{{Christianity}}
'''Christianity''' is the world's largest [[religion]], having 2.1 5 billion followersin 2020.<ref>httphttps://www.adherentsgordonconwell.comedu/Religions_By_Adherentswp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/04/StatusofGlobalChristianity20191.htmlpdf</ref> In terms of its geographic distribution, Christianity is the [[Global Christianity|most globally]] diverse religion.<ref>
*[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/08/27/many-religions-heavily-concentrated-in-one-or-two-countries/ Many religions heavily concentrated in one or two countries]
*[http://wwwgordonconwell.com/netcommunity/CSGCResources/ChristianityinitsGlobalContext.pdf Christianity in its global context]</ref> Christianity has always been the best way to turn one's life around, to achieve more, to overcome [[addiction]], and to enjoy life to a greater extent.
Christianity is Christian denominations like [[Protestant]]ism are the only religion that emphasizes justification by [[faith]] rather than works, and brings God closest to mankind through [[Jesus]] as the Son of [[God]]. Literally, Christianity means "of Christ," or "belonging to Christ," or "being like Christ."<ref>[http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=2661&dict=CALD Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary]</ref><ref>https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/christian-means-like-christ-bruce-ball-sermon-on-apologetics-general-84109</ref><ref>The early Christian faith was sometimes called ''That Way'', (Acts 19:1,9,23; 24:22), and its adherents were also called ''Nazarenes'' (Acts 24:5), evidently after the city of [[Nazareth]] where Jesus lived.</ref> The [[Acts of the Apostles|Book of Acts]] ({{bible ref|Acts:|11:|26}}) records that "the disciples were called Christians first in [[Antioch]]." The title ''Christian'' is also used in Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16. Christians believe in [[God]], the [[virgin birth|virginal conception and the virginal birth of Jesus Christ]], the bodily [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]], [[Heaven]], survival of the [[soul]] after death, the [[Parousia|Second Coming of Jesus]], the bodily [[resurrection]] of the dead, the [[Last Judgment]], the reality of [[Hell]], and the teachings of [[Jesus Christ]] as written in the [[Bible]].
== Main Christian Divisions ==
[[Image:Anglican Christ Church.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Anglican Christ Church in Western Australia]]
'''The three largest self-governing bodies of Christians are:'''
* The [[Roman Catholic Church]] (approx. 1.1 billion baptized members) traces its roots back to [[Saint Peter]] whom Catholics believe was appointed as the first leader of the church by [[Jesus Christ]] and the succession of [[Pope]]s as the spiritual leaders of Christendom.
* The [[Orthodox Church]]es (approx. 300 million baptized members) trace their roots back to the Apostles, in the five ancient [[patriarchate]]s patriarchates of the undivided Church of the first millennium of her history, known as the [[Pentarchy]],<ref>[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Pentarchy Pentarchy (orthodoxWiki.org)]</ref> and are organized in [[Autocephalous]] national or regional churches in communion with each other. The Pentarchy consisted of the Churches Church of [[Church of Rome|Rome]], first in dignity of honor, [[Constantinople|Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], [[Alexandria|Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Alexandria]], [[Antioch|Church of Antioch|Antioch]], and [[Jerusalem|Church of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]]. Differing theological perspectives and the growing development of the doctrine of [[Petrine Primacy|Petrine primacy]] in the Church of Rome led to the [[Great Schism]] between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches in A.D. 1054. [[Image:Anglican Christ Church.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Anglican Christ Church in Western Australia]]* [[Protestantism]]: the largest Communions are the [[Anglican Church|Anglicans]] (approx. 115 million baptized members) and the [[Lutheran]] World Federation (approx. 68 million baptized members). Protestantism has its origins in the European [[Reformation]]. The Protestant movement broke from the Roman Catholic Church under [[Martin Luther]] when differences over the nature of [[faith]] and works in the role of [[Christianity#salvation|salvation]], as well as other practices of the Catholic Church that Luther saw as unBiblical, were raised. Within Protestantism are four major branches:**[[Mainline]], which comprise many of the major denominations outside of the [[Baptist]]s. These denominations usually have [[high church]] services and have increasingly become liberal in their theology and ecumenical in their dealings with other churches, even outside Protestantism.**[[Pentecostal]], these groups are generally conservative in their theology, and are known primarily for their emphasis on the [[Baptism in the Holy Spirit]] as a separate event from salvation, and [[speaking in tongues]].**[[Fundamentalist]], these groups are very conservative theologically, but are better known for their emphasis on "separation" from both the world (bordering on, if not crossing over, into [[legalism]]) and groups who do not believe as they do (which often includes other fundamentalist groups).**[[Evangelical]], this term tends to be a catch-all for a church or denomination not falling into one of the other three categories, but generally also holding to traditional Christian theology. Most [[non-denominational church]]es are generally evangelical, as well as the largest Protestant denomination, the [[Southern Baptist Convention]]. As the name suggests, they have a major emphasis on Christian evangelism. They are also known for their belief that Christians should be active in the political arena, opposing such political views as abortion and homosexual marriage; in this arena they will work with any group—Protestant or otherwise—who will work with them.
