# data[].attributes.headline
Belief that Jesus Christ was crucified/killed by the Romans

# data[].attributes.subject
Belief that Jesus Christ was crucified/killed by the Romans

# data[].attributes.body
6

# data[].attributes.headline
God raised his son (Jesus) from the dead/from his tomb

# data[].attributes.subject
God raised his son (Jesus) from the dead/from his tomb

# data[].attributes.body
6

# data[].attributes.headline
prophets foretold Jesus Christ as the Savior.

# data[].attributes.subject
prophets foretold Jesus Christ as the Savior.

# data[].attributes.body
6

# data[].attributes.body
5

# data[].attributes.body
5

# data[].attributes.body
1

# data[].attributes.headline
Christians believe him (Jesus) to be the son of God

# data[].attributes.subject
Christians believe him (Jesus) to be the son of God

# data[].attributes.body
6

# data[].attributes.body
4

# data[].attributes.headline
Belief in the trinity (God as the father, Son and holy spirit)

# data[].attributes.subject
Belief in the trinity (God as the father, Son and holy spirit)

# data[].attributes.body
5

# data[].attributes.headline
The people had forgotten the message of the prophet Abraham to worship one god

# data[].attributes.subject
The people had forgotten the message of the prophet Abraham to worship one god

# data[].attributes.body
3

# data[].attributes.body
1

# data[].attributes.headline
Muslims are two billion or %24.9 of the worlds populations religion

# data[].attributes.subject
Muslims are two billion or %24.9 of the worlds populations religion

# data[].attributes.body
2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is Islam?

Those who follow the Islamic faith are called Muslims and there are around 1.9 billion Muslims in the world today. This makes Islam one of the world's largest religions , in fact the second-largest religion after Christianity.

Islam is a monotheistic religion, meaning Muslims only believe in one God. The Islamic God is named Allah, the Arabic for God.

It's believed Islam was founded over 1,400 years ago in Mekkah, modern-day Saudi Arabia. Similar to Christians and Jews, Muslims believe that the word of their God was revealed to them through the prophets. However, it is believed in Islam that the Prophet Muhammad was the final prophet who taught Allah's law and revealed the Islamic faith through the angel Gabriel.

We explore some of the traditions, beliefs, history, and culture of the Islamic faith.

The Symbol of Islam

There's no single image or symbol of Islam that is accepted universally by all Muslims.

However, the star and crescent symbol is the most commonly associated symbol of Islam. But it has little to do with the actual faith and its origins are unclear. The crescent moon and star image is believed to predate Islam and is actually the symbol that used to be on the flag of the Ottoman Empire. This was the dominant Muslim power for nearly 700 years. It's now linked with the religion but isn't the official symbol of Islam.

Certain colors have also become very symbolic in Islam and the two most prominent ones are green and white. The color green is mentioned many times in the Quran as the color of clothing in paradise, which is why it's been associated with Islam for centuries.

The 6 Articles of Faith in Islam

The Quran states that there are 6 articles of faith in Islam. They are

There is only one God, Allah.

The belief that Allah passes messages down to Earthbound prophets through Angels.

The books of Islam should be respected because it is the unchanged words of Allah.

All prophets should be respected but not worshiped.

The belief that life on Earth is just a test, once they die Muslims believe they will be put before God and judged for their actions. They will then be sent to Heaven or Hell.

Muslims believe that Allah has a master plan and everything that happens in the universe is predetermined and cannot be changed.

What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

It is in the Quran, where the five main duties of Muslims are stated. These are known as the Five Pillars. The Five Pillars of Islam are:

Shahadah: The declaration of faith and belief in Muhammad. Muslims repeat this several times a day.

Salah: The 5 prayers completed daily.

Hajj: Making a religious pilgrimage to Mekkah at least once during a person's lifetime if able.

Why are the Five Pillars of Islam Important?

The Five Pillars of Islam are very important, practicing them shows that a Muslim is putting their faith first. The Five Pillars are the main frameworks in a Muslim's life and plays a part throughout their every day activities and beliefs.

Following these will also allow Muslims to live a good and responsible life that also brings them closer to God.

Learn more about the history and beliefs of Islam by watching this educational video about this relatively young major religion.

What is the Hijab in Islam?

Use our wealth of information below to help teach your pupils about the hijab principle in Islam, how it's manifested, and what it means for those who practice Islam...

Hijab comes from an Arabic word which means "barrier" or "partition". The hijab in Islam has a more specific meaning because it relates to the principle of modesty in behavior as well as the way that Muslims are expected to dress. So, we can think about the hijab as a principle that is observed or followed by people of the Islamic faith.

