| Is there really one Christian church? This is hardly | | | | In 70 A.D. a group called the Gnostics, which |
| true anymore. There are over 1,500 recognized | | | | would later become the Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Christian denominations. Whether you are a | | | | proclaimed a higher law and gospel. In around 300 |
| member of a Christian church or not, you may be | | | | A. D. the Roman Empire recognized the Christian |
| curious as to how exactly the single church that | | | | church as an official religion and thus, the Roman |
| Jesus Christ organized when he was on the earth | | | | Catholic Church was born. The Gnostics and the |
| has become so many different faiths with so | | | | Catholics continued to disagree and the rift |
| many different doctrines and theologies. Why has | | | | became wider until they completely split just after |
| the Christian church changed over time? | | | | 1000 A.D. |
| Jesus Christ set up the Christian church when he | | | | Then in the early 1500's people began to question |
| was on the earth. He called apostles and gave | | | | the doctrines and practices of the Catholic |
| them instructions about how it was supposed to | | | | Church-namely that church members could not |
| be run. He gave one man, Simon Peter, the | | | | read or interpret the scriptures on their own. The |
| authority to lead the church. They largely | | | | priests were the only ones allowed to do this. |
| preached to and taught the Jewish people | | | | Some also questioned the method of baptism, |
| because that is where they lived. They were | | | | which was sprinkling of infants. They felt that it |
| Jewish. But the Jews largely rejected Jesus and | | | | should be baptism by immersion of adults like |
| his message of being the long-awaited Messiah. | | | | Jesus Christ. This led to the religious reformation |
| They crucified him. After he was crucified the | | | | and the exodus of many to America to find |
| apostles of the Christian church continued to | | | | religious freedom. |
| teach the gospel to the Jews. Then, a man | | | | In the 1800's in America an Awakening occurred. |
| named Saul (later changed to Paul) was converted | | | | People began to search for truths on their own, |
| to the Christian church and began to teach the | | | | rather than just staying with their religion of birth. |
| gospel to the Gentiles (those who were not of | | | | When they did not find what they were looking |
| the Jewish faith.) This was essentially the first | | | | for, some began their own churches. It continues |
| division that occurred in the Christian church | | | | to this day. People continue to search for a |
| because although it was what Christ taught, it | | | | Christianity that fits their way of life and their |
| was not what many of the early Christians | | | | belief system. |
| wanted. | | | | |