== Christian Beliefs ==
Jesus Christ affirmed, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another". (John 13:35) In trying to understand the reason for the growth of Christianity in a pagan culture, it has been noted that while love of one's neighbor is not an exclusively Christian virtue, it appears that the primitive Christian church practiced it much more effectively than any other group.<ref>E.R. Dodds, 1970:136-137</ref>
In addition to sacrificially showing care for those within the community as well as to those without, (cf. Gal. 6:10) the Christians elevated the sanctity of life, opposing abortion, infanticide, child abandonment, suicide, and gladiatorial contests.<ref>Kenneth Scott Latourette, ''A history of Christianity'' p. 244</ref><ref>Ted Cabal, Chad Owen Brand, Paul Copan, The Apologetics Study Bible, 274</ref> While the primitive church tolerated the existing and pervasive cultural economic institution of slavery in the [[Roman Empire]], the mandate of equal pay and just treatment (Col. 4:1; Eph. 6:9) greatly ameliorated the treatment of slaves, while advising them to seek freedom if possible, (1Cor. 7:21) and requiring that the escaped slave Onesimus be received back not "as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved". (Philemon 1:6) The Christian ethos of love also motivated a great expansion in the building of hospitals.<ref>Albert John Ochsner, Meyer Joseph Sturm, ''The organization, construction and management of hospitals'', p. 17</ref><ref>Roderick E. McGrew, ''Encyclopaedia of Medical Care'', p. 135</ref> By A.D. 500, most large towns in in the Roman Empire had erected them.<ref>George D. Pozgar, ''Legal aspects of health care administration', p. 2</ref>
===Atonement===
- Jesus saw that in His death there would be a way for people to be brought back to the God from whom they were alienated and lost because of their sins. This would involve a substitution of Himself to effect, i.e. atone for, that development. "For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many". How this would take place was not new to the Jews of His day from their understanding of contemporary everyday practice of substitute payment - as in redemption of the first-born (Pidyon Ha Ben), or in the understanding of what aggadic stories such as the Binding of [[Isaac]] implied (see [[Midrash]]), but it was not the prevalent view that the Messiah was to be that payment. Though while alive on earth, he had hinted at it in sayings such as "unless a seed falls and dies, it remains alone, but when it dies, it brings forth."; it was only after He had risen from the dead that He explained Scripture (the Old Testament) clearly about the necessity of His death to have taken place. The disciples would henceforth preach, and Peter among them, that the death of Jesus the Messiah and His resurrection was for-planned and for-ordained by God the Father, and foretold in the Scripture (Isaiah 53).
- Christians of all generations have looked to the perfect [[Atonement]], and the hope for reconciliation, accomplished by Jesus on the cross, to provide the means of understanding the solution to the vexing problems of the mind and of life itself.
===Salvation===
The Bible teaches that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". (Romans 3:23) This is often interpreted to mean that everyone has displeased God and is now separated from him in a kind of alienation and enmity that results from the fundamental conflict between selfish human interests and God's interests (Romans 8:5-8; James 4:4). Jesus offered a solution to this Biblical dilemma in that, by [[repentance ]] of sins and faith in him (Jesus), their sins would be forgiven. He said that "...the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins". ([[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 2:10) . Jesus also said, "Truly, truly, I came not say to call the righteousyou, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but sinners has passed from death to repentancelife". (Mark 2John 5:1724).
