Christianity

Christianity

Christianity is the faith of people who follow Jesus of Nazareth, whom they believe to be the Son of God, crucified and raised from the dead. It began among Jews in the Roman province of Judea in the first century CE. With about 2.3 billion followers in 2020, it is the world's largest religion.

Last reviewed:

What do Christians believe?

Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians believe in one God who exists as three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.1234 This teaching is called the Trinity, and the Catholic Catechism calls it the central mystery of Christian faith and life.1 Christians hold that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, who became human, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and rose from the dead on the third day.2

The Nicene Creed, named for the Council of Nicaea held in 325 CE, is a shared summary of this faith. In 2025, marking the council's 1,700th anniversary, the pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople called the creed's faith what binds their churches.5 The Church of England's Articles of Religion, an Anglican statement, say the Nicene Creed and two other ancient creeds ought thoroughly to be received and believed3, because Scripture supports them.

The branches differ on some points, even inside the creed. The Orthodox text says the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. The Western form of the creed adds "and the Son" (in Latin, filioque), as do Western statements such as the Westminster Confession.264 The Beliefs page covers where the branches part.

How did Christianity begin?

Christianity began among Jesus's Jewish followers in Jerusalem in the first century CE. Besides Jesus, key early figures include Peter, one of his original disciples; James, the brother of Jesus, who led the Jerusalem group; and Paul, the missionary whose letters are part of the New Testament.789 Catholic and Orthodox Christians also hold Mary, Jesus's mother, in special honor, and Orthodox Christians call her the Theotokos, or Birthgiver of God.1011 The History page gives both accounts of the beginning in full.

The tradition's account

Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his followers over forty days. Soon after, at the Jewish festival of Pentecost in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and about three thousand people were baptized that day.12 The church grew from that moment, devoted to the apostles' teaching.

The historians' view

Jesus was a Jew from Galilee who was put to death in about 30 CE.813 His followers came to believe he had been raised, and they regrouped in Jerusalem as a movement within Judaism. By 48 CE its leaders were discussing a mission to non-Jews, and Paul's letters from the 50s CE are the earliest New Testament writings.78

What is the Bible?

The Christian Bible has two parts: the Old Testament, which includes the books of the law, history, and prophets of Israel, and the New Testament, which tells of Jesus and the early church.14 Catholic and Protestant Bibles have the same 27 New Testament books.94 The Catholic Old Testament has 46 books, including Tobit, Judith, and 1 and 2 Maccabees.9

Catholic documents call these books deuterocanonical, and note that they were left out when the Jewish canon was fixed.15 The Orthodox Church also counts them as genuine books of the Old Testament.14 Protestants call them the Apocrypha. The Reformed Westminster Confession says they are no part of the canon of the Scripture4, while the Church of England reads them for example of life but not to establish doctrine.3 The Sacred Texts page explains how the canons formed.

How do Christians worship?

Christians traditionally gather on Sunday because they hold that Jesus rose on the first day of the week.104 They meet in churches, which the Catholic Catechism describes as houses of prayer where the faithful assemble and the Eucharist is celebrated.16 Other churches call this rite Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper.317 Easter, which marks Jesus's resurrection, is the central feast: Catholic and Orthodox teaching both call it the feast of feasts.1018 Christmas, the feast of the Nativity, celebrates his birth.1019 Because the Western calendar was reformed in 1582, Western and Eastern churches can keep Easter on different days.10 The Practices page describes the Christian calendar.

What are the main branches?

Christianity has three main branches: Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. In Pew Research Center's estimates for 2010, about half of all Christians were Catholic, 37 percent were Protestant, and 12 percent were Orthodox.2021 The Orthodox include the Eastern Orthodox churches, such as the Greek and Russian churches, and the Oriental Orthodox churches, such as the Coptic and Ethiopian churches.2021 The Branches page describes each one.

How many Christians are there?

