Christian religions. Religion Christianity, its foundations and essence

from Greek Christos, lit. - anointed) - one of the so-called. world religions (along with Buddhism and Islam). X. is widespread in the countries of Europe, America, Australia, and also, as a result of active missionary activity, in Africa, in the Middle East. East and to a certain extent in a number of regions of the D. East. There are no exact data on the number of X. followers; according to official church According to statistics (usually overestimating the number of adherents), X. profess approx. 920 million people (70s of the 20th century). X. in all periods of its history (up to the present day) invariably appears in the form of competing trends. A common feature that unites all Christians. religions, churches, opinions, sects, is only faith in Jesus Christ, although even here there are disagreements between them (for example, according to the doctrine of the majority of Christian churches, Christ has both divine and human nature; according to the version of other Christian churches ( Armenian-Gregorian, Coptic), Christ has only a divine nature). X. breaks down into 3 main. branches: Catholicism (approx. 550 million followers; especially widespread in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Austria, in Latin American countries; in socialist countries among the believing part of the population, Catholics predominate in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia , in Cuba), Orthodoxy (approx. 140 million followers; there are 14 Orthodox autocephalous churches (see Orthodox Church) and sects that broke away from the Orthodox Church - Old Believers, Khlysty, Doukhobors, Molokans, etc.), Protestantism (approx. 225 million followers; includes 3 main movements (Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism) and a large number of sects, many of which have turned into independent churches - Baptists, Methodists, Adventists, etc.; widespread in England, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, USA, Canada, Australia, as well as in the GDR, USSR, etc.). In addition, X. has a number of smaller branches (Monophysitism, Nestorianism, etc.). According to the church. version, X. arose in Palestine as a result of the preaching of Jesus Christ, who descended to earth in the form of a man and suffered for the sake of delivering people from “original sin.” Science has refuted this theological scheme, establishing ideological. and socio-political. the prerequisites for the emergence of X., having revealed the history of the formation and development of X., determined the essence of X., the ways to overcome Christ. illusions. X. arose in the 2nd half. 1st century n. e. in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire in conditions of a sharp aggravation of social contradictions. Heavy social and political. oppression and extreme lack of rights caused mass uprisings of slaves, free poor people, and conquered peoples. After Rome suppressed the people. movements beginning 1st century n. e. moods of depression, despair, and impotent hatred of the oppressors became widespread. The immaturity and weakness of the mass movement led to the widespread spread of religions. fiction. Rebellious ideas appeared in the confusion of visions and prophecies, and hope for supernatural deliverance arose in the minds of the oppressed. The solution was found, as F. Engels wrote, in the field of religion; the appeared X. created heaven and hell, promising the “suffering” after death an eternal paradise (F. Engels, in the book: K. Marx and F. Engels, Works, 2nd ed., vol. 22, p. 483). The religions that existed at that time could not satisfy the heterogeneous mass of the dispossessed of vast Rome. empires. These religions differed ethnically. limitations. X. was a new, universal religion, which for the first time appealed to all “suffering”, regardless of what nationality Rome was to. they belonged to the empire, to all social strata, including slaves. X. proclaimed the abstract equality of all people (in the form of their equality before God), promising them deliverance from all troubles (in the other world). X. it turned out to be preferable. based on Jewish radical sects, movements - Zealots, Essenes (social relations, life, ideology of one of the Essene communities is revealed by the Qumran finds), etc. They were intermediate links between Judaism and early X. In the formation of Christ. creeds played a big role in Greco-Roman. philosophy, religions of the East (Egyptian, Iranian and even Indian traditions and beliefs). F. Engels called the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria (1st century AD) the “Father of Christianity”: X. drew his ideas about deities. logos - the mediator between God and people, the messiah, the savior of the human race. An important ideological source of X. is the philosophy of the Roman Stoic Seneca (1st century AD), who expressed thoughts about the frailty of earthly existence and otherworldly retribution, about the equality of all people, including slaves, before fate. Christ. mythology developed under the great influence of the East. cults (for example, the cult of Isis and Osiris, the dying and rising god, the cult of Mithras, etc.). X. fully included the Old Testament in his doctrine. X. arose as a religion. protest of slaves, oppressed layers against the existing order, against slave owners. state The most important difference between the nascent religion and other religions of antiquity was its complete rejection of ethnicity. and social barriers in matters of faith, from sacrifices, to. -l. rituals. X.'s success was facilitated by his teaching about the immortality of the soul and reward after death. Explaining the general moral and material poverty int. depravity, sinfulness of each department. man, X. proclaimed the spiritual salvation of all people through faith in the atoning sacrifice of the divine savior as a guarantee of deliverance of people from sin. Thus, there was a form of “...inner salvation from the corrupted world, consolation in consciousness, which everyone so passionately strived for” (Engels F., ibid., vol. 19, p. 314). The first communities that recognized the new savior god Christ appeared in Asia (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Laodicea) and in Egypt. Alexandria (some researchers believe that Christian communities first arose in Palestine). Their members were recruited from the lower social classes. Early X. represented “... the religion of slaves and freedmen, the poor and powerless, peoples conquered or dispersed by Rome” (Engels F., ibid., vol. 22, p. 467). The communities were distinguished by their simplicity of organization and the absence of clergy. At the head of the communities were elders - elders and prophetic preachers; community members organized joint meals and meetings, at which sermons were delivered. There was no orderly cult even before the beginning. 2nd century no single creed was developed. Early Xianism was characterized by a variety of circles and movements, among which there was no agreement on a number of important issues of doctrine. But the first Christians united. communities impotent hatred of Rome and passionate hope for its imminent fall, deliverance from its yoke and the establishment on earth of the “kingdom of God” led by Christ. This faith permeates the oldest monument of Christ that has reached us. literature - Apocalypse (2nd half of the 1st century), a source that allows in the meaning. measure to determine the character of the original X. From the Apocalypse it is clear that Christ. mythology, dogma and cult had not yet taken shape by this time; in it Christ is not a god-man, but a cosmic one. creature (there are no stories about his earthly life and suffering); there is no hint of the sacraments, not even of baptism; no mention of k.