Jesus Christ taught that "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God". ([[Gospel of John|John]] 3:3) . [[Repentance]], or a turning away from sin and toward God is necessary. Protestant Evangelical Christianity often uses the terms "saved" and "born again" to mean conversion, with conscious acknowledgment of immediate divine juridical exoneration of all guilt, complete amnesty and full eternal pardon issued on acceptance of the redemptive, saving sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross in the place of each guilty sinner (Hebrews 1:3; 7:25-27), while other Christians, such as the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, use the phrase ''born again'' as a synonym for [[baptism|baptized]], referring to the [[sacrament]] of baptism through which the divine life of God in the blood of Jesus is actually infused by the power of his grace directly into the soul of the baptized by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:25-27) and is entirely healed of the eternal deadly effect of all past sins, effecting an ontological change of spiritual birth by washing away the defect of sin, the power of God unto salvation flowing abundantly through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, through whom the baptized is united to Him and actually partakes of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).
Christians are expected to continue living by Christ's teachings (John 8:31), as is appropriate for "children of Light". (Ephesians 5:8-10) Some believe that this is necessary in order to be saved. Others say that this is a common misconception of the text, that it refers instead to the "fruits" of saving faith. Still others say that the free, unmerited gift of salvation from sin and death in hell must be maintained or retained by actively producing the fruits of [[corporal and spiritual works of mercy]] according to ability, or it will be lost (Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 6:4-8), unless before death the fallen away believer repents and returns (James 5:19-20; 1 John 5:16-17). Christians in the [[Reformed]] tradition (following the teaching of the 16th century French lawyer and theologian [[John Calvin]]) say that salvation [[Eternal security (salvation)|cannot be lost]]. One Bible passage often cited is John 10:28-29 in which Jesus said of his own Apostles that they could not be snatched from his hand.
== Resurrection of Jesus Christ ==
''See also:'' [[Resurrection of Jesus Christ]] and [[Christian Apologetics and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ]] [[Image:Jesus resurrected.jpg|thumb|leftright|200px|"The Resurrection" by Carl Heinrich Bloch]]
The [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]] is critical to the Christian faith. The Apostle Paul wrote, "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain" (I Cor:15:14). Traditionally, Christianity has believed in a physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.<ref>http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0056a.txt</ref>
In recent history, [[Gary Habermas]] is considered a leading [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] for defending the resurrection of Jesus.<ref>Habermas, Gary, [http://www.garyhabermas.com/articles/dialog_rexperience/dialog_rexperiences.htm Experiences of the Risen Jesus: The Foundational Historical Issue in the Early Proclamation of the Resurrection], ''Dialog: A Journal of Theology'', Vol. 45; No. 3 (Fall, 2006), pp. 288-297.</ref><ref>"Wildcat" and Holding, J.P., [http://www.tektonics.org/books/lichabrvw.html Book review of "The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus"], 22nd June, 2004 (Tektonics)</ref><ref>Habermas, Gary, [http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/NTeSources/NTArticles/CTR-NT/Habermas-Resurrection1-CTR.pdf Jesus' Resurrection and Contemporary Criticism: An Apologetic] ''Criswell Theological Review'' 4.1 (1989) 159-74.</ref><ref>Habermas, Gary, [http://www.garyhabermas.com/articles/crj_explainingaway/crj_explainingaway.htm Explaining Away Jesus' Resurrection: The Recent Revival of Hallucination Theories], Christian Research Journal / vol. 23, no. 4, 2001.</ref><ref>Habermas, Gary, [http://www.apologetics.com/default.jsp?bodycontent=/articles/historical_apologetics/habermas-nt.html Why I Believe The New Testament Is Historically Reliable] (Apologetics.com)</ref>
Other notable defenders of the resurrection include: [[William Lane Craig]],<ref>Craig, William Lane, [http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/menus/historical.html Articles: Historical Jesus]</ref> [[Lee Strobel]], [[Josh McDowell]],<ref>McDowell, Josh, [http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/josh2.html Evidence for the Resurrection], 1992.</ref> [[Edwin M. Yamauchi]],<ref>Jamauchi, Edwin M., [http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/yama.html Easter: Myth, Hallucination, or History?]</ref> [[N.T. Wright]]<ref>Wright, N.T., [http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Early_Traditions.htm Early Traditions and the Origins of Christianity], ''Sewanee Theological Review'' 41.2, 1998.</ref> and [[Michael Horner]].<ref>Horner, Michael, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070304155623/http://www.michaelhorner.com/articles/resurrection/index.html Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?]</ref>
===The Meaning of the Resurrection for Christians===
{{See also|Internet evangelism}}
Campus Crusade for Christ International (CCCI) is one of the world's largest evangelism organizations within Christendom and has over 25,000 full-time missionaries. In 2006, Alan Beeber of CCCI predicted that internet evangelism will result in more conversion that all other forms of evangelism for CCCI combined.<ref>http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/pdf/issues/LWP0206.pdf</ref> At [[YouTube]], Christians and Christian creationists have faced problems with [[atheist bullying|atheist cyberbullies]], but they [[Essay: Sharing your Christian/creationist videos on the internet|have developed methods to overcome this problem]]. [[Eternal Word Television Network]] (EWTN) is a worldwide broadcast and internet online and Facebook ministry proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord 24 hours a day with [[Christian apologetics]] programs, News Nightly news broadcast from a Catholic Christian perspective, The World Over with Raymond Arroyo, and daily broadcast worship and prayer seven days a week four times a day.<ref>https://www.ewtn.com<br>https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline</ref> EWTN claims to be the largest religious media network in the world.
