WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY AND WHY IT MATTERS (Part I)

Question: What is Christianity? What is Christianity not? Is it what we do/do not do? Is it a worldview? Is it an identity? Is it a culture? Is it a kingdom? (Is it a religious denomination?) What is Christianity? What is “CHRIST” about Christianity?

Peter Carlveland Sserubidde, December 2023.

Response: I appreciate your question, my brother, or should I say questions! I’d like to begin by expressing that I identify as a Christian, and it holds importance for individuals like me to comprehend the depth of our confession and profession.

What is Christianity?

To comprehend the essence of Christianity, it’s crucial to break down the term into its two components: ‘Christ‘ and ‘-ianity.’ The term was initially documented by Luke, the historian of the New Testament, in Acts 11:26, in the city of Antioch, where people were first addressed as Christians.

The term ‘Christian‘ is derived from the Greek word ‘christos,’ corresponding to the Hebrew term ‘messiah,’ meaning “anointed one.” In Acts 11:26, the Greek term ‘Christianoi‘ is used, representing “followers of Christ.” The foundational element of the term ‘Christianity‘ is ‘Christ.’ Thus, delving into the understanding of Christianity necessitates a profound comprehension of who Christ was and is.

Christ

Who was Jesus Christ? The unequivocal answer is that he was and is God, the origin, and creator of everything (Hebrews 1:1–13). Jesus Christ surpasses being merely a great prophet akin to Moses for the Jews, Mohammed for Islam, Pope Peter for Catholicism, or the son of God for Protestantism. Instead, Jesus is identified as the only true Great God (Titus 2:13).

Throughout the ages, Jesus Christ has revealed Himself across various cultures, cults, and traditions, encompassing all peoples’ worship history. Unfortunately, humanity has often misunderstood this God within its mythologies and worship traditions. Jesus was not comprehended as a monotheistic God but was often mistaken for a polytheistic deity (Genesis 1:1, 26). In some perspectives, He was considered the Judge within a pantheon of gods (Psalm 82). His role as the creator led to misconceptions, with pantheistic beliefs where humanity worshipped the wonders of His creation instead of Him (Genesis 18:1; Deuteronomy 4:19).

All these, and more, were but the days of ignorance (Acts 17:16-30), and these are the times when Christ, the light, came to shine upon and dispel the darkness (John 8:12). Jesus Christ represents the absolute and the pinnacle of the divine revelation of this God who, throughout ages, was misunderstood in various forms of worship across all cultures of the world.

Hebrews 1:1-3 encapsulates this concept, stating,

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who, being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

For a deeper understanding of this text, it is recommended to read the entire first chapter of Hebrews and then focus on the key points. The essence is that the same God, throughout history (in various times, in the past) and across diverse traditional and cultural worship practices worldwide (in various ways), communicated with the patriarchs through the prophets. Consequently, all traditional beliefs, practices, and worship arrangements served as a process and a stage leading to the ultimate revelation of the one true God, who fully disclosed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.

To comprehend Jesus more profoundly, an exploration of cultural gods becomes essential. The absolute revelation of who God is in Christ begins to make sense in this context. Christianity, as Apostle Paul articulated, is not solely the worship of the Messiah of the Jews but rather the worship of the God who, throughout ages, has been unveiling Himself in all cultural worship practices across the globe simultaneously. As Paul stated, “Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23 NKJ).

This one true God is the one revealed in the bodily form we call Christ Jesus. The manifestation of God in the human form aimed to assist worshippers worldwide in comprehending who this God is (John 17:3). The second aspect of the term Christianity, which is ‘followers of this Christ,’ can be understood in two ways: the conventional or orthodox view and the biblical perspective of what Christianity truly represents.

The Orthodox View

There exists an orthodox perspective on what Christianity is, and it can be defined as Christendom—a collective body of trinitarian believers spanning the globe and throughout history, primarily rooted in Europe, Australia, and America, with branches extending to other continents like Asia and Africa.

It’s crucial to distinguish between Christendom and Christianity. Christianity, in essence, is not synonymous with Christendom. Therefore, in addressing what Christianity is not, it should be clarified that it is not synonymous with Christendom.

Secular theologians and historians often erroneously use the term Christendom when referring to the three Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Islam, and what they label as ‘Christianity.’ However, the accurate term should be Christendom as an Abrahamic religion, not Christianity.

Abraham, a patriarch, experienced both understanding and misunderstanding of God, akin to our individual patriarchs, and Judaism, like all traditional religions (ATR) worldwide, represented a cult of worship rooted in the cultural worship practices of various communities globally.

Just as the biological descendants of the patriarch Abraham have yet to fully grasp the absolute revelation of God through the incarnation, the cross, and the empty tomb, similarly, African traditional religions have not progressed beyond their primitive level of revelation. Hence, Christianity should not be classified as an Abrahamic religion, as its founder (God) declared that He existed before Abraham (John 8:48-59).

I maintain that the Catholic Church and Protestantism, including its offshoots like the Anglican Church and various American charismatic movements—collectively termed Christendom—are not synonymous with Christianity. Within the broader Christendom, individual Christians may exist, but their presence alone does not transform Christendom into true Christianity.

So, what, then, is Christianity?

The Biblical View

Christianity embodies the way, the truth, and life (John 14:6), modelled after God incarnate, known as Christ Jesus. In the New Testament, it is referred to as ‘the way,’ and its followers are identified as ‘the people of the way’ (Acts 9:1-2,9; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14,22). This movement originated from a God who, becoming a creature, lived among His creation (John 1:14), was crucified by them and for them, experienced a vicarious death (Hebrews 2:14), and miraculously rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:14). This was not merely to reclaim lost authority and rights (Matthew 28:18) but to usher in a new era and a new creation.

Therefore, Christianity signifies a new birth and a new creation (1 Peter 1:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This newness defines Christianity not merely as an alternative perspective but as a new worldview (Romans 12:2), not a different identity and culture but a new one (Galatians 3:26-28). It is not another kingdom but a new kingdom, wherein the king sacrifices himself, dying to save and establish his kingdom. The crown of the Christian king is one of thorns and pain (Matthew 27:29). This crown of thorns, paradoxically, secures the golden and eternal five crowns of Christians in His kingdom (1 Corinthians 9:24-25; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10).

I invoke Truth, Wisdom, and Faith (2 Timothy 2:7)

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