-l. church organizations. The apocalypse reflected ch. arr. discontent and rebellious sentiments of the Israeli people, oppressed by Rome. state, at the same time, testifies to the presence in X. of this period and another movement: in this work, although less clearly than the spirit of resistance, the idea of ​​long-suffering and humility is also expressed, a call for passive anticipation of the outcome of the struggle of divine forces with the Antichrist and the offensive "millennium kingdom" In the process of X.'s evolution and changes in the social composition of communities, rebellious sentiments in X. gradually faded into the background (which was ultimately determined by the political weakness of the mass movement). In the 2nd century. a trend prevailed, calling on workers to meekly “carry their cross,” relying on supernaturals. deliverance, "God's will." The doctrine increasingly emphasized the suffering of the savior god; his cult became essentially the deification of human suffering, humility and patience. Over time, suffering began to appear in X. as a necessary condition for achieving bliss in the “afterlife” (“... through many sorrows we must enter the kingdom of God” - Acts, XIV, 22). The victory of the movement, which called for reconciliation with the existing order, marked a new stage in the development of the early X. The “Second Coming” of Christ was postponed to an indefinite future. This stage of development of X. can be traced by the so-called. "The Epistles of the Apostle Paul" (end 1 - 1st half of 2nd centuries). They emphasize that all earthly authority is established by God and must be obeyed; Children must obey their parents, wives must obey their husbands, and slaves must humbly obey their masters "... with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ" (Ephesians VI, 5). The messages express a tendency for a radical break with Judaism (for the first time the accusation of the Jews of killing Christ was formulated here - see First Epistle to the Thessalonians, II, 15), accompanied by the formation of a purely Christian faith. ideology. The appearance of Jesus Christ began to acquire human features (but the messages do not yet contain details about his earthly life). X. appears as a more or less established religion (with its own dogma, creed and ritual) in the writings of the first Christ. apologist Justin (c. 150), where the life of Christ largely coincides with the gospel narratives. Justin has already described in detail various Christs. sacraments, formulated, albeit in an unexpanded form, a symbol of faith. The complete biography of Christ appears in the Gospels. 4 of them (from Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), recognized as the emerging Christ. church "inspired by God", were included by it in the New Testament and were the main ones. sacred books X. Canonization of the New Testament gospels in the 2nd half. 4th century testified to the completion of the process of myth-making, the creation of a legend about the God-man, about the son of God who endured mortal torments for the sake of atonement for the sins of the human race. The striking contradictions between these gospels (written in the 1st half. 2 century) and within each of them, not only in the presentation of facts, but also in the very sense of the sermon (for example, in the Gospel of Matthew Christ says: “blessed are the peacemakers,” V, 9, and in other places of the same gospel - “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword,” X, 34) reflected different stages in the development of X’s ideology and the difference in currents that still persisted in it. In the Gospels, the most clearly expressed of all the writings of the New Testament is the doctrine of non-resistance to evil ("... do not resist evil. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also" - Matt., V, 39) and retribution after death bliss for earthly suffering. The preaching of the coming kingdom in the gospels loses its former anti-Romanism. direction, there is a call for reconciliation with those in power, with the “language.” imperial power (the saying was put into the mouth of Christ: “...render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” - Matt., XXII, 21). Over time, this made it easier for the exploiting classes to use X for their own purposes. Changes in Christ. ideology in the 2nd-3rd centuries. were closely related to the change in the original. composition of Christ. communities Slaveholding crisis. the method of production increasingly affected the wealthy strata of society. In Christ. Rich people began to join communities in large numbers. If during the first century of the existence of Christ. communities, all their members were considered equal, there was no special administrative apparatus, then from the middle. 2nd century The organization is becoming more complex. Wealthy Christians who donated part of their funds to community funds gained money. influence; b. hours they occupied created in the middle. 2nd century positions of bishops and deacons in charge of community property, households. community affairs. Gradually, the administration of Christ was concentrated in the hands of bishops (first elected and then appointed). communities; from the former democratic There was no trace of the principle left; a monarchy arose. episcopacy Bishops and deacons became increasingly isolated. To justify their privileged position, the doctrine of a special “grace” sent by God to these officials was developed, giving them exception. the right to practice religion. rituals, to be mentors to other members of the community, to decree the principles of religious doctrine. This is how the church was formed. an organization divided into clergy (clergy) and laity. The institution of monasticism began to take shape. Strengthening connections between departments communities contributed to the process of formation of a single Christ. a church ruled by bishops. The emerging church increasingly rejected democracy. initial trends X. and first sought to compromise with the language. imperial power, and then to a direct alliance with the slave owners. by the state, which caused protest. part of Christians and contributed to the emergence of heresies (Ebionites, Novatians, Montanists, etc.). Heretics, as a rule, defended the principles of the original Christians. communities The most dangerous enemy of the church were the Montanists, who opposed the clergy and the dominance of bishops. With the formation of the church. organizations became more and more developed and the cult, mythology and dogma of X became more and more complex. To develop a unified doctrine, the canonization of certain Christians began. scriptures. When works were included in the New Testament, there was a tendency to reject writings that reflected democratic principles. initial trends X., rebellious sentiments. The doctrine began to carry the idea that bliss could be achieved not only by the poor (as was often emphasized at the early stage of X.'s development), but by all believers in Christ who fulfill the church. rituals subordinate to the church. discipline, showing humility and patience. Original community meetings and dinners turned into worship services. The rituals became more and more complex, absorbing the cult actions of the religions of the ancient world, primarily the