== Explosive growth of worldwide Christianity ==
[[File:Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp.jpg|thumbnail|leftright|200px|[[Hong Kong]] Christians at Gateway Camp. In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were [[Western World]] Christians.<ref>https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077</ref>]]''see also:'' [[Growth of Christianity]] and [[Historical examples of the exponential growth of Christianity]] and [[Global Christianity]] and [[Internet evangelism]] and [[Evangelical Christians]] and [[Resources on becoming a Christian]]
<small>(photo obtained from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/mckln/4815046728/in/set-72157624550425162 Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]''see also:'' [[Global Christianity]] and [[Internet evangelism]] and [[Evangelical Christians]] and [[Resources on becoming a Christian]] Christianity has seen tremendous growth over its 2000-year history(See: [[Growth of Christianity]]).<ref>http://users.adam.com.au/bstett/BChristianIncrease12.htm</ref> Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the [[Western World]].<ref>
*[http://pewforum.org/Christian/Faith-and-Conflict-The-Global-Rise-of-Christianity.aspx The global rise of Christianity - Pew Forum]
*[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]
*[http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th century Africa]</ref> In 2000, there were twice as many non-Western Christians as Western Christians.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref> In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western Christians as there were [[Western World]] Christians.<ref>https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077</ref> There are now more non-Western missionaries than Western missionaries.<ref>https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077</ref>
In 2023, the [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] at [[Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary]] reported that there are over 2.6 billion Christians worldwide and this number will increase to 3.3 billion Christians by 2050.<ref>*[https://www.brnunited.org/news/good-news-christianity-is-growing-around-the-world/#:~:text=The%20population%20growth%20rate%20is,top%203%20billion%20before%202050! Good news! Christianity is growing around the world!], Baptist Resource Network</ref><ref>[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2023.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2023, in the Context of 1900–2050], [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] at [[Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary]]</ref> In 2011, the ''American Spectator'' declared concerning research published in the ''International Bulletin of Missionary Research'':{{cquote|"The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new [[Islam|Muslims]] every day, and 300 fewer [[atheism|atheists]] every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the [[Western World|West]], while religion is thriving in the Global South, where [[Charismatic movement|charismatic Christianity]] is exploding."<ref>http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity</ref>}}
Despite strong persecution in the [[Middle East]], thousands of [[Muslims]] are turning to Christ.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/11/thousands-muslims-reportedly-turning-to-christ-in-middle-east.html Thousands of Muslims reportedly turning to Christ in Middle East]. ''Fox News'' (from ''The Christian Post''). January 11, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2017.</ref>
=== Center for Global Christianity - Annual statistics - including projected growth of Christianity statistics ===
''See also:'' [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] and [[Growth of Christianity]]
The [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] (CSGC) declares about their organization that it is "an academic research center that monitors worldwide demographic trends in Christianity, including outreach and mission. We provide a comprehensive collection of information on the past, present, and future of Christianity in every country of the world."<ref>[http://www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/research/About-Us.cfm Center for the Study of Global Christianity - About]</ref>
Every year in the ''International Bulletin of Mission Research'' the Center for the Study of Global Christianity publishes an annual snapshot of global Christianity which includes projected [[growth of Christianity]] statistics.
