Origins of Christianity
Christianity is the world’s largest religion, and with an estimated 2.3 billion followers, or 33% of the global population, it is clear that it is no longer a regional belief. Christianity’s origins can be traced back to the Middle East, where, as most historians agree, Jesus of Nazareth was born in the early first century CE. There, Christianity found its starting point and quickly spread throughout the region.
At first, Jesus Christ’s followers were persecuted by the Roman Empire, starting the growth of the very early Church. Despite the persecution, Christianity slowly gained new followers, mainly due to the followers’ persistent, cohesive and strong activities. One of the major aspects of Christianity, its main teachings of peace, love and mercy, also helped to convert people from other religions.
One of the crucial points in the spread of Christianity, was the conversion of Emperor Constantine in 313 CE. This turn of events allowed the ancient religion to be adopted as the official religion of The Roman Empire and helped Christianity to spread throughout Europe and, eventually, the world.
The spread of the religion was further helped through the mission trips of Saint Paul. Starting in the year 47 CE, the evangelical message of Jesus was spread in the cities and had a great impact on society. Throughout his travels, he gifted churches, established the first Christian structures, battled heresies and strengthened the faith of early Christians.
After the dissolution of the Roman Empire, Christianity flourished, with the help of mission organizations and monks, such as the Dominican and Franciscan orders, who opened monasteries and churches all over Europe. Further, in 1450 CE, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, and this lead to the rapid spread of scriptures and books about Christianity. This invention helped facilitate the spread of Christianity across different countries in the world.
In 1517 Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation in Germany, which opened the door to an entirely new form of Christianity. This fueled the spread of religion and by the 19th century Christianity was being practiced in Latin America and in the United States. Going forward to the 20th century, Protestantism had flourished, and because of technological advances, missionaries were able to travel to regions they previously could not. Finally, in the 21ST century, the internet allowed Christianity to expand to everywhere with the use of social media and online platforms.
Christianity in Asia
The earliest documented mission trip to India was when St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, was sent around 52–70 CE. This was followed by the establishment of churches in Kerala and Syria. Further, in the 16th century, Portuguese explorers brought the religion to China and Japan. Unfortunately, Catholic missionaries to Japan were persecuted and killed by the ruling shogun for refusing to renounce their faith.
It was more successful in Korea, where a thriving Christian community continues to exist, due to the efforts of Bernhard Thimme and Yi Gu in the late 19th century who translated the bible into the local language. Further, in 1985, China revised its constitution and opened up further to promoting religious activities, allowing Protestantism to also start spreading in the country, while the Catholic Church found itself in a peculiar situation because of the ambiguous relationship between Chinese authorities, and the Vatican.
After the fall of communism, there were dramatic changes in the religious landscape of Russia. Russian officials disestablished the Soviet Union’s official atheist policy. This removed restrictions of religious organizations and allowed them to spread. By 1990 Christianity was growing significantly, and Russian public opinion of it had surprisingly become positive, mainly due to its emphasis on the protection of traditional Russian values.
Furthermore, in India, the past few decades have seen an upsurge in the number of conversions due to initiatives of some Christian missionary organizations. Missionaries not only attempted to spread Christianity, but also improved the conditions of the poor, especially in the tribal areas. Further, in Africa, Christianity is thought to have arrived in the 1st century CE, by the actions of merchants, but was later fully spread by European colonists.
Christianity in Europe
In the early stages of Christianity, the religion was mainly spread in the Middle East and Europe. It was mainly Emperor Constantine and Saint Paul who helped the religion become a major part of the European social and political lives. St. Paul established churches, battled heresies and fought to make it the official religion of the Roman Empire.
After the split of the Roman Empire, Christianity in Europe was led by mission organizations and monks, such as the Dominican and Franciscan orders, who used the printing press to spread religious literature. Further, the Protestant Reformation in the 15th century, a religious movement that began as an attempt to reform the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church, initiated a new form of Christianity in Europe. This further increased the spread of the religion in Europe, resulting in high rates of conversions. By the 19th century Christianity had become the dominant religion of Europe.