cults of the suffering, dying and resurrecting gods of Dr. East (Osiris, Adonis, etc.), as well as Mithraism, Judaism, etc. Thus. were developed Christ sacraments, holidays, worship performed by the clergy and preserved to this day. The emerging Christ. the church began to represent. political strength. Rome. emperors, considering Christ. church as a possible political rival, in conditions of intensified class struggle during the crisis of the 3rd century. X. was brutally persecuted, equating him to a politician. unreliability, the refusal of the mass of Christians to make sacrifices in honor of Rome. gods (persecution of Christians in the 2nd half of the 3rd - early 4th centuries under Emperor Decius, Valerian, Diocletian). However, having recognized the essence of ideology, the nature and significance of the activities of Christ. churches, imp. The authorities decided to dispose of Christ. organization to ensure the obedience of the people. wt. The church was used in the 4th century. also in the struggle for the imperial throne. One of the contenders for the throne is Constantine, trying to attract Christ to his side. church, promised to establish equality of X. with other religions. Having come to power and remaining a “pagan,” Constantine I declared X. an officially permitted religion (by agreement with him, Licinius issued the Edict of Milan 313 on the free practice of X.). In 325, the emperor convened the first Ecumenical Council of representatives of the church. supreme (Council of Nicaea). At the council, the “Creed” was adopted (reworked in the 2nd half of the 4th century; the “Creed” first of all proclaimed faith in the “Triune God”: God the Father (who created the world), God the Son (who came to earth, crucified, resurrected and ascended into heaven to come again to earth to judge all the living and dead) and the Holy Spirit), an alliance was formed between the imperial power and the church and the emperor was recognized as the head of the church. Imp. Theodosius I (379-95) issued a decree to close all languages. temples. So X. turned from a persecuted religion into a state religion, sanctifying all those social orders that aroused indignation and hatred among the first Christians. “...Christians, having received the position of state religion, “forgot” about the “naivety” of primitive Christianity with its democratic-revolutionary spirit” (Lenin V.I., Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 33, p. 43 (vol. 25, p. 392)). Christ. the church waged a fierce struggle not only against paganism, but also against dissidents within X. (heresies were condemned: Docetism, Montanism, the agonistic heresy, Arianism, then Manichaeism). X.'s success in the fight against the tongue. religions were promoted by cult borrowings from them, especially in the 4th century. In Christ. The cult spread the veneration of saints, martyrs, angels, and “sacred objects.” Numerous demigods appeared b. including successors to the gods of ancient religions. In the 6th century. Christ The church introduced a new era of chronology - from the “Nativity of Christ” (conventionally, the 1st year AD; in most European countries this chronology was adopted only in the 16th century). Features of the source development of western and east parts of Rome empires led to differences between Christians. churches of the West and East, especially strengthened after the division in 395 Rom. empires into 2 states. Rome. bishops (from the 5th century - “popes”) claimed a dominant position in Christ. world (see Papacy). In the East Rome. empire (Byzantium), they were opposed by the patriarchs of Constantinople. The rivalry between these churches. organizations was a source of controversy on issues of dogma and cult. Division of Christ. churches into Catholic (Western) and Orthodox (Eastern) occurred in 1054, finally - at the beginning of the 13th century. The difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy lies in this. least in his introduction to dogma, cult, church. the organization of innovations that were not accepted by the Orthodox Church (the addition of filioque to the “creed” (about the descent of the holy spirit not only from God the Father, but also “from the son”), the idea of ​​purgatory, the doctrine of the “treasury of abundant grace” and as a consequence - recognition of the possibility of indulgence, a sharp distinction between the laity and the clergy (for Catholics. Celibacy was established for the clergy, communion with wine and bread, while the laity could only receive communion with bread, etc.)). Church The organization in Catholicism is centralized and strictly hierarchical. principle. Led by a Catholic. The church is standing by the Pope. Basic dogmatic A feature of Catholicism is the recognition of the supreme power and infallibility of the pope, considered as the vicar of Christ on earth. Church organization of the Orthodox Church, which took shape under the conditions of a centralized Byzantine state with a despotic. the power of the emperor, did not acquire such a hierarchical position. and monarchic character and was subordinated to the supreme power of the Byzantines. emperor (with the fall of the Byzantine Empire, Orthodox autocephalous (independent, independent of each other) churches arose on its territory and in neighboring states). In Rus' X. was adopted in the 10th century. However, the social role of both directions of X. in the era of feudalism was common: both of them served to strengthen the feud. building, religious means sanctioned and sanctified the feud. way of being. Economical the base of both churches was a large church (especially monastic) fief. land tenure. During the era of feudalism in Europe. state-wah X. became the dominant ideology. On Wednesday. century, the monopoly on the system of upbringing and education was concentrated in the hands of Christ. churches. Science was constrained by theology. limitations, philosophy has become the handmaiden of theology; Christ the church persecuted the slightest manifestations of free thought. Middle-century movements against feudal building, the opposition of the peasants, plebeians, and burghers primarily resulted in a protest against Christ. The churches that sanctified this system most often took the form of heresies (Paulicians, Bogomilism, Cathars, Waldenses, Strigolniki, etc.). Antifeud of the greatest scope. movement in the form of a struggle against Catholicism. The church reached during the Reformation. In the 16th century as a result of the Reformation, a number of churches formed in England, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland, partly Germany, Switzerland, etc. fell away from Catholicism; the third (along with Catholicism and Orthodoxy) foundation took shape. branch X. - Protestantism. Protestantism was a religion that reflected the interests of the bourgeoisie, which opposed feudal rule. churches. Protestant varieties of X. (Lutheranism, Calvinism, the Anglican Church, etc.) are connected by a commonality of essential features of the doctrine, which is permeated with the idea of ​​a direct connection between man and God without the help of the church and the salvation of man by “personal faith,” and not through the mediation of the church; Accordingly, Protestants have simplified and made religion cheaper. cult, the number of sacraments is reduced, they do not worship saints, do not recognize angels, there is no monasticism, celibacy. Sacred tradition is not recognized as “divine revelation.” Protestantism was the banner of the first bourgeois revolutions and played a relatively progressive role