'''Center for the Study of Global Christianity, annual snapshot of Christianity in the world:'''
*[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/center-for-global-christianity/resources/status-of-global-christianity/ Center for Global Christianity - Annual statistics]
=== Christianity by continent ===
''See also:'' [[Christianity by continent]]
Below are articles on Christianiy in the six continents with major populations:
*[[Christianity in Africa]]
*[[Christianity in Asia]]
*[[Christianity in Australia]]
*[[Christianity in Europe]]
*[[Christianity in North America]]
*[[Christianity in South America]]
=== Projected growth of Christianity graph ===
''See also:'' [[Growth of Christianity]] and [[Future of Christianity]]
[[File:Growth of Christianity.png|thumbnail|center|400px|Projected [[growth of Christianity]] graph.<ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/figure/shows-the-growth-of-the-total-number-of-Christians-worldwide-25-At-first-glance-it-may_fig5_301560058 Total Christian population graph]</ref>]]
{{Clear}}
==Early Church Community and Commitment: The Biblical Period==
[[File:Hoffman Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.jpg|thumb|left|110px|[[Jesus Christ|Christ]] in the Garden of Gethsemane by Heinrich Hofmann.]]
The Bible records that that, at least initially, the church saw itself as united. In the community:
==Early Church Community and Commitment: the Post-Biblical Period==
[[Image:Orthodox churches icon artwork.jpg|thumb|leftright|200px|Orthodox Church's icon artwork.]]
'''Justin martyr 100 A.D. - 165 A.D. From the "First Apology" (Defense)
'''
:We are a body knit together by one faith, one discipline and one hope. We meet together as a congregation, uniting together to offer prayer to God. We pray for the emperors and all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for peace and for the delay of the final end. We read our holy scriptures to nourish our faith, hope, steadfastness and good habits. We hear exhortations and rebukes. We take such judging very seriously – as befits those who believe they are in the sight of God – especially seriously when anyone sins so grievously we have to cut them off from our prayer, our congregation and all sacred things. Our elders preside over us, obtaining that honor not by money, but by their established character. There is no buying and selling in the things of God. Though we have a fund, but not because people can buy religion. Once a month, anyone who wants to makes a small donation – but only he who is able and willing; there is no compulsion. It is not spent on feasts, but to support and bury poor people, to provide for orphans, the elderly old persons, victims of shipwreck and those in prison for their faith.<ref>Defense by Tertullian (39), Trans. Rev. S. Thelwall. Modernized, abridged and introduced by Stephen Tomkins. Edited and prepared for the web by Dan Graves.</ref>
'''Pliny the Younger, the Roman governor of Pontus & Bithynia (northern Turkey) from A.D. 111-113111–113, reporting to emperor Trajan of Christians, whom such pagan rulers found intolerable:'''
:... Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for this purpose together with statues of the gods, and moreover cursed Christ--none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do--these I thought should be discharged. Others named by the informer declared that they were Christians, but then denied it, asserting that they had been but had ceased to be, some three years before, others many years, some as much as twenty-five years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Christ.
:They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food — but ordinary and innocent food.<ref>Pliny the Younger Letters, 10.96</ref>
=== Implications of the growth of worldwide Christianity ===
Given the increase in the public's access to global communications, it is thought that the more [[theology|theologically]] [[conservative]] non-Western Christian churches could influence Western Christianity to move in a more theologically [[conservative]] direction.<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18774</ref> For example, non-Western [[Anglican]]s are exerting influence within the worldwide Anglican Communion against the stance of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion's North American provinces with regard to [[homosexual]] practices.<ref>http://www.maravipost.com/malawi-politics/district/5751-bishop-mw-anglicans-totally-against-homosexuality.html</ref><ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2156406/Anglican-church-schism-declared-over-homosexuality.html</ref>
== History of Christianity timeline ==
[[File:Branches of Christianity.jpg|center|900px]]
{{Clear}}
=== Early Christianity ===
See: [[Early Christianity]]
== Positive effects of Christianity on societies ==
In 2011, the ''American Spectator'' declared about the global population:
{{cquote|The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new [[Islam|Muslims]] every day, and 300 fewer atheists every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the [[Western World|West]], while religion is thriving in the Global South, where [[Charismatic movement|charismatic Christianity]] is exploding."<ref>[http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity Thriving Christianity]</ref>}}
In 2022, the left-leaning Pew Research Center projected that Christianity would lose its majority in the [[United States]] by 2070, but that assumes a lack of renewed [[evangelism]].<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/14/christian-population-minority-2070-model-pew/10380295002/</ref>
== Resources related to becoming a Christian ==
*[https://creation.com/good-news Are you a good person?]
*[http://www.newchristian.org.uk/ New Christian - UK]
*[http://www.thewordfortoday.org/?page=C2000 Free audio Bible and Bible audio streaming]
* [https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/what-if-you-die-today/ What Must You Do To Be SAVED?]
