Foundations Jesus Christ Church · Theology New Covenant Dispensationalism Covenant Theology New Covenant Theology Apostles · Kingdom · Gospel History of Christianity · Timeline Bible Old Testament · New Testament Books · Canon · Apocrypha Septuagint · Decalogue Birth · Resurrection Sermon on the Mount Great Commission Translations (English) Inspiration · Hermeneutics Christian theology Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) History of · Theology · Apologetics Creation · Fall of Man · Covenant · Law Grace · Faith · Justification · Salvation Sanctification · Theosis · Worship Church · Sacraments · Eschatology History and traditions Early · Councils Creeds · Missions Great Schism · Crusades · Reformation Great Awakenings · Great Apostasy Restorationism · Nontrinitarianism Thomism · Arminianism Congregationalism Eastern Christianity Eastern Orthodox · Oriental Orthodox · Syriac Christianity · Eastern Catholic Western Christianity Western Catholicism · Protestantism · Anabaptism · Lutheranism · Calvinism · Anglicanism · Baptist · Methodism · Evangelicalism · Fundamentalism · Unitarianism · Liberalism · Pentecostalism · Christian Science · Unity Church Restorationism Adventism · Christadelphians · Jehovah's Witnesses · Latter-day Saint movement (Mormonism) Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box: view • talk • edit Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as depicted in the New Testament.[2] It has been gradually developing itself for four thousand years.[3] "Patriarchs and prophets, saints and martyrs, from Adam to John the Baptist, with great expectation, were looking forward to some glorious age indistinctly apprehended, but ardently desired."[3] Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, and that the New Testament records the Gospel that was revealed by Jesus. With an estimated 2.1 billion adherents, or approximately 33% of the world's population in 2007,[4] Christianity is the world's largest religion. It is the predominant religion in Europe, the Americas, Southern Africa, the Philippines and Oceania.[5] It is also growing rapidly in Africa and Asia, particularly in China, South Korea and the Middle East.[6] Christianity began as an offshoot of Judaism,[7] and includes the Hebrew Bible (known to Christians as the Old Testament) as well as the New Testament as its canonical scriptures.[8] Like Judaism and Islam, Christianity is classified as an Abrahamic religion (see also, Judeo-Christian).[9][10] The name "Christian" (Greek ???st?a??? Strong's G5546), meaning "belonging to Christ" or "partisan of Christ",[11] was first applied to the disciples in Antioch, as recorded in Acts 11:26.[12] The earliest recorded use of the term "Christianity" (Greek ???st?a??sµ??) is by Ignatius of Antioch.[13]