during that period. After the English revolution of the 17th century, which was still under the banner of Protestantism, the latter lost its historically progressive character. Protestant churches that arose during the Reformation are turning into typically bourgeois churches. Historically associated with feudalism, Catholicism and Orthodoxy from the 2nd half. 19th century began to adapt to capitalist conditions. society and became the support of the bourgeoisie. Christ. churches began to preach the holiness of capitalism. private property, the spread of socialism. ideas to contrast the idea of ​​class peace, the harmony of interests of employers and workers. A striking example of Christian politics. churches in bourgeois conditions state - the encyclical of Pope Leo XIII "Rerum Novarum" (1891), justifying and defending capitalism. build. In his activities, Christ. churches widely use social demagoguery, promoting the idea of ​​X. as an exponent and defender of universal human interests, putting forward the idea of ​​​​the possibility of “Christianization” of capitalism and its improvement, which is still believed by the politically backward layers of capitalist working people. countries - part of the proletariat, the petty bourgeoisie, etc. In the end. 19th century in connection with the struggle of the imperialist. powers for the division of the world, the missionary activity of Christ intensified. churches (see Missionary). In plural countries, Christian trade unions were created (they began to be created back in the 70s of the 19th century), parties, youth and other mass organizations on a confessional basis in order to split the class organizations of workers and promote reactionaries. ideas of class cooperation. The leadership of these organizations prevented the development of the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat, was hostile to any manifestations of revolutionary activity of the people, and fully supported reactionary regimes in various countries. Christ. Churchmen greeted the victory of the Great Oct. with hatred. socialist revolution in Russia, actively helping internally. and international reactions in her attempts to restore capitalism. Reaction Christian leaders churches are systematically ideological. and political fight against socialist countries, communist movement, falsifying its tasks and ideals, portraying communism as a sinful teaching, supposedly rejecting the highest spiritual values, hostile to man and civilization. In 1949 and 1959, the Vatican issued decrees excommunicating Catholics who sympathized with the Communist Parties and the Communist Party. cooperating with them. The new balance of forces in the world after World War 2, the strengthening of the world system of socialism, the growth of national liberation. movements caused a certain change in the course of Christ. churches not only in socialist. countries (where they were forced, under the influence of the masses of believers, as well as representatives of the lower clergy, to take a loyal position in relation to the state system), but also in capitalist countries. state-wah. Modern The era leaves its mark on everything Christ. directions and their institutions. In the bourgeoisie countries, despite the desire of the ruling circles to fully use X. in all spheres of spirituality and society. life, there is a weakening of traditions. X.'s impact on believers. The depreciation of X. occurs under the influence of science. and social progress. X.'s positions are being undermined due to the growth of democracy. and socialist movements, the participation of believers in them, who are increasingly aware that to achieve social justice and lasting peace, organized action by the working people themselves is needed. The number of people inclined to entrust their fate to some otherworldly savior and his earthly servants is decreasing. Never since the emergence of X. has the contrast between the interests of the people and the Christians been so clearly manifested. creed. The actions of the working class, all working people, in defense of their vital interests are not only not “sanctioned” by the church, but are in direct contradiction with its social doctrine, political. theories and practice. Hence the inevitable break with tradition. church settings. Modern crisis X. has different. manifestations: the growth of godlessness, anti-clericalism and free-thinking among various segments of the population and especially the working class. It is also expressed in the desire of believers who are still under the influence of the church to re-evaluate their religions. ideas, as well as all the practices and policies of the church, so that they do not clearly contradict the spirit of modernity and the vital interests of the people. Changes are observed both in the sphere of “mass” religions. consciousness, and in official interpretations of traditions. Christ dogmatists. In internal transformation of the structure of faith, in a new interpretation of the basic. dogmatic X.'s establishments are most likely to be centered around a new relationship between transcendental and earthly values. T.n. detheologization of religions. categories is expressed primarily in the fact that the believer is increasingly guided by real secular goals, the criteria of societies. needs. Devaluation of religions. categories, ideas of the supernatural, and the spread of “theological practicalism” lead to the fact that in X. they want to see only one auxiliary means of resolving pressing everyday issues. The “devaluation” of X’s divine halo in the minds of the masses of believers also gives rise to a different approach to his servants. Believers want to see them democratic, concerned with earthly affairs, helping in the fight against the powers that be. Thus, beings are brought into the relationship “flock - shepherds - Almighty”. adjustments. These sentiments, the turn in the consciousness of believers, force the leaders of X. to adapt the church to modern times. era, to modernize its ideology, cult, organization, missionary activity. A new attitude towards the worker and national liberation is being developed. movement, communism and atheism, to modern times. scientific and technical progress, philosophy knowledge, to secular power, including to the bourgeoisie. state, to other christ. and non-Christ. churches, etc. Among Christ. The clergy of various directions are increasingly emphasizing figures and groups that strive to take into account the new situation as much as possible. At the same time, however, in the bourgeoisie. Most countries are Christian. churchmen continues to defend the foundations of capitalism. Christ took a new, loyal position towards socialism. churches in socialist countries. In capitalist countries there are many clergy and figures of left-wing religions. movements that sincerely believe that the creed they profess is an incentive to ensure “social welfare.” They defend anti-imperialist. positions in international relations, advocate for the interests of workers and for social transformation. Without taking into account these various religious-political. directions, without a specific analysis of the contradictions between them it is impossible to form a correct idea of ​​the politics of modern X. As for the internal church organization, dogmatics, a process is taking place in this area, which V. I. Lenin figuratively called “renewal” in his time and “cleaning up” religion (see Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 45, p. 27 (vol. 33, p. 205)). Modern "cleaning up" consists of an attempt to better adapt to