Guide Note

Christianity is a global religion of between 1.5 and 2.1 billion adherents based on the teachings of Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth as revealed in the New Testament.

Fast Facts

1. Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with Islam second
2. Comprised of thousands of different denominations and orthodoxies
3. Christians believe in both the Old Testament, a collection of Hebraic writings predating Christianity, and the New Testament
4. Christian denominations are found in almost every country in the world

Christianity is an Abrahamic religion along with Islam and Judaism, which claims that Jesus Christ was the incarnation, or "Son" of God on Earth. The central belief of Christianity involves the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion and death at the hands of the Roman authorities in Israel nearly two millennia ago. Jesus's resurrection is believed by Christians to have allowed believers entrance to heaven, given that they believe in his divinity.

Since its inception, Christianity has split into various orthodoxies or denominations several times. The largest split came during the Great Schism of the 11th century when the Church separated into a Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox wing. The next great split came in the 16th century with the division of the Roman Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation.