Middle East Information Resource
Religions/Belief Systems - Christianity
Christianity is said to be the religion founded by Jesus Christ. His teachings are found in the Gospels of the New Testament. The principles of Christianity are simple, but there has been much elaboration and interpretation over the centuries.
From the 5th century there has been a major division between the `Eastern Church` of the Byzantine Empire and the Roman Church. By the middle of the 11th century this division was permanent and formal.
In the 16th century the reformation and the establishment of Protestant Churches led to further divisions of Christianity. With Protestantism, the right of every lay person to interpret Christian scriptures was legitimized, leading to an accelerated proliferation of sects and the further fragmentation of the Christian world.
In the 19th century there arose a missionary movement which worked to spread Christianity to all parts of the world. In addition this movement resulted in some degree of cooperation amongst differing Christian groups, eventually contributing to the ecumenical movement of the 20th century.
The ecumenical movement has tried to emphasize the fundamental unifying principles that all Christians share, rather than the differences that have developed over time. For many this means the practical humanitarian side of Christianity.