the spirit of the era of religions. doctrine and organization, so that they do not contradict too much the secular mentality, materialism. modern views person, achieve max. mobility of all units of the church, “democratize” the complex Christ. cult. X.’s “erasure” is also manifested in the desire to disassociate “ideal Christianity” from “historical Christianity,” compromised by close ties with the powers that be; avoid a shameful role, in which X. appears before the peoples of the liberating countries of Asia and Africa as an accomplice of colonialism and neo-colonialism. Social demagoguery is becoming more sophisticated. There are demands to demonstrate their “closeness” to ordinary people by limiting the luxury of churches and abandoning traditions. pomp of religious ceremonies. Supporters of the “liberal” direction under the pressure of modern achievements. science and history progress is forced to advocate the rejection of a literal understanding of the most absurd Old Testament ideas. Traditional militant obscurantism is becoming obsolete. Some representatives of Christ. intelligentsia express ideas that in some cases go beyond the boundaries of religion. dogma. So, a new approach to scientific. and cultural progress is observed in the optimistic and evolutionist system of the French. theologian P. Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), the region is expanding its position in modern times. Catholic philosophy (Teilhard de Chardin tried to replace dogmatic medieval ideas that did not correspond to the psychic and mental makeup of modern man with religious principles that would not contradict humanistic ideas and scientific data). In non-socialist countries, in the content of X.'s social philosophy, those forced concessions to workers, working people, which are now “recognized” in developed capitalist countries, are increasingly reflected. bourgeois countries democracies. The Church sanctions what has been achieved in the intense class battles of the working people. Thus, the constitution “The Church in the Modern World” adopted by the 2nd Vatican Council (1962-65) emphasizes the dignity of labor (contrary to the biblical interpretation of labor as a curse), speaks of the right of workers to unite, and recognizes the legality of a strike as a means of protecting rights. New stage of Christ. ideology that adopts and reproduces the canons and ideas of modern times. bourgeois democracy, also manifests itself in the denial and condemnation of large lands. possessions in underdeveloped countries, feud. latifundium (during the period of feudalism, Catholicism, while protecting the dominant system, sharply opposed capitalist methods of management), in the use of sociological. and economical liberal concepts available in the modern arsenal. bourgeois sociologist thoughts (ideas of diffusion of property, “national capitalism” achieved through the distribution of shares, “industrial society” as a means of eliminating social inequality, etc.). An important place in the activities of modern Christ Organizations are occupied by the policy of ecumenism, aimed at mitigating inter-religious strife, bringing together the varieties of X. and creating a united front against atheism and materialism (see. Ecumenical movement). In ideological doc-tah of various Christians. In churches, one can increasingly see the emphasis on putting. the meaning of the theological and cult heritage of other varieties of X. At the meetings of the 2nd Vatican Council, M. Luther, who was once from the point of view of orthodox Catholicism the worst heretic and apostate, was sometimes even quoted. 7 Dec. 1965 The texts of a joint statement by the Roman Catholics were read out simultaneously in Rome and Istanbul. Church and the Orthodox Church of Constantinople about the mutual renunciation of the anathema, which the heads of these churches betrayed each other in 1054. Contacts between different Christians intensified. churches. The World Council of Churches (WCC) unites 235 Protestant and Orthodox organizations. Mutual visits between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople took place (1967), and trips by papal diplomats to other Orthodox centers, including the Moscow Patriarchate, became more frequent. Cooperation between the Vatican and the WCC was established; Paul VI (1969) visited the residence of this organization in Geneva. For the first time since the Reformation, an official meeting took place. trip to Rome by the head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop of Canterbury Ramsay (1966); Intrastate meetings of Catholics began to be practiced. and Protestant bishops (in Germany such a meeting took place in 1966). Analysis of modernism in modern times. X. shows that no matter how X. is “updated” with each new phase of history. development, it does not change its essence as an illusory form of social consciousness. At the same time, new trends in mass Christians. organizations of a number of countries confirm the correctness of the Marxist-Leninist demand to combine a comprehensive exposure of the ideology and politics of reaction. clericalism with cooperation with working people-believers on current socio-political issues. questions. The participation of Christian believers in the construction of a new society in the USSR and other socialist countries is increasing. countries, and in capitalist. world - in class and national-liberate. struggle. Any attempts to react. strength to kindle religion. hostility in order to divert the attention of the masses from truly important and fundamental economies. and political issues, communist The party, following the behests of Lenin, opposes the sermon of the prolet, which is self-possessed and patient, alien to any kindling of secondary disagreements. solidarity and scientific worldview. Lit.: Marx K. and Engels F., On religion. (Collection), M., 1955; Lenin V.I., On religion and the church. (Collection), M., 1966; Figures of October about religion and the church. (Collection), M., 1968; Momdzhyan Kh. N., Communism and Christianity, M. , 1958; Ksyanev Yu. V., The opposite of Christ. ideology and scientific communism, M., 1961; Sheinman M. M., Christian Socialism, M., 1969; Vipper R. Yu., Rome and early Christianity, M., 1954; Ranovich A. B., On early Christianity, M., 1959; Lenzman Ya. A., The Origin of Christianity, 2nd ed., M., (1963); his, Study of owls. scientists of early Christianity, in the book: Questions of scientific atheism, v. 4, M., 1967; Kovalev S.I., Main. questions of the origin of Christianity, M.-L., 1964; Kovalev S.I., Kublanov M.M., Finds in the Judean Desert (Discoveries in the Dead Sea region and questions of the origin of Christianity), 2nd ed., M., 1964; Kazhdan A.P., From Christ to Constantine, (M., 1965); Golubtsova N.I., At the origins of Christ. Churches, M., 1967; Livshits G.M., The origin of Christianity in the light of the Dead Sea manuscripts, Minsk, 1967; Kryvelev I.A., What does history know about Jesus Christ?, M., 1969; Robertson A., The Origin of Christianity, trans. from English, M., 1959; Hughes Ph., A history of the church, v. 1-3, L., 1934-47; Walker W., A history of the Christian church, N. Y., 1959; Schneider K., Geistesgeschichte des antiken Christentums, Bd 1-2, M?nch., 1954; Carrington Ph., The early Christian church, v. 1-2, Camb., 1957; Kelly J. N. D., Early Christian doctrines, 2 ed., L., 1958; Gilson E., History of Christian philosophy in the middle ages, L., 1955; Nichols J. H., History of Christianity 1650-1950, N. Y., 1956; Girardi J., Marxismo e cristianesimo, Assisi, 1966. M. P. Mchedlov. Moscow.

A message about Christianity will briefly tell you a lot of useful information about one of the most influential religions in the world. The report on Christianity can be used during preparation for classes.

Message about Christianity

Christianity is an ancient religion whose history goes back more than 2000 years. Together with Islam and Buddhism, it is one of the world religions. Approximately 1/3 of the planet's inhabitants profess Christianity.

The religion originated in the 1st century AD. The territory where Christianity spread was the Roman Empire. More precisely, here the opinions of scientists are divided. Some believe that his homeland is Palestine, while others believe that the Jewish diaspora in Greece.

Prerequisites for the emergence of Christianity

Already by the 1st century BC. The Mediterranean was under the rule of the Roman Empire. She owned a large number of colonies, in which many nationalities lived, professing their own religious beliefs. For a long time there was no single religion in the vast empire. In 63 BC, Rome captured Judea and Syria. Jerusalem also became part of the empire. The people living in these territories professed an earlier Christianity, which, having no written sources, existed at first only in oral tradition. With the appearance of the first Christian documents “The Revelation of John” and “The Epistles of Paul” in the 1st century, persecution of the first Christians began by Emperor Nero. They were considered dissidents because they believed not in a pantheon of gods, but in a single savior.

After the execution under Tiberius of Jesus Christ, from whose name the name of the religion was derived, a superstition “harmful” for Rome began to spread throughout the empire itself. Christians were persecuted, mocked, given over to be torn to pieces by wild animals, crucified on crosses, burned at night to illuminate the streets. But it was not possible to suppress the spread of Christianity - political and social oppression by the colonial empire gave birth in the minds of people to the idea of ​​the existence of God, who, through the path of repentance in earthly life, will give life in paradise in heaven.

Until the 5th century, Christianity covered the geographical boundaries of the entire Roman Empire and the spheres of its cultural influence - Armenia, Ethiopia. Then it spread among the Slavic and Germanic peoples. In the XIII-XIV centuries, the religion was practiced by the Finnish and Baltic peoples. In modern times, its spread beyond Europe was facilitated by the activities of missionaries and colonial expansion.

Christianity basic ideas

Briefly, all the ideas of Christianity come down to the following:

1. God created the world - this is the main position of Christianity. This happened in 5508 BC (according to some sources).
2. Man has a spark of God - a soul. It is eternal and does not die after the death of the body. The first people created by God were given a pure and unclouded soul. But when Eve ate an apple from the tree of knowledge and gave it to Adam, original sin arose.
3. Original sin, which lies on all people, after the life of Adam and Eve, was atoned for by the death of Christ. A person leads a sinful life, violating the 7 commandments of God (pride, gluttony, reverence for neighbors, etc.)
4. To atone for sins, it is necessary to lead a righteous life - not to break God’s laws, repent of what you have done and pray for the redemption of the soul.
5. If a person leads an unrighteous life, then after death he will go to hell.
6. God is merciful. He forgives all sins committed if a person sincerely repents of what he has done.
7. The world is awaiting the Last Judgment, when the Son of Man will come to earth again and judge the dead and the living, separating the sinners from the righteous. And the end of the world will come.

Directions and currents of Christianity

Directions of modern Christianity:

1. Catholicism.This is the western branch of the religion, which was formed in 1054. The Church is headed by the Pope.
2. Orthodoxy. This is the eastern part of Christianity. Unlike Catholics, it does not have a single center and is divided into 15 independent churches.
3. Protestantism. This trend appeared in the 16th century during the European Reformation. Its founder was Martin Luther. Protestantism has several movements:

• Lutheranism. Originated in the 16th century. Founder Martin Luther. Liturgy, baptism and communion are recognized.
• Baptistism. It arose at the beginning of the 17th century. Founder John Smith. The main idea is that only adults who have consciously made their choice can be baptized. Rituals: marriage, baptism, communion and ordination.
• Pentecostalism.Arose in the 19th century in the USA. Recognizes the baptism of adults only. It is based on the belief that after Easter (on the 50th day) every Christian can receive various abilities from the Holy Spirit.
• Advendism. It arose in the 30s of the nineteenth century in the USA. Founder William Mueller. Lots of restrictions on relationships and food. They honor the Sabbath and engage in missionary activities.
• Jehovah witnesses. It arose in the 70s of the nineteenth century in the USA. Founder Charles Taze Russell.
• Calvinism. Founder John Calvin. The goal of a Christian is conscientious work and worldly asceticism.

We hope that the message about Christianity helped you learn many interesting facts about one of the dominant religions in the world. A short story about Christianity can be supplemented through the comment form below.

The most powerful, influential and numerous of all the main ones existing today, ahead of Buddhism and Islam, is Christianity. The essence of religion, which breaks down into so-called churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and others), as well as many sects, lies in the veneration and worship of one divine being, in other words, the God-man, whose name is Jesus Christ. Christians believe that he is the true son of God, that he is the Messiah, that he was sent to Earth for the salvation of the world and all humanity.

The religion of Christianity originated in distant Palestine in the first century AD. e. Already in the first years of its existence it had many adherents. The main reason for the emergence of Christianity, according to clergy, was the preaching activity of a certain Jesus Christ, who, being essentially a half-god, half-man, came to us in human form in order to bring people the truth, and even scientists do not deny his existence. About the first coming of Christ (the second of the Christian world is just awaiting) four sacred books have been written, which are called the Gospels. The sacred writings written by his apostles (Matthew, John, as well as Mark and Luke, disciples of the other two and Peter) tell about the miraculous birth of the boy Jesus in the glorious city of Bethlehem, about how he grew up, how he began to preach.

The main ideas of his new religious teaching were the following: the belief that he, Jesus, really is the Messiah, that he is the son of God, that there will be his second coming, there will be the end of the world and the resurrection from the dead. With his sermons, he called for loving one's neighbors and helping those in need. His Divine origin was proven by the miracles with which he accompanied his teachings. Many sick people were healed by his word or touch, he raised the dead three times, walked on water, turned it into wine and fed about five thousand people with just two fish and five cakes.

He expelled all merchants from the Jerusalem Temple, thereby showing that dishonest people have no place in holy and noble deeds. Then there was the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, accusations of deliberate blasphemy and brazen encroachment on the royal throne and a death sentence. He died, being crucified on the cross, having taken upon himself torment for all human sins. Three days later, Jesus Christ was resurrected and then ascended to heaven. About the religion Christianity says the following: there are two places, two special spaces that are inaccessible to people during earthly life. and paradise. Hell is a place of terrible torment, located somewhere in the bowels of the earth, and heaven is a place of universal bliss, and only God himself will decide who is sent where.

The religion of Christianity is based on several dogmas. The first is that the Second is that he is trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The birth of Jesus occurred by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; God became incarnate in the Virgin Mary. Jesus was crucified and then died to atone for human sins, after which he was resurrected. At the end of time Christ will come to judge the world and the dead will rise. Divine and human natures are inextricably united in the image of Jesus Christ.

All religions of the world have certain canons and commandments, but Christianity preaches to love God with all your heart, and also to love your neighbor as yourself. Without loving your neighbor, you cannot love God.

The religion of Christianity has its adherents in almost every country, half of all Christians are concentrated in Europe, including Russia, one quarter in North America, one sixth in South America, and significantly fewer believers in Africa, Australia and

Christianity is largest among world religions. In terms of the number of believers, it exceeds the number of Muslims, Buddhists or Jews. Christianity is based on the belief in one God and his son, the greatest prophet Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to atone for all the sins of people before his Father.

A Christian honors holy book bible, which consists of 66 books and treatises. It is divided into the Old and New Testaments; what is more important for a Christian is not the Old Testament (where there are many contradictions and discrepancies), but the New Testament. Also a Christian, in order to be considered righteous, must keep the 10 commandments, which, according to the Bible, were brought to people by the prophet Moses from the Lord himself. Among them - do not steal, do not kill, honor your father and mother, and so on.

The essence of Christianity- humanity and faith. A person is saved by faith in God’s love and forgiveness for him; moreover, his task is to lead a righteous life, not offend other people and do good deeds. As an example in life, a Christian should take Jesus, who healed the sick, raised the dead with miraculous power, lived very modestly, was not tempted by the money and power that the devil offered him, and so on. Kindness and humanity, self-sacrifice are the most important for a person’s personality, says Christianity.

The emergence of the Christian religion

Christianity arose in the homeland of Jesus - in Palestine(Jesus was executed in Jerusalem, on the territory of modern Israel), from there it began to spread throughout the Roman Empire. At first, Christians suffered terrible persecution: some of Jesus' disciples, his apostles, were executed. Roman emperors threw Christians to feed the beasts for the amusement of the crowd. But in the 4th century AD, the attitude towards Christians changed - first Armenia, and then the Byzantine Empire adopted Christianity as the state religion.

Christianity is divided into three main branches: Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox. In turn, division occurs within the mainstream of these religious movements. Catholics are more or less united, Protestants are divided into Lutherans and Protestants proper - the same are divided into many churches: Baptists, “Pentecostals”, “Charismatics”, etc.

The Orthodox are divided into churches according to national characteristics: the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and others. The connecting “bridge” between Catholics and Orthodox Christians are Uniate Christians: the so-called Greek Catholics. In addition, Christianity has many narrow sects and beliefs (an example is Jehovah's Witnesses).

Adoption of Christianity in Rus'

Christianity penetrated into Rus' around the 8th-9th centuries AD along with merchants, Christian missionaries and travelers from the south. In those times Russians were pagans, they believed in many different gods– each god was “responsible” for different areas of life. For example, Perun controlled lightning and thunder, and Mokosh was the goddess of love, family and natural forces.

By the 10th century, many Christians already lived in Rus'. For example, Princess Olga was a Christian, widow of Prince Igor of Kyiv, mother of the great warrior Svyatoslav. According to one version, Olga converted to Christianity only in order to “get out” of a forced marriage with the Byzantine Emperor Constantine and thus preserve the independence of Rus' from Byzantium. Having become Olga's godfather, Konstantin could no longer marry her.

According to another version, Olga really became imbued with Christianity and advised her son to accept it, but Svyatoslav flatly refused.

The baptism of Rus' took place in 988 - Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Olga’s grandson, decided to unite Rus' with the help of one state religion and sent Kyivans to be baptized en masse in the Dnieper. Next, the process of Baptism was carried out throughout all the principalities of Rus': Novgorod resisted it the longest.

There is historical information, although controversial, that the Slavs of different tribes believed in different gods, called them differently, and because of this they had civil strife. The adoption of a single religion with a single God, according to the prince, would unite people (under the authority of one prince), would put an end to disputes and fuss around numerous gods. This is practically what happened.

Islam and Judaism as a single religion were rejected by Vladimir at the State Council. Judaism was the main religion of the Khazar Kaganate, with which the Russians fought: the military squad, the prince’s fighters, would not accept the enemy’s religion. Islam forbade drinking the wine beloved by the prince's squad.

Vladimir is criticized for “baptism by fire and sword,” since a large number of Slavs accepted Christianity not voluntarily, but by order of the prince, including by force. The pagans in Rus' began to be brutally persecuted, forgetting about the commandments of Christian charity.

The enormous and positive significance of the adoption of Christianity in Rus' is that the country entered the cultural space of other Christian countries, began to establish connections with them, and received it for the first time through Christian missionaries writing, first libraries and educational institutions. In the person of these countries, she received comrades and allies in politics, including such a powerful and developed neighbor as the Byzantine Empire. The Russians learned a lot from the Byzantines in terms of culture, life, and art.

