Origin of Christianity - Essay Example

Origin of Christianity Origin of Christianity Christianity and its origin came about as the embodiment of the Messiah and His people. This is the belief that surrounds Christianity, and all followers of the Faith. Many theories emanate about the beginning and origin of Christianity. Many accept as true that it was after the demise and rebirth of the Messiah that Christianity found its way among followers. Others believe that ancient Egypt may have been the birthplace of Christianity. All these theories may point out to the Hellenistic philosophy that may have pushed for some of the practices and theology of Christianity.

The Hellenistic traditions and culture had a major influence on the Jews in Israel and in the diaspora. The spread made its way to Egypt, and after the Roman conquest, Hellenistic Judaism gave rise to Early Christianity (Williams, 1992). This paper will examine the origin of Christianity, and its spread in modern society. Christianity is believed to be of divine origin that is, direct design from the Supreme Being, God (Carus, 2007). If it is, by any chance, of human origin, then it should be a false doctrine or design that many across the globe are following.

To truly comprehend the origin of Christianity, one must begin by analyzing the situation before the coming of Christ. Christianity was different from what the Jews were accustomed to, and this was probably why they were hostile toward what Christ tried to bring to the people. It might be, therefore; fair to say that, Christianity did not exist before the coming, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christianity became a significant force from the Roman Empire to the Mediterranean world.

During the manifestation of the Holy Spirit to the Disciples of Christ, many believe that the proclamation by the disciples was the beginning of the church. It is true that the Holy Spirit may have given the leaders of the cause of Christianity the courage to speak out, and preach the Gospel that Christ sought to bring to the world. During the time of John the Baptist, a large number of followers accepted the Faith, and this may have increased the number of individuals converting to the new Faith (Johnson, 2012).

Martyrs cannot go unmentioned during this era. The first known martyr, otherwise known as Saint Stephen, was stoned to his demise after being accused of sacrilege. Martyrdom in Early Christianity was a central feature as many people chose to die for their faith. This is as they chose to steer the Jewish people into accepting the way and life of Jesus. Paul, before his conversion, acknowledged to having persecuted people for their faith. The Roman Empire maltreated all those that refused to pay honor to the Emperor as believers thought only Christ was to be paid allegiance.

Romans translated this as a sign that they were refusing to take an oath to honor their country, and thus; the religious persecutions. There are many forms of Christianity that came after the death and resurrection of Christ (Carus, 2007). An example is Pauline Christianity, which is based on beliefs and doctrines by Paul the Apostle. Beyond the Mediterranean and Roman scope, Christianity spread to Africa, some parts of Asia, and Europe. It was clear that the religion was making waves as the message of the Gospel got to many more individuals.

Many argue that, by A.D 300, Christianity had spread to almost a quarter of the Eastern segment, while in the western segment; one-twentieth could only be identified. Rome, despite the persecutions, is estimated to have had at least twenty percent of its citizens as Christians. The graves that were beneath the city could confirm that as they represented the number of individuals who were religiously persecuted for their faith. The natural circumstances that can be attributed to the wild growth of Christianity can only be summed up as being of divine, not human, design (Callan, 1994).

In conclusion, it is clear that the initial impact of the Christian faith emanated or originated from the Jewish community, where Hebrew was the order of the day. Jews were monotheists and believed in only one deity, and that was God. Jesus Christ’s claim to be God is a clear indicator that there was evidence to suggest the claim was true, and, therefore, have a following from the community. It is manifest that Christians who believed in Jesus came to the realization that a divinely orchestrated movement could only come from God (Callan, 1994).

This is why there was power in the start and growth of the Christian doctrine, even in light of opposition and persecution experienced. References Callan, T. (1994). The origins of Christian faith. Australia: Hart Publishing. Carus, P. (2007). The Pleroma: An essay on the origin of Christianity. New York: Prentice Hall. Johnson, P. (2012). History of Christianity. London: Sage Publishers. Williams, W. (1992). The historical origin of Christianity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.