'''Tips on choosing a Christian church:'''
*[http://www.allaboutreligion.org/choosing-a-christian-church-faq.htm Choosing a Christian Church]
=== Books ===
*'''Spiritual growth as a ChristianThe Complete Book of Discipleship:On Being and Making Followers of Christ'''by Bill Hull. NavPress; Annotated edition (November 6, 2006)*[http://www.navpress.com/product/9781576839324/''The-Pursuit-of-Holiness-Jerry-Bridges The Pursuit of Holiness] '' by Jerry Bridges. NavPress; Enlarged edition (November 3, 2016)*[http://www.navpress.com/product/9780891099413/''The-Practice-of-Godliness-Jerry-Bridges The Practice of Godliness] '' by Jerry Bridges*[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/529785.The_Complete_Book_of_Discipleship The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ]NavPress (June 1, 2016)
==See also==
**[[Religious Society of Friends|Friends (Quaker)]]
**[[Fundamentalism]]
**[[Liberal Christianity]]
**[[Lutheran]]
**[[Mennonite]]
**[[Presbyterian]]
**[[Reformed]]
*[[Coptic_Church | Coptic Church]]
*[[Ethiopian_Orthodox_Tewahedo_Church | Ethiopian Church ]]
*[[Indian_Orthodox_Church | Indian Orthodox Church]]
'''Disputed'''
*[[Unitarian]]
*[[Seventh-day Adventist]]
*[[Society_of_St._Pius_X |SSPX traditionalist Catholicism Latin mass]]
*[[Liberal Catholic Church]]
*Oneness [[Pentecostalism]]*[[Liberal Christianity]]
'''Christianity in the World'''
* Brauer, Jerald C. ''The Westminster Dictionary of Church History'' (1971), 880pp
* [http://newadvent.org/cathen/index.html ''The Catholic Encyyclopedia'' (1907-1913)], old but highly detailed and online
** '' New Catholic Encyclopedia'', edited by the Catholic University of America, 17 vol. 1967-19791967–1979.
*Cross, F. L., and E. A. Livingstone, eds. ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church'' (3rd ed. 1997), 1840pp; [https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Dictionary-Christian-Church/dp/0192802909/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b excerpt and text search]; online at [[OUP]]
* Elwell, Walter A., ed. ''Evangelical Dictionary of Theology'' (2001) 1312 pages; articles by over 200 Evangelical or Fundamentalist scholars
*Horsley, Richard A. ''Christian Origins: A People's History Of Christianity, Vol. 1'' (2006), 318pp [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Origins-Peoples-History-Christianity/dp/080063411X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200886474&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
*Latourette, Kenneth Scott. ''A History of Christianity'' (2 vol 1975) [https://www.amazon.com/History-Christianity-Beginnings-1500-Revised/dp/0060649526/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200823548&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search vol 1, to 1500], by leading Baptist scholar
*Latourette, Kenneth Scott. ''A history of the expansion of Christianity'' (7 vol 1939-19701939–1970), monumental history of missionary work worldwide
*MacCulloch, Diarmaid. ''The Reformation'' (2005), influential recent survey [https://www.amazon.com/Reformation-Diarmaid-MacCulloch/dp/014303538X/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
*McGonigle, Thomas D., and James F. Quigley. ''A history of the Christian Tradition: From Its Jewish Orgins to the Reformation'' (1988); ''A History of the Christian Tradition, Vol. II: From the Reformation to the Present'' (1996) [https://www.amazon.com/History-Christian-Tradition-Vol-Reformation/dp/0809136481/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-15 excerpt and text search vol 2]
*Pelikan, Jaroslav. ''Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine'' (5 vol 1975-911975–91) [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Tradition-Development-Doctrine-Medieval/dp/0226653757/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201083460&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search v. 3, 600 AD -1300]; [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Tradition-Development-Reformation-1300-1700/dp/0226653773/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201083460&sr=8-4 excerpt and text search vol 4, 1300-1700]; [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Tradition-History-Development-Doctrine/dp/0226653803/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201083460&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search vol 5, 1700-present] This is the standard history of Christian doctrine.
*Ward, Keith. ''Christianity: A Beginner's Guide'' (2008), 195pp
* Queen, Edward L. et al., eds. Encyclopedia of American Religious History'' (3rd ed. 2 vol. 2009) 1200pp
* Reid, Daniel G. et al. eds., ''Dictionary of Christianity in America'' (199)
* Wooley, Davis C. ed. '' Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists'' (5 vol 1958-198201958–19820; 2565 pages)
==References==
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