Christians

A Christian is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians are the largest religious community in the world. The words Christ and Christian come from the Koine Greek title Christós (Χριστός), which translates the Biblical Hebrew term mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ), usually rendered as messiah in English.

According to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey, there were 2.3 billion Christians around the world, up from about 600 million in 1910. Today, about 37% of all Christians live in the Americas, about 26% live in Europe, 24% live in sub-Saharan Africa, about 13% live in Asia and the Pacific, and 1% live in the Middle East and North Africa. Christians make up the majority of the population in 158 countries and territories. About half of all Christians worldwide are Catholic, while more than a third are Protestant (37%). Eastern Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Church of the East, comprise 12% of the world's Christians. By 2050, the Christian population is expected to exceed 3 billion due to overall total fertility rate, according to Pew Research Center.

Etymology

The word "Christian" comes from the Greek word Christianos, which means "follower of Christ." It is based on the Greek word Christos, meaning "anointed one." In ancient Greek translations of Hebrew scriptures, christos was used to translate the Hebrew word Mašíaḥ, meaning "messiah."

Many European languages use similar words to describe Christians, such as chrétien in French and cristiano in Spanish, all coming from the same Greek root. Short forms like Xian and Xtian have been used since the 1600s, and Xmas is another example of this kind of shortening.

Early usage

The word "Christian" was first used in the New Testament. It appeared in the book of Acts when people in Antioch called the followers of Jesus "Christians" after Barnabas and Paul taught there for a year. Later, in another part of Acts, a leader named Herod Agrippa II told Paul, "You almost convince me to become a Christian." The word also appears in the letter of 1 Peter, where believers are encouraged to be proud if they are called Christians.

Early writers outside the Christian community also used the term. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote about "the tribe of Christians." A Roman official named Pliny the Younger wrote to the emperor about Christians. The Roman historian Tacitus mentioned Christians as people blamed for a big fire in Rome.

Nazarenes

Another name for early Christians was "Nazarenes." Jesus was called a Nazarene, and Paul was described this way too. The name came from the town of Nazareth. Some Jewish writers also used the term "Nazarenes" to describe early Christians.

Modern usage

Definition

People who follow Christianity believe in the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. Different groups of Christians, called denominations, sometimes disagree on what Christianity means. For example, some Christians in the United States do not agree that other groups are also Christian. Even though they all believe in Jesus, they may not see each other as part of the same faith.

Some experts say that all Christians share a basic belief that Jesus is very important and special. They look to Jesus as a good example and a guide for their lives.

Hebrew terms

In Hebrew, Christians are called Notzri, which means "Nazarene." This comes from the village of Nazareth where Jesus lived. Some Jewish followers of Jesus are called Yehudim Meshihi'im, meaning "Messianic Jews."

Arabic terms

In Arabic-speaking cultures, Christians are called Naṣrānī or Masīḥī. Naṣrānī means someone from a Christian culture, while Masīḥī means a follower of the Messiah. Sometimes, the word Ṣalībī is used, which means "Crusader" and can have negative meanings.

In Maltese, Christians are called Nsara.

Asian terms

In Persian, Christians are called Masīhī. In India, they might be called ʿĪsāʾī or Masīhī. In China, Christians are called jīdū tú, meaning "Christ follower." In Japan, older terms for Christians were kirishitan, but today they are usually called Kirisuto-kyōto or kurisuchan. In Korea, Christians are called Gidokkyodo. In Thailand, common words are khon khrit or chao khrit, meaning "Christ person" or "Jesus person." In the Philippines, Christians are often called Kristiyano.

Eastern European terms

Eastern Europe has a long history of Christianity. In ancient times, Christians lived in areas now known as Russia, Ukraine, and other countries. Over time, words for Christians changed. In Russian, khristiane means Christians, while russkie means Russians. The term pravoslavnaia vera means "Orthodox faith."

Other non-religious usages

Sometimes, people use the word "Christian" to describe ordinary members of society, even if they are not very religious. This can make it seem like everyone is Christian, even people from different backgrounds.

Demographics

As of 2020, about 2.4 billion people around the world follow Christianity, making it the largest religion. It is practiced by about a third of all people globally. The Roman Catholic Church is the biggest group within Christianity, with over 1.3 billion members.

Christianity is especially common in the Western World, where most people identify as Christian. Experts believe Christianity will stay the largest religion by 2050, with the number of Christians growing to over 3 billion. This growth is due to families having more children and people choosing to become Christians. The religion is expanding quickly in places like Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Oceania.

Socioeconomics

A study found that Christians, on average, have a good level of education, with many having completed high school and even college. Countries like Germany, New Zealand, and Estonia have Christians who are especially well-educated. Many universities around the world were started by Christian groups, which has helped spread education. Christians also show strong support for equal education for everyone, including girls, thanks to the efforts of historic leaders who encouraged learning for all.

Culture

Main article: Christian culture

"Christian identity" redirects here. For the white supremacist religion, see Christian Identity.

Christian culture refers to the shared traditions and practices of people who follow Christianity. These traditions vary depending on where people live and their cultural background. Over time, Christian culture has taken in ideas and customs from many different places, including Greco-Roman, Western culture, Middle Eastern, Slavic, Caucasian, and Indian cultures.

As Christianity spread from the Levant to Europe, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa during the early Roman Empire, different Christian traditions developed. These traditions were centered around important cities such as Rome (Western Christianity), Constantinople (Eastern Christianity), Antioch (Syriac Christianity), Kerala (Indian Christianity), and Alexandria.

Christians have contributed greatly to many areas of life, such as science and technology, medicine, fine arts and architecture, politics, literatures, music, and business.

Persecution

Main article: Persecution of Christians

See also: Anti-Christian sentiment

Many Christians around the world face unfair treatment and danger because of their beliefs. In 2017, a group working to protect human rights estimated that about 260 million Christians experienced serious problems just for being Christian. Places like North Korea were especially dangerous for them.

A report in 2019 found that these problems have gotten worse, especially in parts of the Middle East, North Africa, India, China, North Korea, and Latin America. Sadly, most people who face religious unfair treatment are Christians.