Some Muslims believe that hijab refers to the complete covering of everything apart from the hands, face, and feet in long, loose, opaque pieces of clothing. A woman who wears a hijab is called Muhaajaba.
Where does the hijab in Islam come in?
Women of the Islamic faith are required to follow the full hijab principle when in front of any man that in theory, they could potentially marry. This means that Muslim women do not have to completely observe the hijab principle when in the presence of their male family members, so their father, brothers, grandfathers, uncles, or children. It is also not seen as completely necessary for Muslim women to wear something that shows their observation of the hijab in front of other Muslim women.
Forms of the hijab in Islam...
As we now know, the hijab is a principle of Islam which states that those who follow the faith should show modesty in one way or another. Because of that, it's often interpreted in a range of different ways by the variety of people who practice the Islamic faith.

Lots of Muslim women will be seen to wear garments that cover their full body, only exposing their eyes. Some cover every part of their bodies except their face and hands. Others are known to believe that only their hair or chest needs to be hidden, whilst some Muslim women don't observe any particular principles of dress.

Many Muslim women use what is known as a khimaar to cover their hair, ears, and neck whilst outside the home. In English-speaking countries, there is often the misconception that this is called a hijab. Other observations of the hijab include hanging a curtain or some form of a screen between men and women to save them changing dress. This is not so popular now, and was mainly used in the early days of Islam for the wives of the Prophet Muhammad.

However, elderly women are not obliged to follow the hijab principle, as directed in this extract from the Quran:

"Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage - there is no blame on them if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they make not a wanton display of their beauty: but it is best for them to be modest: and Allah is One Who sees and knows all things" - 24:60

The Awrah
Awrah is an Arabic word that refers to the parts of the body that must be covered in public. For men, it is expected that everything between the neck and the knee are awrah, or covered at all times. For women, there are a few more rules, which we will explore below:

When with unrelated men, some are obliged to cover everything except their hands and face.

Among close male family members, some believe that awrah should be from the neck to the knee.

When with Muslim females, awrah is sometimes from the neck to over the knees.

We know that those who follow the Muslim faith follow these commands from their holy book by covering up certain areas of their bodies in particular situations, depending on who they hold company with.

The Islamic Calendar

The Islamic calendar determines the days of Islamic holidays and rituals. The Islamic holidays and rituals are:
Ramadan
The annual period of fasting and the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims across the world take part in Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.

Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and requires Muslims to fast from sunrise until sunset for 29-30 days.

For more information about Ramadan, take a look at this Ramadan Teaching Wiki for facts about this holiday in Islam for kids.
Hajj
Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and marks the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mekkah. Hajj takes place during the last month of the Islamic calendar and requires every able person to take part in Hajj at least once in their life.

Hajj is the world's largest annual gathering.
Eid al-Adha
The celebration of the Prophet Abraham's sacrifice of his son for Allah, Eid (translating to 'festival' in Arabic), is the time when friends and family join together and worship at their mosque, gift each other with presents and donate money to charity.
Eid al-Fitr
The Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of Ramadan and similarly to Eid al-Adha is a time for joining and eating together.

More Islamic Celebrations
Eid al-Ghadir
Shia Muslims all around the world take part in huge feasts for the Islam celebration of the prophet Muhammad appointing his successor.
Mawlid al-Nabi al-Sharif
This Islamic celebration is of the birth of the prophet Muhammad. This is celebrated in the third month of the Islamic calendar. Poetry and songs were often performed to the crowds. Most Muslims approve of this celebration but there are some who believe it to be an illicit religious innovation. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar no longer celebrate Mawlid al-Nabi al-Sharif.
Laylat al-Qadr
This is the Islamic celebration of the Night of Destiny or the Night of Power. In Islam, it is believed to be the night that the Quran was sent down to Earth from Heaven and the first verses were told to Muhammad. The specific date of Laylat al-Qadr is not known or written in the Quran because Allah came to Muhammad in a dream and as he went to tell theSahabah (his companions), he was distracted by people fighting in the street.

What Happens After Death in Islam?

Belief in life after death is one of Islam's Six Articles of Faith. This means it's an essential belief for all Muslims.

They refer to the afterlife as ' Akhirah' and believe that when we die, we remain in our graves until the end of the world. This is known as Yawm al-din, the Day of Judgement. The date on which the world will end is known only to Allah.

On this day, everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected and brought before God for judgement. Allah will judge each person based on the way they lived their life.

Those who have lived a good life, by performing more good deeds than bad, will enter Jannah (heaven). Jannah is described in the Quran as a 'garden of everlasting bliss' and a 'home of peace'. There's no sickness, pain or sadness.

Those who have lived a bad life and performed more bad deeds than good, will enter Jahannam (hell) which is described in the Quran as a 'place of fire'. It's a place of physical and spiritual suffering.

Muslims believe that Allah is merciful, forgiving and compassionate, so good deeds are thought to outweigh the bad. Allah will forgive those who have repented for their sins and are given a chance to redeem themselves, so they can enter heaven.

However, there are some sins that many Muslims believe to be unforgivable, which include the sin of shirk. This means believing and worshiping other Gods.