Pew Research Center estimates that about 2.3 billion people were Christian in 2020, or 28.8 percent of the world's population.22 The number rose by 122 million from 2010, but the share fell by 1.8 percentage points. Pew links the fall to religious switching: many people raised as Christians no longer identify with any religion.2223 The countries with the most Christians were the United States, Brazil, and Mexico.2324 Pew counts everyone who identifies as Christian, and its 2011 report named Latter-day Saints among the smaller Christian groups it counts.252021 The Today page has more.

Who counts as Christian?

Some churches and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints answer this question differently.

The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in America, which hold to the Nicene Creed, and the United Methodist Church hold that Christian faith centers on one God in three persons, and they regard Latter-day Saint teaching about God as outside that faith.1226272829 As the Associated Press reported, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Southern Baptist Convention have issued similar assessments.29 In 2001 the Catholic Church ruled Latter-day Saint baptism invalid, mainly on two grounds, as Luis Ladaria explained: its teaching about God, and its understanding of Christ, who instituted baptism.27 The Orthodox Church in America's 2023 clergy guidelines say converts from the Latter-day Saint faith must be baptized.28 In 2000, as the Associated Press reported, the United Methodist Church said that the Latter-day Saint church by self-definition, does not fit within the bounds of the historic, apostolic tradition of the Christian faith.29

Latter-day Saints hold that they are Christians. Their church teaches that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world, who made an atoning sacrifice and rose from the dead.3031 Members worship God the Father in the name of Jesus.32 They speak of the Godhead: God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The church teaches that the Father is an embodied being, a truth it holds was lost when early theology merged with Greek philosophy and restored through Joseph Smith. So it does not accept the creeds written after the New Testament.32 As the Associated Press reported in 2000, the church baptizes all new members, whatever their previous faith, and it teaches that baptism requires priesthood authority.2933

The Latter-day Saints guide and the comparison page go further.

Common questions

What do Christians believe?

Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians believe in one God who exists as three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They hold that the Son became human as Jesus of Nazareth, died by crucifixion, and rose from the dead to save humanity. Catholic and Orthodox churches confess this core in the Nicene Creed, and some Protestant churches, such as the Church of England, formally accept the creed too. The Beliefs page explains each teaching.

When and where did Christianity begin?

Christianity began in the first century CE among Jews in Jerusalem, and probably in Galilee as well. The New Testament places the church's start at Pentecost in Jerusalem, after Jesus's resurrection. Historians describe his early followers as a movement within Judaism that soon spread to non-Jews, and a chronology from the PBS FRONTLINE series From Jesus to Christ dates his death to 30 CE. The History page tells both accounts side by side.

How many Christians are there in the world?

Pew Research Center estimates that there were about 2.3 billion Christians in 2020, or 28.8 percent of the world's population. Their number grew by 122 million from 2010, but their share of the world fell. Pew links this to many people raised Christian no longer identifying with any religion. Pew counts everyone who identifies as Christian; its 2011 report named Latter-day Saints among the smaller Christian groups it counts. The Today page has the details.

What are the main branches of Christianity?

The three main branches are Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. In Pew Research Center's 2010 estimates, about half of all Christians were Catholic, 37 percent were Protestant, and 12 percent were Orthodox. The Orthodox include both Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. The Protestant branch is itself made up of many separate denominations. The Branches page explains how they divided.

Is the Catholic Bible different from the Protestant Bible?

Yes, in the Old Testament. The Catholic Old Testament has 46 books, including Tobit, Judith, Sirach, and 1 and 2 Maccabees, which Catholic documents call deuterocanonical. Protestants call those books the Apocrypha and do not count them as Scripture, though the Church of England reads them for example of life. Orthodox Bibles also include them. Both Bibles share the same 27 New Testament books. The Sacred Texts page covers how the canons formed.

What is the most important Christian holiday?

Easter, which celebrates Jesus's resurrection, is the central feast of the Christian year. Catholic and Orthodox teaching both call it the feast of feasts. Christmas, which celebrates his birth, is another major feast. Western and Eastern churches use different calendars to set Easter, so they can celebrate it on different Sundays. The Practices page explains the Christian calendar.

Is the Latter-day Saint faith Christian?

