Chapter 13: Christianity

World Religions: A Voyage of Discovery

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IXThUS
Ixthus is Greek for fish.
It summarizes the Christian gospel, or Good News:
o I (Iesu, Jesus)
o X (Christos, Christ)
o ThU (theou uios, Son of God)
o S (soter, Savior)

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The Last Judgment: Christian Eschatology

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Eschatology refers to teachings

about the last things (ta eschata
in Greek).
Christian eschatology includes
several key doctrines:
o the Second Coming of Christ
o resurrection of the dead
o judgment of both the living and
the dead
o Heaven / Hell

Return of the Prodigal Son

The parable exemplifies the
Christian ideal of agape,
selfless, unconditional love.
The parable is recounted in
the Gospel of Luke (15:1132).
Jesus central teachings about
love are featured in the Gospel
of Matthews Sermon on the
Mount.
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The Apostle Paul

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According to the Acts of the

Apostles, Paul preached the
Christian message in Athens
on the Areopagus.
He used ideas familiar to his
audience to introduce a new
perspective.
He preached throughout
Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, and
Malta in the first century.

Christian Prayer
Prayer is an essential worship
practice for Christians.
The Gospel of Matthew
(6:913) presents Jesus
instructing his followers on
how to pray.
His words have been repeated
in Christian services through
the centuries as the Lords
Prayer.
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Christian Sacraments: Baptism

A sacrament is a ritual of
special significance, believed to
bestow Gods grace on the
participants.
Baptism is believed to cleanse
the person of sin and to mark
the beginning of a new life in
Christ.

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Christian Sacraments:
Holy Communion, or the Eucharist

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The Sacrament of the

Eucharist recalls the Last
Supper that Jesus held with
his disciples.
The Gospel of Mark 14:2224
(and parallels in Matthew and
Luke) recounts this event, and
in turn is the basis for the
ritual.

The Virgin Mary

Mary is venerated by
Christians as the Mother of
God
Through the centuries, saints
have been role models and
patron benefactors.
Saintsmost especially the
Virgin Maryhave been the
objects of great affection and
veneration.
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Church Architecture
Throughout the history of
Christianity, the word church
has connoted both the
community of Christians and
the distinctive place of worship.
Predominant architectural
styles down through the Middle
Ages include:
o Byzantine
o Romanesque
o Gothic

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An Early Depiction of Jesus

San Vitale, a church in Ravenna,
Italy, is famous for its exquisite
mosaics.
Artistic depictions of Jesus
through the centuries have
varied widely.
The Byzantine versions typically
present a youthful Jesus with
short black hair.
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Jesus as Good Shepherd

Jesus has been depicted as
the Good Shepherd since the
early centuries of Christianity.
Jesus compared himself to a
shepherd who would give up
his life to protect his sheep
(see John 10:11).

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The Cross
The cross, a Roman
implement of execution,
became for Christians a
symbol of triumph.
Many different types of
crosses have been
developed.
Most are still popularly used
in worship and as
ornamental adornments.
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