Angels play several roles in the idea of life after death in Islam. Recording angels note down everyone's deeds and give them to Allah to use as information to judge them.

Before Judgement Day, two angels called Munkar and Nakir, question the souls of the dead about the religion they followed throughout their life. After this, an angel called Israfil will sound the trumpet that signals the beginning of the resurrection of the dead.

Why do Muslims Believe in Life After Death?

Muslims believe that Allah is in charge of their lives and decides how long they'll live. The Quran states that the good will receive reward, whilst the bad receive punishment.

Life after death in Islam is central to the meaning and purpose of most Muslims' lives. They believe they are on Earth for a relatively short time and during this time, they are preparing for eternal life after death.

Islamic Stories for Children

The Crying Camel

It was a hot day and the people who lived in the city of Medina were searching for somewhere to keep cool. The city had many beautiful gardens with tall shady trees, and people came to sit under them before the mosque.

The Prophet Muhammad was walking in one of the gardens. He took shelter from the heat and thought quietly as he walked, smiling at people he knew as he passed them.

While he was walking, Prophet Muhammad heard a strange noise. It sounded like someone crying. Whoever it was, they sounded very upset. As The Prophet came closer, he realized that it wasn't a sad person, but a camel.

The camel was tied to a post, hot and thirsty in the baking heat. Muhammad felt sorry for the camel as he saw tears streaming down its cheeks. He stroked the camel and it became calmer. Gradually, the camel's howls turned to grunts, and then from grunts to snorts of pleasure. The camel stopped crying as he knew that Muhammad was his friend.

Muhammad became angry, and strode along the pathway calling, "Who owns this camel?"

At last, a voice replied, "I do," and a man stepped out from under the shade of a tree. Muhammad looked at the man and saw that he was not hot, nor was he thirsty, and he certainly wasn't thinking about his camel. Muhammad spoke quietly to him, and as the owner realized his mistake, his head began to droop.

Muhammad had reminded him that the camel was one of Allah's creatures. It would work hard for the man, carrying heavy loads and travelling to places far away. The man should take great care of the camel for its hard work.

The camel owner was full of regret and sorrow. He had mistreated his camel and upset Prophet Muhammad. He was ashamed, so from that day on he looked after his animals with great care and always made sure they had enough to eat and drink. The camel never cried again.

Islamic stories for children like this convey the message that animals are Allah's creation and therefore deserve to be cared for.

The Islamic story of The Prophet and the Ants

One evening, as the sun set, all the ants returned home after a busy day of collecting food for their nest.

As they arrived, they saw clouds of smoke moving towards their nest. The air was hot, and the ants scurried away quickly when they sensed the fire nearby.

Suddenly, a voice came from above, saying, "Look what you've done. You've built the fire too close to the ants' nest. The creatures will get burnt!" It was the voice of The Prophet, who was camping near the ants' nest with some of his followers who'd lit the fire.

Upon hearing The Prophet's words, the campers put out the fire immediately and the ants were saved. The Prophet stressed that all creatures are important to Allah and that we should look after them.

Islamic stories for children like this show that all animals, no matter how big or small, are important to Allah.

Islamic Creation Story

In the space before time began, there was just Allah. And when Allah wanted to create something, all he had to say was 'be' and it became.

Allah created the world and the heavens. He made all the creatures, which walk, swim, crawl and fly on the face of the Earth. He made the angels, and the sun, moon and stars to dwell in the universe.

Allah poured down the rain in torrents and broke up the soil to bring forth the corn, the grapes and other vegetation; the olive and the palm, the fruits trees and the grass.

Allah ordered the angels to go to the Earth, and to bring seven handfuls of soil, all of different colors, from which he could model man. Allah took the seven kinds of earth and molded them into a model of a man. He breathed life and power into it, and it immediately sprang to life.

Islamic stories for children about creation are stories about how the world came into existence, and are a great way to introduce the topic.

Teachings of Adam in Islam

Adam is one of the most important figures that feature in the Quran.

Adam, in Islam, was the very first prophet and human being. Muslims believe that Allah created Adam from clay. He was given the ability to think logically and was told to be the representative of God, the Khalifah.

It is believed by many Muslims that Adam built the Ka'bah - the very first and most sacred place for Muslims to worship in Mecca. Muslims learn about who they are and their purpose on Earth through the teaching of Adam and the forgiveness of his sins.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Those who follow the Islamic faith are called Muslims and there are around 1.9 billion Muslims in the world today. This makes Islam one of the world's largest religions , in fact the second-largest religion after Christianity. Islam is a monotheistic religion, meaning Muslims only believe in one God.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Christianity is the largest world religion by number of adherents (around 2.4 billion). Members of the religion are called Christians. Christians generally believe Jesus to be the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. It is a monotheistic religion, meaning it has only one God. It is based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.