As well as their classifications. In religious studies, it is common to distinguish the following types: tribal, national and world religions.

Buddhism

- the most ancient world religion. It originated in the 6th century. BC e. in India, and is currently widespread in the countries of South, Southeast, Central Asia and the Far East and has about 800 million followers. Tradition connects the emergence of Buddhism with the name of Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The father hid the bad things from Gautama, he lived in luxury, married his beloved girl, who bore him a son. The impetus for the spiritual upheaval for the prince, as legend says, was four meetings. First he saw a decrepit old man, then one suffering from leprosy and a funeral procession. So Gautama learned that old age, illness and death are the lot of all people. Then he saw a peaceful beggar wanderer who needed nothing from life. All this shocked the prince and made him think about the fate of people. He secretly left the palace and family, at the age of 29 he became a hermit and tried to find the meaning of life. As a result of deep reflection, at the age of 35 he became Buddha - enlightened, awakened. For 45 years, Buddha preached his teaching, which can be briefly summarized in the following basic ideas.

Life is suffering, the cause of which is the desires and passions of people. To get rid of suffering, you need to renounce earthly passions and desires. This can be achieved by following the path of salvation indicated by the Buddha.

After death, any living creature, including humans, is reborn again, but already in the form of a new living being, whose life is determined not only by its own behavior, but also by the behavior of its “predecessors”.

We must strive for nirvana, i.e. dispassion and peace, which are achieved by renouncing earthly attachments.

Unlike Christianity and Islam Buddhism lacks the idea of ​​God as the creator of the world and its ruler. The essence of the teachings of Buddhism comes down to a call for every person to take the path of seeking inner freedom, complete liberation from all the shackles that life brings.

Christianity

Originated in the 1st century. n. e. in the eastern part of the Roman Empire - Palestine - as addressed to all the humiliated, thirsting for justice. It is based on the idea of ​​messianism - hope in the Divine deliverer of the world from everything bad that exists on Earth. Jesus Christ suffered for the sins of people, whose name in Greek means “Messiah”, “Savior”. With this name, Jesus is associated with the Old Testament legends about the coming to the land of Israel of a prophet, a messiah, who would free the people from suffering and establish a righteous life - the kingdom of God. Christians believe that God's coming to Earth will be accompanied by the Last Judgment, when He will judge the living and the dead and send them to heaven or hell.

Basic Christian ideas:

• The belief that God is one, but He is a Trinity, i.e. God has three “persons”: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which form one God who created the Universe.
• Faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, God the Son is Jesus Christ. He has two natures at the same time: Divine and human.
• Belief in Divine grace is a mysterious power sent by God to free a person from sin.
• Belief in posthumous reward and afterlife.
• Belief in the existence of good spirits - angels and evil spirits - demons, along with their ruler Satan.

The holy book of Christians is Bible, which means “book” in Greek. The Bible consists of two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is the oldest part of the Bible. The New Testament (actually Christian works) includes: the four gospels (Luke, Mark, John and Matthew); the acts of the holy apostles; Epistles and Revelation of John the Theologian.

In the 4th century. n. e. Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. Christianity is not united. It split into three currents. In 1054, Christianity split into the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. In the 16th century The Reformation, an anti-Catholic movement, began in Europe. The result was Protestantism.

And they admit seven Christian sacraments: baptism, confirmation, repentance, communion, marriage, priesthood and consecration of oil. The source of doctrine is the Bible. The differences are mainly as follows. In Orthodoxy there is no single head, there is no idea of ​​purgatory as a place of temporary placement of the souls of the dead, the priesthood does not take a vow of celibacy, as in Catholicism. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope, elected for life; the center of the Roman Catholic Church is the Vatican - a state that occupies several blocks in Rome.

It has three main currents: Anglicanism, Calvinism And Lutheranism. Protestants consider the condition for the salvation of a Christian not the formal observance of rituals, but his sincere personal faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Their teaching proclaims the principle of universal priesthood, which means that every layman can preach. Almost all Protestant denominations have reduced the number of sacraments to a minimum.

Islam

Originated in the 7th century. n. e. among the Arab tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. This is the youngest of the world. There are followers of Islam more than 1 billion people.

The founder of Islam is a historical figure. He was born in 570 in Mecca, which for that time was a fairly large city at the intersection of trade routes. In Mecca there was a shrine revered by the majority of pagan Arabs - the Kaaba. Muhammad's mother died when he was six years old, and his father died before his son was born. Muhammad was brought up in his grandfather's family, a noble but impoverished family. At the age of 25, he became the manager of the household of the wealthy widow Khadija and soon married her. At the age of 40, Muhammad acted as a religious preacher. He declared that God (Allah) had chosen him as his prophet. The ruling elite of Mecca did not like the sermon, and by 622 Muhammad had to move to the city of Yathrib, later renamed Medina. The year 622 is considered the beginning of the Muslim calendar according to the lunar calendar, and Mecca is the center of the Muslim religion.

The Muslim Holy Book is a processed record of Muhammad's sermons. During Muhammad's lifetime, his statements were perceived as direct speech from Allah and were transmitted orally. Several decades after the death of Muhammad, they were written down and would compile the Koran.

Plays an important role in the religion of Muslims Sunnah - a collection of edifying stories about the life of Muhammad and Sharia - a set of principles and rules of conduct obligatory for Muslims. The most serious ipexa.Mii among Muslims are usury, drunkenness, gambling and adultery.

The place of worship of Muslims is called a mosque. Islam prohibits the depiction of humans and living animals; hollow mosques are decorated only with ornaments. In Islam there is no clear division between clergy and laity. Any Muslim who knows the Koran, Muslim laws and rules of worship can become a mullah (priest).

Great importance is attached to ritual in Islam. You may not know the intricacies of faith, but you should strictly perform the main rituals, the so-called five pillars of Islam:

• pronouncing the formula of confession of faith: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet”;
• performing daily five times prayer (namaz);
• fasting during the month of Ramadan;
• giving alms to the poor;
• making a pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).