. 1054.  

* [[Protestantism]], the largest Communions are the [[Anglican Church|Anglicans]] (approx. 77 million baptized members) and the Lutheran World Federation (approx. 68 million baptized members). Protestantism has its origins in the European [[Reformation]] and the British Act of Supremacy. Western Christians first broke away from the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of [[Martin Luther]] when differences over the nature of faith and works in the role of [[Christianity#salvation|salvation]] could not be adequately reconciled with Papal prescriptions. Luther began to preach against practices in the Catholic Church at that time that he did not agree with. Other preachers and movements then followed Luther's example and also left the Catholic fold.

* [[Protestantism]], the largest Communion being the [[Anglican Church|Anglicans]] (approx. 77 million baptized members). Protestantism has its origins in the European [[Reformation]]. It first broke away from the Roman Catholic Church under [[Martin Luther]] when differences over the nature of faith and works in the role of [[Christianity#salvation|salvation]] could not be adequately reconciled with Papal prescriptions as well as other practices that Luther saw in the Catholic Church at that time that he did not agree with. Other preachers and movements then followed Luther's example and also left the Catholic fold.

== Christian beliefs ==

== Christian beliefs ==

===Jesus===

===Jesus===

Christians hold that during the reign of [[Caeser Augustus]]; the Son (e.g. the second Person of the Trinity) took flesh from a virgin woman and was incarnate as a man.  He was born in the town of [[Bethlehem]], (meaning House of Bread), and was given the name [[Jesus]].  At the age of thirty he was baptized by his cousin, the [[John the Baptist|Prophet John]], and began to preach in the area [[Palestine]].  About three years after his baptism, he raised his friend Lazarus from the dead, prompting the Jewish power establishment to plot Jesus death.  Jesus was [[crucified]].  He came back from the dead and was seen by over 500 people.  He ascended to heaven.  The four [[Gospels]] contain the records of some of what Jesus did and said, but he did much more than those four books relate, as the Apostle John admitted in his Gospel.

Christians hold that during the reign of [[Caeser Augustus]] the Son (e.g. the second Person of the Trinity) took flesh from a virgin woman and was incarnate as a man.  He was born in the town of [[Bethlehem]] and was given the name [[Jesus]].  At the age of thirty he was baptized by his cousin, the [[John the Baptist|Prophet John]], and began to preach in the area [[Palestine]].  About three years after his baptism, he raised his friend Lazarus from the dead, prompting the Jewish power establishment to plot Jesus death.  Jesus was [[crucified]].  He came back from the dead and was seen by over 500 people.  He ascended to heaven.  The four [[Gospels]] contain the records of some of what Jesus did and said, but he did much more than those four books relate, as the Apostle John admitted in his Gospel.

===Morality===

===Morality===