To most of the people of his time Jesus was a preacher, teacher, healer, and prophet from ancient Judea. However, his disciples believed him to be much more than that: they believed that Jesus was God's one and only son who was sent down to earth to die on a cross for their sins. The man said to be his father, Joseph, was a carpenter. Jesus was executed by being nailed to a cross (or crucified) under Pontius Pilate, the local Roman governor at the time. His life and followers are written about in the New Testament, part of the Bible. Christians consider the Bible, both the Old Testament and New Testament, as sacred. The Gospels or "The Good News" are the first four books of the New Testament and are about the life of Jesus, his death, and him rising from the dead.

God created the world. Jesus is the name of God the Son. Christians believe Him to be the Son of God. They believe that He was the human son of the Virgin Mary and the divine Son of God. They believe he suffered and died to free humans from their sin and was later raised from the dead. He then went up into Heaven. At the end of time, Jesus will come back to Earth to judge all mankind, both alive and dead, giving everlasting life to those who believe in him. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God on the Earth that spoke through prophets.

The prophets foretold in the Old Testament of Jesus as the Savior. Christians think of Jesus Christ as a teacher, a role model, and someone who revealed who the Christian God was.

Christianity has been an important part of the shaping of the world. As of the early 21st century, Christianity has approximately 2.2 billion followers.

Jesus Christ

The most basic part of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and Messiah ( Christ). The title "Messiah" comes from the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ ( māšiáħ) meaning anointed one. The Greek translation Χριστός ( Christos) is the source of the English word " Christ". Joshua is English for the Hebrew word Yeshua.

Christians believe that, as the Messiah, Jesus was anointed by God as ruler and savior of all people. Christians also believe that Jesus' coming was the fulfillment of prophecies of the Old Testament. The Christian belief of the Messiah is much different than the contemporary Jewish concept. The main Christian belief is that, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, sinful humans can be reconciled to God. Through this, they believe they are given salvation and eternal life.

Death and resurrection of Jesus

Christians believe the resurrection of Jesus to be the main part of their faith (see 1 Corinthians 15) and the most important event in human history because it would show that Jesus has power over death and has the authority to give people eternal life.

Among Christian beliefs, the death and resurrection of Jesus are two main events of Christian doctrine and theology. From what the New Testament says, Jesus was crucified, died a physical death, was buried in a tomb, and rose from the dead on the third day afterwards. Most Christians place his death on a Friday each year, which is the first day of his death. Saturday is the second day, and Sunday is the third day. The New Testament writes that several times Jesus appeared many times before his Twelve Apostles and disciples, and one time before "more than five hundred brethren at once," before Jesus' Ascension to heaven. Jesus' death and resurrection are remember by Christians in their worship services, and most commonly during Holy Week, which has Good Friday and Easter Sunday in the week

Salvation of Christ

Protestantism teaches that eternal salvation is a gift that is given to a person by God's grace. It is sometimes called "unmerited favor." This would mean that Salvation is God bringing humans into a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the belief that one can be saved (rescued) from sin and forever death. Many Protestants believe in the "assurance of salvation"-that God can put confidence in a believer that he has truly received salvation from Jesus Christ.

Catholicism teaches that although in most cases someone must be baptized a Catholic to be saved, it is sometimes possible for people to be saved who have not fully joined the Catholic Church. Catholics normally believe in the importance of "faith working through love" and sacraments in receiving salvation. The Catholic Church teaches that good works and piety, such as obedience to commands, taking the sacraments, going to church, doing penance giving alms, saying prayers, and other things, are important in becoming holy, but strongly emphasize that salvation is through God's grace alone, and all we can do is receive it.

Different denominations and traditions of Christianity believe in forms divine grace. Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy teach the complete importance of the free will to work together with grace. Reformed theology teaches the importance of grace by teaching that a person is completely incapable of self-redemption, but the grace of God overcomes even the unwilling heart. Arminianism believes in a synergistic view, while Lutheran and most other Protestant denominations teach justification by grace through faith alone.

Scriptures

Christianity uses the Bible, a collection of many canonical books in two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is believed by Christians that they were written by people who were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and therefore it is most often believed to be the word of God. The Bible has been translated into over 600 languages. The translators are able to verify accuracy by using thousands of handwritten copies of the scriptures which are in the original languages of Hebrew Aramaic, and Greek.

Creeds (from Latin credo meaning "I believe") are direct doctrinal statements or confessions, usually of religious beliefs. They started as formulas used when someone was baptised. During the Christological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries they became statements of faith.

Some main Christian creeds are:

Many Christians accept the use of creeds, and often use at least one of the creeds given above. A smaller number of Protestants, notably Restorationists, a movement formed in the wake of the Second Great Awakening in the 19th century of the 19th century United States, oppose the use of creeds.

