Objectives

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 Recite the Apostle’s Creed,
The Lord’s Prayer, or the
Beatitudes
 Read the Parable of the
Prodigal Son.
 Explain the core teaching of
Christianity is the message
that a loving God sent His
begotten Son in order to
redeem humankind from
eternal damnation.
 OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION

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I. Introduction
II. History of
Christianity
III. Basic Beliefs
IV. Imagery
V. Sacred Spaces &
Places
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 Introduction

 Christianity is considered the
most popular religion.
 It developed out of Judaism
during the reign of the Roman
Empire in West Asia.
 It centers on the life,
teachings, death, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who is considered the Messiah
or Savior of humanity.
 History of Christianity

 Christianity traces
its beginning to the
miraculous birth,
adult ministry,
death and
resurrection of
Jesus of Nazareth,
known as Jesus
Christ.
 History of Christianity

Over 2000 years
ago in Palestine
(today's Israel),
Jesus was born into
a humble Jewish
family. His mother
was a young
peasant woman
named Mary.
 History of Christianity

Christians
believe that His
Father was
God, making
Jesus both fully
human and
fully divine.
 History of Christianity

 His earliest followers came to
believe that He was the
Messiah, or messenger, sent by
God to free God's people from
slavery, sin, and death.
 God sent his son Jesus in human
form so that people would
better understand God as a
caring and loving parent.
 History of Christianity

Jesus lived and experienced
the suffering of humans.
Jesus healed the sick and
told stories, or parables,
and preached sermons that
taught what God wanted
people to do – to love God
with all their hearts and
love their neighbors as
themselves.
 History of Christianity
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 During his adult ministry, Jesus
built up a loyal following, led
by his twelve disciples. But
Jesus also made enemies among
the religious and political
leaders of his time.
 In the end, these powerful
leaders were so threatened by
Jesus' growing following that
the Roman governor sentenced
Jesus to death and had him
crucified.
 History of Christianity

 The third day after Jesus' death,
his followers found his tomb
empty and discovered that he
had been raised from the dead.
Christians believe that the
painful sacrifice of Jesus' life on
the cross shows how much God
loves God's people.
 Jesus paid with his life on Earth
for the sins of the world.
 History of Christianity

After his resurrection, Jesus
Christ's followers spread
his message throughout the
world, creating the
Christian Church.
Today there are about two
billion Christians living all
over the world.
 Basic Beliefs
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 Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed is believed to
have developed in the 100 or 200
C.E. and was influenced later by
the Nicene Creed. A letter written
by the Council of Milan in 390 C.E.
is the earliest historical evidence of
the existence of the Apostles’
Creed. It is not written by the
apostles themselves but it serves as
a summary of their basic teachings.
 Basic Beliefs

 The Apostles 'Creed
 I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven
and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin
Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died,
and was buried; He descended to the dead. On the third
day He rose again; He ascended to heaven, He is seated at
the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the
living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, The holy
Catholic Church, The communion of saints, The
forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the
life everlasting. Amen
 Sacred Texts
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 Holy Bible
 The Christian Bible has two parts: The
Old Testament which is essentially the
Hebrew scriptures of Jesus' time; and
the New Testament which contains
writings about Jesus Christ and about
the early church.
 The four gospels (a word meaning
‘good news') of the New Testament
are accounts of Jesus' life and teaching,
of his death and resurrection.
 Sacred Texts
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 The Parable of the Prodigal Son
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the
younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of
property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property
between them.  Not many days later, the younger son gathered
all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he
squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had
spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he
began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to[a] one
of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to
feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the
pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
 Sacred Texts
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 The Parable of the Prodigal Son
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired
servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will
arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his
father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt
compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  And the son said to
him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer
worthy to be called your son. 'But the father said to his servants, [ ‘Bring
quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand,
and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat
and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost,
and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
 Sacred Texts
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 The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the
house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and
asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come,
and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him
back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came
out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I
have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave
me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.  But when this son
of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed
the fattened calf for him!’  And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me,
and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this
your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Sacred Texts
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 Imagery
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 The dove is a symbol of peace and hope.
God sent a dove with an olive branch to
Noah after the great flood as a sign that
the flooding was over and a sign of new
life and a new chance.
 Light is an important symbol in
Christianity. The sun is a symbol of
Christ, the son of God, who brought light
into the world.
 During Holy Communion, Christians
share bread and wine, spiritual food
symbolizing the body and blood in Christ.
 Imagery
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The cross is a symbol of
Christ’s crucifixion. It is a
reminder to Christians that
Jesus died so that others may
live.
The Bible is the holy book of
Christians. The Old
Testaments of the Bible is the
same as the Jewish Torah, as
it is the story of the Hebrew
people.
 Sacred Spaces and
Places
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Christians worship
in churches. It is
customary to
worship on Sunday,
the Sabbath, and on
other special
festivals and
celebrations.