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Christianity is one of the three biggest religions in the world.The founder of Christianity was Jesus Christ，who is seen by most Christians as the Son of God.Scholars today believe he was actually born about 3BC and died about AD 30.Jesus was born and raised a Jew，and later became a rabbi，or teacher.According to Christian scripture，he was the Messiah awaited by the Jewish people.He took up religious mission and healing at the age of 30.During his ministry，he is said to have performed numerous miracles.His claim that he was the Son of God and the Savior of the Jews foretold by the Hebrew prophets brought him into conflict with the leaders of the Jewish people.Accused of sedition and other crimes against the state，he was sentenced to death by crucifixion in Jerusalem.His followers reported that he rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to them before ascending to heaven.

From a small sect at first limited to Palestinian Jews，Christianity spread throughout the Roman world.Because they refused to worship the Roman Emperor as a god，Christians were Persecuted for nearly 300years.With the conversion of the Emperor Constantine to Christianity in 312，the Christian sect was granted recognition and freedom to practice its beliefs openly.By the end of the 4th century，Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire.In 1054the Eastern（or Orthodox）church and Western（or Roman）church divided.The Orthodox Church remained dominant in Greece，Russia，and in parts of eastern Europe.The Roman Church predominated in southern Europe and Latin America.Five hundred years later，the Protestant Refor mation，an attempt to reform the Roman Church，led to a further division and the formation，eventually，of over 250 protestant sects，more than 200of which are represented in the US.

The Scripture of Christianity is the Bible that consists of the Old Testament，a collection of books originally written in Hebrew，and the New Testament，writings in Greek about the life and teachings of Jesus and his early followers.Orthodox belief is in one God as revealed in three persons—God the Father（the Creator），God the Son（Jesus Christ，the Redeemer），and God the Holy Spirit（the Sanctifier）.Christians believe that Jesus restored a right relationship between God and human beings through his death by crucifixion and his resurrection from the dead.

Most Christian denominations observe the right of baptism，administered to children and to newly converted members，and Eucharist，or Communion，in which members partake of bread and wine in commemoration of Jesus Christ.Christians are organized into congregations and gather for worship in churches.Most denominations have designated Sunday（the day Jesus rose from the dead）as the day for special observance and worship.A few have designated Saturday.Christians observe monogamy，and divorce is forbidden or discouraged.There are many different standards of personal conduct，ranging from the ascetic to the celebratory.