Trinitarianism

The Bible mentions God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and yet Christian believe that there is only one God. This idea, called Trinity, was started at the First Council of Nicaea, in 325, and developed during several church meetings or councils. Today, many Christian groups agree with it. Oriental Orthodox Churches did not agree with the idea, and split after the council. The biggest of the Oriental Orthodox is the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Oriental Orthodox Churches agree with the ideas in the First Council of Nicaea, but they disagree with other councils. Trinitarianism is the teaching that God is three different persons, or has three different relations, within One God; the , the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. In the words of the Athanasian Creed, "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God."

An example of a more recent Christian movement that rejects trinitarianism is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Latter Day Saints started in the first half of the 19th century, in the United States. There are other smaller Christian groups who also reject trinitarianism.

The afterlife and end times

Christians believe that human beings will receive judgement from God and are given either eternal life or eternal damnation. This includes the " Last Judgment" as well as the belief of a judgement particular to the soul after death.

There are also some differences among Christians in this belief. For example, in Roman Catholicism, those who die in a state of grace, go into purgatory, where they are cleansed before they can go into heaven.

Christians believe that at the second coming of Christ at the end of time, all who have died will be raised up from the dead for the Last Judgment, when Jesus will establish the Kingdom of God. There is also the belief of Universal Reconciliation. That is the belief that all people will someday be saved, and that hell is not forever. Christians who believe in this view are known as Universalists.

Christians have different ways to talk about the purpose of Jesus' coming:

to learn the best way to live and to follow his example

to pay the price of sin in our lives by being the perfect sacrifice, without sin. (John 3:16)

to tell people that their mistakes and sins will be forgiven and will be saved if they believe and have faith in the Lord Jesus and confess that they have sinned (1 John 1:9) (John 3:16) (Ephesians 1:7) (Romans 10:9).

to teach people to forgive each other and repent of their own sin through grace. (Matthew 6:14)

to "destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3 v 8)

to help people share in his life through the gift of God's Spirit.

Worship is thought by most Christians to be a very important part of Christianity all through its history. Many Christian theologians have called humanity homo adorans, which means "worshiping ," and so the worship of God is at the very center of what it means to be human. This would mean that because God created all humanity, Christians should worship and give praise to God.

Most Christian worship has Scripture reading, talk about Scripture from a leader, singing, prayer together, and a small time for Church work. Christians may meet in special buildings, also called Churches, or outdoors, or at schools, or anywhere Christians feel they are needed.

The main worship service in Catholic Churches is the Mass and the main worship service in many Orthodox Churches is called the Divine Liturgy. In both of these Churches, along with the other parts of worship, the Eucharist or Communion is central. Here a priest by prayer asks God to change a small amount of bread and wine into what Catholics and Orthodox believe is Jesus's real body and blood, but without changing the accidents (appearance, taste, colour, etc.) of the bread and wine. Then the people each may receive a portion. Many Protestant churches have worship services similar to the Mass, some every week, others a few times a year. Some Protestants believe Jesus is really present at the Communion service, and some believe the bread and wine are symbols to help them remember what Jesus did

The Catholic Church has developed a short ceremony, Eucharistic Benediction, worshiping Jesus present in the Eucharist. They also may visit a Church building to pray in the presence of the Eucharist, Eucharistic Adoration.

The Orthodox and Catholic Churches spirituality place importance on the use of human senses such as sight and on the use of beautiful things. Catholic spirituality often involves the use of statues and other artistic representations, candles, incense, and other physical items as reminders or aids to prayer. The Orthodox Churches also use candles, incense, bells, and icons, but not statues. Orthodox and Catholic worship also makes use of movements, such as the Sign of the Cross, made by each person touching first the forehead, then chest, one shoulder, then the other shoulder. There is also bowing, kneeling, and prostration in Catholic and Orthodox worship.

Sacraments

In Catholic belief and practice, a sacrament is a religious symbol or often a rite which shows divine grace, blessing, or sanctity for the Christian who receives it. Examples of sacraments are Baptism and the Mass." The word is taken from the Latin word sacramentum, which was used to translate the Greek word for mystery.

The two most regularly used sacraments are Baptism and Eucharist (communion). Most Catholics use seven Sacraments: Baptism, the ritual immersion of a candidate to welcome them into the church; Confirmation, the sealing of the Covenant; the Eucharist, a ritual where consecrated bread (discs of unleavened, toasted bread) and wine representing Jesus' body and blood are consumed; Holy Orders, Reconciliation of a Penitent (confession), Anointing of the Sick, and Marriage. Some Christian denominations prefer to call them ordinances. These are the Orders from Christ to all believers found in the New Testament.

Liturgical calendar

Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Eastern Christians, and traditional Protestant groups center their worship around a liturgical calendar. Some events that are part of this calendar are the "holy days", such as solemnities which honor an event in the life of Jesus or the saints, times of fasting such as Lent, and other events, such as memoria. Christian groups that do not follow a liturgical tradition often keep some celebrations, such as Christmas, Easter,and Pentecost. A few churches do not use a liturgical calendar.

