Christianity, the world’s largest religion with approximately 3 billion followers, has established its religious spaces across nations and cultures. Rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, Christianity emphasizes the role of pastors and the pulpit in imparting knowledge about Jesus, who lived in Nazareth during the first century and sacrificed himself on the cross for humanity thousands of years ago. The core belief system of Christianity revolves around the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. It encompasses the concepts of death, descent into Hell or Heaven, and the resurrection of Christ.
RELG 2001C Week 2: Religious Spaces
Christianity holds a significant place in the world, representing one-fourth of the global population and comprising various denominations such as the Church of the East, Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Among these, the Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination, with 2.2 billion adherents. Christians share a belief in the one God who created the heavens and the earth, a concept originating from the Jewish religion. They also believe in Jesus as the Messiah, the savior of the world and the Son of God. As a Christian myself, I personally embrace the belief in the Messiah. It is worth noting that I had previously followed the Islamic faith but later converted to Christianity.
Reference:
Kurtz, L. R. (2016). Gods in the global village: The world’s religions in sociological perspective (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Chapter 1, “Religious Life in the Global Village”
o “Three Pillars of Analysis: Beliefs, Rituals, and Institutions” (pp. 23–30)
Chapter 2, “A Sociological Tour: Turning East”
o “Hinduism, or Sanatana Dharma” (pp. 53–62)
o “Buddhism” (pp. 69–74)
o “Taoism” (pp. 80–83)
Chapter 3, “The Tour: Western Religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam”
o “Judaism” (pp. 93–99)
o “Christianity” (pp. 101–106)
o “Islam” (pp. 110–116)
Chapter 4, “Indigenous Religions”
o “The Veneration of Ancestors” (pp. 140–141)
