Friday, 11 October 2013

Facts about Christianity

Date founded:
    c. 33 AD

Place founded:
    Palestine

Founder:
    Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish carpenter

Adherents:
    2 billion

Main location:
    Europe
    North America
    South America

Major sects (denominations):
    Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant

Sacred texts:
    The Bible, comprised of the Old Testament and New Testament

Books of the Old Testament :
    Genesis
    Exodus
    Leviticus
    Numbers
    Deuteronomy
    Joshua
    Judges
    Ruth
    1st Samuel
    2nd Samuel
    1st Kings
    2nd Kings
    1st Chronicles
    2nd Chronicles
    Ezra
    Nehemiah
    Esther
    Job
    Psalms
    Proverbs
    Ecclesiastes
    Song of Songs
    Isaiah
    Jeremiah
    Lamentations
    Ezekiel
    Daniel
    Hosea
    Joel
    Amos
    Obadiah
    Jonah
    Micah
    Nahum
    Habakkuk
    Zephaniah
    Haggai
    Zechariah
    Malachi
    Tobit (*)
    Judith (*)
    1st Maccabees (*)
    2nd Maccabees (*)
    Wisdom (*)
    Sirach (*)
    Baruch (*)
        (*) Protestant bibles omit the latter seven books
  
    Tobit
    Judith
    1st Maccabees
    2nd Maccabees
    Wisdom
    Sirach
    Baruch
        These books are called deuterocanonical or the Apocrypha.

    As well as parts of Daniel.

Additionally

The Eastern Orthodox church receives all of the deuterocanonical books in addition to the following books that appear in the Old Testament:

    1-4 Esdras
    3rd Maccabees
    4th Maccabees
    Prayer of Manasseh
    Psalm 151 (in the Septuagint)

Books of the New Testament :
    Gospel of Matthew
    Gospel of Mark
    Gospel of Luke
    Gospel of John
    Acts of the Apostles
    Romans
    1 Corinthians
    2 Corinthians
    Galatians   
    Ephesians
    Philippians
    Colossians
    1 Thessalonians
    2 Thessalonians
    1 Timothy
    2 Timothy
    Titus
    Philemon   
     Hebrews
    James
    1 Peter
    2 Peter
    1 John
    2 John
    3 John
    Jude
    Revelation

The order of the books of the Bible
Old Testament

    The Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy)
    The Historical Books (Joshua-Esther)
    The Poetical Books (Job-Song of Solomon)
    The Major Prophets (Isaiah-Daniel; note that Lamentations is an appendix to the book of Jeremiah.)
    The Twelve Minor Prophets (Hosea-Malachi)

New Testament

    The Historical Books (Matthew-Acts)
    Paul’s Epistles (Romans-Philemon)
    Hebrews
    General Epistles (James-Jude)
    Revelation (Remember, it is not Revelations.)

The Three Points of the Gospel
    Christ died for our sins.
    He was buried.
    He rose again on the third day.

The Three Points of the Great Commission
    Evangelism
    Baptism
    Discipleship

Original languages:
    Aramaic, Greek, Latin

Religious professionals:
    Priest; bishop; archbishop; patriarch; pope; pastor; minister;  preacher; deacon

House of worship:
    Church, chapel, cathedral, basilica, meeting hall

Type of theism:
    Trinitarian Monotheism

Ultimate reality:
    One God (a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit)

Human nature:
    Created good but now born sinful 

Acts of the flesh
    sexual immorality
    impurity
    debauchery
    idolatry
    witchcraft
    hatred
    discord
    jealousy
    fits of rage
    selfish ambition
    dissensions
    factions and envy
    drunkenness
    orgies
                Galatians 5  19-21


Purpose of life:
    Know, love and serve God

How to live:    Have faith in the true God and Christ's resurrection, do good  works, participate in sacraments

Afterlife:
    Resurrection of body and soul,

Symbols:
    Cross,

Christian holidays:
    Advent (Nov. 30 - Dec. 24)
    Christmas (Dec. 25)
    Epiphany (Jan. 6)
    Lent (40-day period prior to Easter)
    Good Friday(last Friday before Easter)
    Easter (date varies)
    All Saint's Day (Nov. 1)

The Ten Commandments
Four commands relating to God:

    No other gods
    No images
    Do not misuse God’s name.
    Remember the Sabbath Day.

Then the authority we recognize first in life, our parents:

    Honor your parents

Then we think of five sins, from worst to least:

    Do not murder.
    Do not commit adultery.
    Do not steal.
    Do not lie.
    Do not covet.

Two Greatest Commandments
    1. Love God with your heart, soul and mind.
    2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Four Last Things
    1. second coming
    2. judgment
    3. heaven
    4. hell

Qualities of Love
    Love is patient
    love is kind
    It does not envy
    It does not boast
    It is not proud
    It does not dishonor others
    It is not self-seeking
    It is not easily angered
    It keeps no record of wrongs
    Love does not delight in evil
    but rejoices with the truth
    It always protects,
    always trusts,
    always hopes,
    always perseveres.
    Love never fails.
                1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

fruit of the Spirit
    love
    joy,
    peace,
    forbearance,
    kindness,
    goodness,
    faithfulness,
    gentleness
    self-control
                Galatians 5:22-23

Wisdom
    pure
    peace-loving,
    considerate,
    submissive,
    full of mercy and good fruit,
    impartial and sincere
                James 3: 13-17

The Seven Deadly Sins
    1. pride
    2. greed
    3. lust
    4. envy
    5. gluttony
    6. anger
    7. sloth

Seven Ecumenical Councils
    1. Council of Nicea (325 AD)
    2. Council of Constantinople (381)
    3. Council of Ephesus (431)
    4. Council of Chalcedon (451)
    5. Second Council of Constantinople (553)
    6. Third Council of Constantinople (681)
    7. Second Council of Nicea (787)

Twelve Apostles
    1. James, son of Zebedee
    2. John, son of Zebedee
    3. Philip
    4. Bartholomew
    5. Thomas
    6. Andrew (Peter's brother)
    7. Simon Peter
    8. Matthew the tax collector
    9. James, son of Alphaeus
    10. Simon the Zealot
    11. Judas Iscariot
    12. Thaddaeus

Fourteen Stations of the Cross
    1. Jesus is condemned to death
    2. The cross is laid upon him
    3. Jesus' first fall
    4. Jesus meets Mary
    5. Simon of Cyrene bears the cross
    6. Veronica wipes Jesus' face
    7. Jesus' second fall
    8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
    9. Jesus' third fall
    10. Jesus is stripped of his garments
    11. Jesus is crucified
    12. Jesus dies
    13. Jesus' body is taken down
    14. Jesus's body is laid in the tomb

An average of 171,000 Christians worldwide are martyred for their faith per year.

"Do not be afraid" appears 365 times in the Bible. Hmm, same amount of days in a year!

The Bible contains about 773, 692 words! It would take you approximately 70 hours to read the whole Bible out loud.

Number of times "God" is mentioned: 3,358
Number of times "Lord" is mentioned: 7,736

Christians were first called christian in Antioch
                                                                       -Acts 11:26

Christianity is the world's largest religion.






Sources
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/fastfacts.htm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_list_of_New_Testament_canon_in_order#ref1
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/List_of_books_of_the_Old_Testament#ref2
http://sharperiron.org/article/basic-facts-every-christian-should-know





No comments:

Post a Comment