These are some symbols that some denominations or individual churches may use:

Alpha and Omega - The Greek letters Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Alpha and Omega is a reference to God, who calls himself the "Alpha and Omega" (the first and the last letter of the Greek alphabet) in the Book of Revelation.

Chi - The Greek letter Chi is the first letter of 'Christ' (Greek: Χριστός "Christos").

Chi Rho - The Greek letters Chi and Rho are the first two letters of 'Christ' in Greek: Christos. Usually, the long stem of Rho (ρ) runs up and down through the cross of the Chi (χ).

Christian cross - The cross is the most common symbol of Christianity. Christians believe that their savior Jesus Christ was crucified by the Romans. The cross is important because Jesus died as a sacrifice for the sins of believers. It represents God's love for humanity.

Crucifix - The crucifix is a cross with the body of Jesus still hanging on it. It is a more popular symbol with Catholics and Eastern Orthodox. It has the same meaning as the cross.

Dove - The dove is a bird and a symbol of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came to him in the form of a dove and rested on him.

Ichthys - In Greek, the word ichthys /iktheews/ means 'fish', and forms an acronym, "Ίησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ", meaning "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour" in Greek.

Lamb - A lamb may be a symbol of Jesus himself, portrayed as the sacrifice for humans.

Shepherd - A shepherd is also a symbol of Jesus himself and is used in the earliest Christian art. In the Bible, Jesus calls himself the good shepherd who cares for his sheep.

INRI - INRI is an acronym in Latin "Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum" meaning "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews." This is the message that was put on the cross as being the crime for which he was being punished. Christians now use it as a symbol that Jesus is the Messiah, or King of all kings.

Interlocking rings - Three interlocking rings are a symbol of the Trinity. Each ring is a complete circle, representing each complete person of the Trinity. But each ring is locked with the other two rings, showing that each divine person cannot be separated from the Trinity.

Types of Christianity

People who call themselves Christians may show or live their faith in different ways. They may also believe different things. Through history the ten main groups or "denominations" of Christianity have been the (Eastern) Orthodox, the Church of the East (Nestorian), the Oriental Orthodox (Miaphysite), the Catholic, the Anglican, the Lutheran, the Reformed, the Anabaptist, the Evangelical, and the Nontrinitarian churches. These latter six are often grouped together as Protestant, but Nontrinitarians are also more commonly grouped separately. Not all Christians use these titles. Some believe Christianity is bigger and includes others. Some believe Christianity is smaller and does not include all these churches.

Disagreements

Some of these groups could not agree on certain points about Christian teaching (called "doctrine") or practice. The first split was in the 5th century after the Church Council of Ephesus. The council agreed Nestorianism was wrong. The Assyrian Church of the East did not agree and split from the rest. The argument was about the nature of Jesus. Should he be regarded as God and human in one combined nature, or in two separate natures? Most of the bishops, following the Pope (the Bishop of Rome), refused to stay in communion with any bishop who would not say "two separate natures". This was also discussed at the Council of Chalcedon, about 20 years later. The Christians who did not agree with the decision of the Council to excommunicate them, became the non-Chalcedonian Orthodox. The largest Non-Chalcedonian Churches are the Coptic Orthodox in Egypt, the Ethiopian Orthodox, the Armenian, and some Lebanese Orthodox Churches. In general, these churches are known as Oriental Orthodox Churches. Recent discussions between the Roman Catholic Pope John Paul II and the Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III concluded that they believe many of the same things after all, even though the Coptic Church does not recognize the Pope of Rome as its leader.

The third split happened in the 11th century. It is called the Great Schism. It was mostly based on the creed being translated incorrectly from Greek into Latin. The disagreements were made worse because the two cultures often did not understand one another. Also, many Crusaders from Western Europe behaved badly. The Christians in Western Europe were led by the Bishop of Rome, known also as the Pope. They are called the Catholic Church. Most Christians in Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and South Asia, and northeast Africa belong to Orthodox, Nestorian, and Miaphysite Christianity, led by the Bishops of other cities or areas.

Groups have different ideas on the nature of God.

Groups have different ideas on the nature and work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life.

The pope is the leader of all Catholics. Other churches have leaders similar to the pope. For example, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, these are called Patriarchs. Still other groups let each church decide about things.

Some Christians say that women may not become priests or pastors.

Some Christians say married people may not become priests.

Some Christians say that priests can forgive sins by giving out the forgiveness of God, others say that only God can do this.

In modern times, the rise of atheism and scientific challenges to the traditional Christian story of creation have caused some to believe in "Young Earth Creationism", or a literal interpretation of the first chapters of the Bible, and others to argue that those parts of the Bible are not literally true, but more like poetry.

