Christian Church facts for kids

This article is about the universal religious institution. For general information about Christianity or information about specific Christian denominations, see the appropriate page. For other uses, see Church (disambiguation).

Part of a series on Christianity
Jesus Christ
Jesus · Virgin Mary  · Virgin birth · Christmas  · Crucifixion · Resurrection · Easter ·
Foundations
Church · New Covenant · Apostles · Kingdom · Gospel · Timeline · Paul · Peter
Religious texts
Bible · Old Testament · New Testament · Books · Canon · Apocrypha · Book of Mormon
Theology
Salvation · Baptism · Trinity · Father · Son · Holy Spirit · Christology · Mariology · Apologetics · Eschatology
History and traditions
Early · Constantine · Councils · Creeds · Missions · Chrysostom · East-West Schism · Crusades · Reformation · Counter-Reformation
Denominations
Catholic Roman Catholic · Anglican · Independent Catholic · Old Catholic Protestant Lutheran · Calvinist · Anabaptist · Baptist · Methodist · Adventist · Evangelical · Holiness · Pentecostal Eastern Eastern Orthodox · Oriental Orthodox (Miaphysite) · Assyrian Nontrinitarian Jehovah's Witness · Latter Day Saint · Unitarian · Christadelphian · Oneness Pentecostal
General topics
Preaching · Prayer · Ecumenism · Relation to other religions · Christian movements · Music · Liturgy · Calendar · Symbols · Art · Criticism

Icon depicting the Trinity by Russian artist Andrei Rublev in the 15th century

The term Christian Church, Catholic Church or One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, as it was called by 110 AD, refers to the "universal company of believers". It means every person who has ever accepted or ever will accept the Christian Faith. The idea is that all these people together make up one "body" called "the Church". "The Church" (in this sense) is not thought of by Christians as an ordinary human organisation. It is thought of as being part of God's way to bring people close to him. "The Church" was begun by Jesus in the 1st century AD. It is called "The Christian Church" because Jesus was called "The Christ" (or holy one from God).

"Churches" as Christian organisations were begun by Jesus' followers. Today there are many churches in the sense of "church organisations". The different organised churches are called Christian denominations.

The main Christian beliefs are held by all major Christian denominations. These beliefs are often said aloud by Christian people in a "statement of faith" which is called the Creed. The Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican Communion and other Protestant churches all believe that God is the "creator and eternal father of all things", that Jesus was the "Christ" and son of God who died to save people from the punishment for their sins, and that the Holy Spirit is God's gift to help and comfort Christian people. Christians believe that these are three parts of One God.

There are many other beliefs that are different between different denominations. These differences have sometimes caused arguments and have caused the organised church to split into denominations. The different opinions are called controversies.

Terminology

The English word church comes from the Greek κυριακή (kyriake) meaning "Master's (house)", or "Lord's (house)". In modern English the word "church" is used for both a church building and "the Christian Church" throughout the world.

In 381 AD, at the a meeting of bishops known as the First Council of Constantinople, the Nicene Creed (a statement of beliefs) that was used at the time was changed to include a description of the Church. The words that were added to the Nicene Creed are "One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church". This important addition describes the four most important things that Christians were to believe about the Christian Church.

These are the four words that are used in the Nicene Creed:

• The Church is One. This means that there is only one true Christian Church. It is "universal".
• The Church is Holy. This means that it is the Church of the true and living God.
• The Church is Catholic. This means that the Church includes "everyone" who is a true Christian believer.
• The Church is Apostolic. This means that it was begun by the Twelve apostles of Jesus and that Christian believers follow in their footsteps.

History

A simplified chart of historical branches within the Christian Church.

Related pages

• Jesus
• Christendom
• Creed
• History of Christianity

Images for kids

• 

  Medieval illustration of the ecclesia from the Hortus deliciarum of Herrad of Landsberg (12th century)

• 

  An Eastern icon depicting the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The date of Pentecost is considered the "Birthday of the Church".

• 

       Predominantly Christian region by AD 325      Predominantly Christian region by AD 600

• 

  An icon depicting Constantine I, accompanied by the bishops of the First Council of Nicaea (325), holding the Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed of 381.

• 

  Founded in AD 363, Mar Mattai Monastery, a Nestorian Church, is recognized as one of the oldest Christian monasteries in existence.

• 

  The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered. –Augsburg Confession

• 

  Methodist preachers are known for promulgating the doctrines of the new birth and entire sanctification to the public at events such as tent revivals, brush arbor revivals, and camp meetings, which they believe is the reason that God raised them up into existence.

See also

In Spanish: Iglesia (organización) para niños