Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, and is the world's largest religion by number of adherents.
What began as a small, persecuted Jewish sect in Roman-occupied territory eventually became the official religion of the very empire that once tried to stamp it out.
Origins in Roman Judea
Christianity emerged in the 1st century CE among the Jewish followers of Jesus of Nazareth, a preacher and teacher whom Christians believe to be the Son of God and the promised Messiah. Following his crucifixion by Roman authorities, his followers proclaimed his resurrection, an event central to Christian faith.
Spreading Despite Persecution
Early Christianity spread rapidly across the Roman Empire through the missionary work of figures like the Apostle Paul, despite periods of intense persecution by Roman authorities who viewed the new faith's refusal to worship the emperor as a political threat.
Becoming Rome's Religion
Christianity's status transformed dramatically when Emperor Constantine converted and issued the Edict of Milan in 313 CE, granting religious tolerance, and it later became the official religion of the Roman Empire by the century's end.
The Great Divisions
Christianity later split into major branches, first with the Great Schism of 1054 dividing Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, and later through the 16th-century Protestant Reformation led by figures including Martin Luther, which produced numerous new Protestant denominations.
A Global Faith
Christianity's central text, the Bible, combines the Old Testament, shared with Judaism, and the New Testament, recounting the life of Jesus and the early church. Today, Christianity has over two billion adherents worldwide, making it the most widely practiced religion on Earth.