Most Christians worship on Sunday, but some believe that Saturday is the true "Sabbath" and should be kept.

Some Christians believe that baptism must mean going fully under water, others put some water on the head.

Some Christian groups baptize babies, while Baptists only baptize persons who have chosen for themselves to follow Jesus .

Demographics

In most countries in the developed world, the number of people going to church who claim to be Christians has been dropping over the last few decades. Some believe that this is only because many no longer use regular membership in places, for example, churches, while others believe it is because people may be thinking that religion is no longer important.

Most churches have for a long time showed that they want to be tolerant with other belief systems, and in the 20th century Christian ecumenism (the uniting of Christians from different backgrounds), advanced in two ways. One way was more cooperation between groups, such as the Edinburgh Missionary Conference of Protestants in 1910, the Justice, Peace and Creation Commission of the World Council of Churches started in 1948 by Protestant and Orthodox churches, and similar national councils, for example the National Council of Churches in Australia with Roman Catholics.

The other way was creating unions for different churches to join together. Congregationalist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches joined together in 1925 to form the United Church of Canada, and in 1977 to form the Uniting Church in Australia. The Church of South India was formed in 1947 by the union of Anglican, Methodist, Congregationalist, Presbyterian, and Reformed churches. And other such formations have been done by different Christian groups throughout the years.

Related pages

Images for kids

In Spanish: Cristianismo para niños

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Islam is a monotheistic faith centered around belief in the one God (Allah). In this regard, it shares some beliefs with Judaism and Christianity by tracing its history back to the patriarch Abraham, and ultimately to the first prophet, Adam. All the prophets preached the same universal message of belief in one God and kindness to humanity. The last in the series of prophets, according to Muslims, was Muhammad. Muhammad was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia around 570 CE. He worked first as a shepherd and then as a merchant. He was not happy with the people around him because of superstitions and social and economic injustice. The people were worshipping many gods and had forgotten the message of prophet Abraham to worship one God. Muhammad loved to pray and meditate in the mountains. On one of those occasions, in the year 610 CE, when he was about 40 years old, he received a revelation from God through the angel Jibril (Gabriel). He continued to receive messages from God throughout his life and he began preaching to others what he had learned. His main message is that there was no other God but Allah and that people should lead their lives in a way that was pleasing to Allah.

Islam spread quickly first throughout Arabia and surrounding countries and then throughout the world. There are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world with 7 million in the United States. Only about 18% of Muslims are Arabs and live in the Middle East. The countries with the largest Muslim populations are Indonesia and India. There are two basic groups of Islam: the Sunnis (about 80% of the world's Muslims) and the Shi'ites (about 20% of the world's Muslims). Although they share the same basic beliefs, they disagree on who was the rightful leader of Islam after Muhammad's death.

Islam is an Arabic word which means "surrender, submission, commitment and peace." Thus, Islam can be defined as a path to attain complete peace through voluntary submission to the divine will.

"Allah" is simply the Arabic word for God. He is the same universal God worshipped by people of all faiths. The word "Allah" is sometimes preferred over God because it is neither masculine nor feminine. Also, there is no plural for "Allah."
Muslims have six major beliefs:

Belief in one God (Allah)

Belief in the Angels

Belief in the holy books sent to all the prophets including Torah that was revealed to the prophet Moses, Bible that was revealed to the prophet Jesus, and Qur'an (Koran) that was revealed to the prophet Muhammad

Belief in all the prophets sent by God including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Although Muslims believe in Isa or Jesus they don't think of Jesus as the Son of God the way Christians do.

Belief in the Day of Judgment and life after death. The best reward for performing good deeds is getting closer to God.

Belief in divine decree. This means that God is all-powerful and nothing can happen without His permission, however, he has given human beings freedom to choose whether to be good or bad. In the end, everyone will be questioned about how they lived in this life.

These are guides for daily life for putting the beliefs of Muslims into practice:

Shahadah (declaration of faith)-to bear witness or testify that there is no god except one God (Allah) and Muhammad is His prophet or messenger.

Salat (ritual prayer)-the five daily prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The prayers are offered in Arabic language and facing the direction of Mecca.

Zakah (alms tax) -Giving 2.5% of one's wealth to the poor and needy.

Sawm (fasting)-Muslims fast during the daylight hours in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar called Ramadan. The purpose is to remind people of the goodness of what they have and to show equality with the poor. Ramadan is a time for study and self-discipline.

Hajj (pilgrimage): Muslims believe in making a pilgrimage to Mecca to the Ka'bah at least once in their lifetime. The kA'bah is believed to have been built by Ibrahim (Abraham) and one of his sons. Muhammad restored it to worship Allah. For this reason it is a very sacred place to Muslims.