Churches answer differently. The Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church in America, and the United Methodist Church hold that Christian faith centers on one God in three persons. They regard Latter-day Saint teaching about God as outside that faith, and none accepts its baptism. Latter-day Saints hold that they are Christians. They worship God the Father in the name of Jesus, whom they teach is the Son of God and Redeemer. They hold that their church restores Jesus's church.

Sources

  1. Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 232 to 267. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1993, paragraphs 232 to 267. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  2. Orthodox Church in America. The Creed: The Symbol of Faith. Orthodox Church in America. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  3. Church of England. The Book of Common Prayer: Articles of Religion. Church of England, 1662, Articles I and VIII; calendar of collects (Christmas Day, Easter Day). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  4. Westminster Assembly. The Westminster Confession of Faith. Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1647, chapter 1.2 to 1.3, chapter 2.3, chapter 21.7. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  5. Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Joint Declaration on the Occasion of the 1700th Anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. The Holy See, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  6. World Council of Churches. Orthodox churches (Eastern). World Council of Churches. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  7. FRONTLINE. From Jesus to Christ: The Jesus Movement. PBS (WGBH Educational Foundation), 1998. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  8. FRONTLINE. From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians, A Chronology. PBS (WGBH Educational Foundation), 1998. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  9. Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 120 to 130. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1993, paragraph 120. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  10. Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1163 to 1173. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1993, paragraphs 1163 to 1173. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  11. Orthodox Church in America, Department of Christian Education. The Virgin Mary: A Celebration of Our Faith, Introduction. Orthodox Church in America. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  12. World English Bible Updated. eBible.org, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  13. FRONTLINE. From Jesus to Christ: He Was Born, Lived, and Died as a Jew. PBS (WGBH Educational Foundation), 1998. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  14. Thomas Hopko. The Orthodox Faith, Volume I: Doctrine and Scripture, Sources of Christian Doctrine: Bible. Orthodox Church in America. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  15. Pontifical Biblical Commission. The Jewish People and Their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible. The Holy See, 2001, section I.C.3 (the canon). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  16. Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1179 to 1196. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1993, paragraphs 1180 and 1181. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  17. Southern Baptist Convention. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Southern Baptist Convention, 2000, Articles II, VI, VII, and VIII. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  18. Thomas Hopko. The Orthodox Faith, Volume II: Worship, The Church Year. Orthodox Church in America. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  19. Thomas Hopko. The Orthodox Faith, Volume II: Worship, The Nativity of Christ. Orthodox Church in America. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  20. Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population, Christian Traditions. Pew Research Center, 2011, Christian Traditions, and Defining Christian Traditions. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  21. Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population, Executive Summary. Pew Research Center, 2011, Executive Summary, and the June 2025 note at its head. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  22. Conrad Hackett, Marcin Stonawski, Yunping Tong, Stephanie Kramer, Anne Shi, and Dalia Fahmy. How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020. Pew Research Center, 2025, Overview. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  23. Conrad Hackett, Marcin Stonawski, Yunping Tong, Stephanie Kramer, Anne Shi, and Dalia Fahmy. How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020, chapter 2: Christian population change. Pew Research Center, 2025, Chapter 2. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  24. Pew Research Center. How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020, Appendix B: Religious composition table. Pew Research Center, 2025, rows for each region and country, 2020. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  25. Pew Research Center. How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020: Methodology. Pew Research Center, 2025, Methodology. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  26. The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church (UMC.org), from The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2020/2024, Articles I, VIII, and IX. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  27. Luis Ladaria. The Question of the Validity of Baptism Conferred in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Holy See (L'Osservatore Romano, weekly edition in English, August 1, 2001, page 4), 2001. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  28. Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America. Guidelines for Clergy (2023), section on the reception of converts. Orthodox Church in America, 2023, printed p. 16, item 4 under "The Reception of Converts". Accessed 2026-11-04.
  29. Associated Press. Methodists say LDS church is outside Christian tradition. Deseret News, 2000. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  30. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2020. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  31. The Book of Mormon: Introduction. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  32. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Are "Mormons" Christian?. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gospel Topics Essays, 2016. Accessed 2026-10-28.
  33. Baptism, Topics and Questions (2023). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2023. Accessed 2026-11-03.