In the 20th century, the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church in 1962 gave rise to the renewal of the church regulations, which included theological and liturgical reforms. This brought a renewed focus and popularity of Christianity in the region, and it strengthened its organizational structure and also had a major impact on Europe’s cultural, societal and political lives.
Christianity in the US
In the United States Christianity started to arrive in the early colonial era, with the establishment of the Church of England. It was then spread by both European settlers, such as the Puritans, the Quakers and the Pilgrims, and African slaves. Further, in 1727, the Great Awakening, a revival movement that began in New England, stimulated the spread of Christianity throughout the colonies.
In later years, Christianity spread rapidly in the United States and by the end of the 19th century was being practiced by the majority of the population. It was a main driving force of the abolition of slavery, the civil rights movement and other political, social and cultural campaigns. On the cultural side, the religious aspect of Christianity was very important in the development of American literature, art and music.
Christianity in the 21st Century
At the beginning of the 21st century, Christianity saw even greater rates of growth due to social and technological advances. Because of improved transportation and communication technology and better accessibility to online resources, Christianity is being spread faster, deeper and further than it ever has before.
The internet has opened up the opportunity to spread the religious messages of Christianity at lightning speed. Many churches now have livestreamed Sunday services, and social media has allowed missionaries to reach more people than ever before. In addition, ever-expanding globalization has allowed for increased cross-cultural exchanges, and people are able to share their religious stories and beliefs, expanding Christianity’s global following.
Christianity is increasingly positioning itself as an ethical guide for both individuals and entire nations, emphasizing issues such as moral values, matters of happiness and well-being. Thus, encouraging people to live satisfied and meaningful lives, stressing the importance of living with justice and morality, has allowed people around the world to connect with Christianity through those core concepts and values.
The Future of Christianity
Looking into the future, Christianity is likely to remain a major religion, with a wide following of believers and practitioners. Its teachings on justice, love and mercy are likely to cause it to remain relevant in the global society. Yet, it is also projected that the religious landscape will change over the next few years, with religions such as Buddhism or Hinduism likely to gain more popularity due to their philosophical understanding of life and their thinkings on the relationship between humans and the environment.
As globalization persists, and new knowledge and information arise, religions must be ready to embrace the changes and learn from them, in order to keep up. Religion must adapt to this ever-expanding world, both by accepting new forms of thought but also by cherishing and preserving its core values. Whether Christianity will indeed be one of the main religions in the future remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that it will play an important role in any religious landscape, given its history and current popularity.
Persecution of Christians Around the World
Unfortunately, despite the strong growth of Christianity, religious persecution continues to exist in some parts of the world. Mainly in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Syria, which are known to be regions with very strict religious policies, Christians suffer from physical and psychological abuse, arbitrary imprisonment and even occasional killings or torture. It is important to acknowledge and be aware of these issues so that we can take part in reducing persecution and raising global awareness in order to protect religious freedom.
There are many countries in which discrimination and persecution hamper the free practice of religion and make it harder for religious beliefs to spread. Moreover, in many countries, Christians are not accepted as full citizens and are even celebrated as the “other”. This has brought about the rise of multiple extremist groups and organizations which have targeted and attacked Christians, causing even more religious persecution.
Organizations such as Open Doors or International Christian Concern are actively working to protect the rights of Christians around the world. Established in 1955, Open Doors is dedicated to providing support to those who suffer persecution for their faith, advocating for their rights and fighting for religious liberty. This organization and others have been actively calling for governments to take a stand and protect the persecuted Christians, striving for a world that respects and embraces religious diversity.
Conclusion
Today, Christianity is one of the world’s most popular beliefs. It has traveled outside of its birthplace in the Middle East and has spread to practically every corner of the planet due to technological advancements and globalization. Despite the persecution and discrimination of Christians in certain regions, the religion has managed to remain strong and continuing to grow. Thus, Christianity has truly become a global religion.