Muslims believe that the last revealed scripture sent by God is the Qur'an or Koran. It is the speech of God revealed in the Arabic language to Muhammad during his mission of twenty-three years. The Qur'an was written down by scribes and memorized during the lifetime of Muhammad. The Qur'an emphasizes moral, ethical and spiritual values with the aim of establishing justice for everyone. Many Muslims try to learn to read the Koran in its original language, Arabic. It is not uncommon for Muslims to memorize whole chapters of it. They read part of it every day. The Sunnah is a record of Muhammads words and deeds. The Sunnah is used to help interpret the Koran. There is also instruction in it on belief, worship and behavior.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Islam is a monotheistic faith centered around belief in the one God (Allah). In this regard, it shares some beliefs with Judaism and Christianity by tracing its history back to the patriarch Abraham, and ultimately to the first prophet, Adam. All the prophets preached the same universal message of belief in one God and kindness to humanity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
God, Jesus and the saints

God

Christians believe that there is only one God, whom they call Father as Jesus Christ taught them.

Jesus

Christians recognise Jesus as the Son of God who was sent to save mankind from death and sin.

Jesus Christ taught that he was Son of God. His teachings can be summarised, briefly as the love of God and love of one's neighbour.

Jesus said that he had come to fulfil God's law rather than teach it.

Justification by faith

Christians believe in justification by faith - that through their belief in Jesus as the Son of God, and in his death and resurrection, they can have a right relationship with God whose forgiveness was made once and for all through the death of Jesus Christ.

The Trinity

Christians believe in the Trinity - that is, in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Some confuse this and think that Christians believe in three separate gods, which they don't.

Christians believe that God took human form as Jesus Christ and that God is present today through the work of the Holy Spirit and evident in the actions of believers.

Life after death

Christians believe that there is a life after earthly death.

While the actual nature of this life is not known, Christians believe that many spiritual experiences in this life help to give them some idea of what eternal life will be like.

The Saints

These days, the word saint is most commonly used to refer to a Christian who has lived a particularly good and holy life on earth, and with whom miracles are claimed to have been associated after their death.

The formal title of Saint is conferred by the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches through a process called canonisation.

Members of these Churches also believe that Saints created in this way can intercede with God on behalf of people who are alive today. This is not accepted by most Protestants.

In the Bible, however, the word saint is used as a description of anyone who is a committed believer, particularly by St. Paul in the New Testament (e.g. Ephesians 1.1. and 1.15).

Prayer and ritual

Prayer

Prayer is the means by which Christians communicate with their God.

The New Testament records that Jesus taught his disciples how to pray and that he encouraged them to address God as Father. Christians believe that they continue this tradition.

Sometimes the prayers are formal and part of a ritual laid down for hundreds of years.

Others are personal and spontaneous, and come from personal or group need.

Whilst prayer is often directed to God as Father, as taught by Jesus, some traditions encourage prayer to God through intermediaries such as saints and martyrs.

Prayers through Mary, as the mother of God, are central to some churches and form a traditional part of their worship.

The Church

The Christian church is fundamental to believers. Although it has many faults it is recognised as God's body on earth.

The church is the place where the Christian faith is nurtured and where the Holy Spirit is manifest on earth.

It is where Christians are received into the faith and where they are brought together into one body through the Eucharist.

Baptism

The Christian church believes in one baptism into the Christian church, whether this be as an infant or as an adult, as an outward sign of an inward commitment to the teachings of Jesus.

Eucharist

is a Greek word for thanksgiving. Its celebration is to commemorate the final meal that Jesus took with his disciples before his death (the Last Supper).

This rite comes from the actions of Jesus who, at that meal, took bread and wine and asked his disciples to consume them and continue to do so in memory of him.

At the meal, the wine represented his blood and the bread his body.

The Eucharist (also known as a Communion meal in some churches) is central to the Church and is recognised as a sign of unity amongst Christians.

Different Churches understand and practice the Eucharist in different ways. As a result, the central ideas of the Eucharist can cause disharmony rather than unity.

For example, the idea that Christ is present in the bread and wine is interpreted literally by some churches and metaphorically by others. This has given rise to substantial and often irreconcilable disagreement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Christians believe that there is only one God, whom they call Father as Jesus Christ taught them. Christians recognise Jesus as the Son of God who was sent to save mankind from death and sin. Jesus Christ taught that he was Son of God.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Christianity - Dogma, Definition & Beliefs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the world, with more than 2 billion followers. The Christian faith centers on beliefs regarding the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our magic isn't perfect

You can help our automatic cover photo selection by reporting an unsuitable photo.

The cover is visually disturbing

The cover is not a good choice

Thank you for helping!

Your input will affect cover photo selection, along with input from other users.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Islam , transl. "Submission [to God]")[4][5][6] is an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text that is considered by Muslims[7] to be the direct word of God as it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.[8][9] It is the world's second-largest religion with more than two billion followers,

# data[].attributes.body
Started in the year 610

# data[].attributes.body
Started in 1st Century CE