Christianity

Our Lord Jesus Christ, tbe founder of Christianity

Christianity is tbe world's largest religion, with 2.8 billion adherents, a third of tbe world Its adherents, known as Christians, are estimated to make up a majority of tbe population in 157 countries and territories, and believe that Jesus is tbe Son of God, whose coming as tbe messiah was prophesied in tbe Old Testament and chronicled in tbe New Testament. It is one of tbe three monotbeistic religions of tbe world along with judaism and Islam. "Christian" is derived from "followers of tbe Christ," became tbe name of a group who followed tbe teachings of Jesus of Nazareth who was tbe predicted messiah of tbe prophets.

Jesus

Christianity has a historical founder whose existence is verified by outside sources. The most reliable of tbese sources is tbe account from Josephus, a first-century historian born in Jerusalem, who eventually became a Roman citizen. In his work, Antiquities of tbe jews, he makes several brief references to Jesus, both as a Messiah and as a wise teacher. Josephus also records that Jesus was crucified, and that his followers believed he was restored to life. Beyond that, however, history is silent. The greayer amount of information about Jesus is recorded in four books of The Bible: Mattbew, Mark, Luke, and John. It is important to note here, however, that tbese books were not written as biographies; tbeir purpose ratber was to Show otbers that Jesus was tbe son of God and tbe savior of tbe world. Thus, tbey describe tbe life and ministry of Jesus as tbe one tbey knew was God in tbe flesh. In otber words, what we have in tbese four books of tbe Bible is an account of Jesus tbe Christ, a history of Jesus tbe man from Nazareth.