QUICK FACTS
Created Jan 0001
Status Verified Sarcastic
Type Existential Dread
Keywords
christian (disambiguation), jesus, fishers of men, miraculous catch of fish, raphael, sacred tradition, jesus christ, united states, brazil, mexico

Christians

“'Christian' redirects here. For other uses, see Christian...”

Contents
  • 1. Overview
  • 2. Etymology
  • 3. Cultural Impact

Adherents of Christianity

“Christian” redirects here. For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation) .

Christians The image depicts Jesus calling his disciples to become “fishers of men ” after the miraculous catch of fish , as interpreted by Raphael around 1515.

Total population: Approximately 2.3 billion (28.8% of the global population as of 2020). Founder: According to sacred tradition , Jesus Christ . Regions with significant populations:

Denominations:

Scriptures: Bible (comprising the Old and New Testament ).

Languages:

A Christian is an individual who adheres to Christianity , a monotheistic Abrahamic religion rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ . Christians constitute the world’s largest religious community, numbering approximately 2.3 billion adherents. The term “Christ” and consequently “Christian” originates from the Koine Greek title Christós (Χριστός), which is a translation of the Biblical Hebrew term mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ), commonly rendered as “messiah” in English. While interpretations of Christianity vary considerably, sometimes leading to conflict [11] [12], adherents are united by the belief in the unique significance of Jesus [11]. The adjective “Christian” is used to describe anything associated with Christianity or Christian churches , and in a broader, proverbial sense, it can signify anything “noble, and good, and Christ-like” [13].

According to a 2011 survey by the Pew Research Center , the global Christian population stood at 2.3 billion, a notable increase from approximately 600 million in 1910. As of that survey, roughly 37% of Christians resided in the Americas , 26% in Europe , 24% in sub-Saharan Africa , 13% in Asia and the Pacific , and a mere 1% in the Middle East and North Africa [3]. Christians form the majority population in 158 countries and territories, while approximately 280 million live as a minority . The Catholic Church accounts for about half of all Christians worldwide, with Protestants making up over a third (37%). Eastern Christians , encompassing the Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , and Church of the East , represent 12% of the global Christian population [3]. Projections by the Pew Research Center suggest that the Christian population will surpass 3 billion by 2050, driven by fertility rates [3]. This research also indicated that, should current demographic trends persist, Christianity will maintain its status as the world’s largest religion in 2050. In recent history, Christians have faced varying degrees of persecution , particularly in regions like the Middle-East , North Africa, East Asia , and South Asia [14] [15] [16].

Etymology

The Greek term Χριστιανός (Christianos), meaning “follower of Christ,” is derived from Χριστός (Christos), meaning “anointed one” [17]. This Greek term was adopted with an adjectival suffix from Latin, signifying adherence to, or even possession by, a person. In the Greek Septuagint , christos served as the translation for the Hebrew term Mašíaḥ (מָשִׁיחַ), meaning “[one who is] anointed” [19]. Similar to English, other European languages adopted equivalent terms for “Christian,” such as chrétien in French and cristiano in Spanish, all tracing back to the original Greek.

The abbreviations “Xian” and “Xtian” (and their related forms) have been in use since at least the 17th century. The Oxford English Dictionary notes the use of “Xtianity” in 1634 and “Xian” in a diary from 1634–38 [20] [21]. The abbreviation “Xmas” for Christmas employs a similar contraction.

Early Usage

The Church of Saint Peter near Antioch , the city where the disciples were first called “Christians,” as depicted in modern times.

The earliest recorded instance of the term “Christian” or its cognates in other languages appears in the New Testament . In Acts 11 , following Barnabas’s recruitment of Saul (later Paul) in Antioch , where they spent a year teaching the disciples , the text states that “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26 ). A subsequent mention occurs in Acts 26 , where Herod Agrippa II , in response to Paul the Apostle , remarks, “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28 ). The final New Testament reference to the term is found in 1 Peter 4 : “Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16 ) [23].

According to Kenneth Samuel Wuest, all three New Testament instances of the term carry a derogatory connotation, implying it was used to refer to followers of Christ who did not acknowledge the Roman emperor [24]. Antioch, the city where the name originated, was known for its propensity for coining such nicknames [25]. However, Peter’s apparent acceptance of the term led to its adoption by the early believers, supplanting terms like “Nazarenes.” The term christianoi became the standard designation in the writings of the Early Church Fathers , beginning with figures like Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp .

The earliest appearances of the term in non-Christian literature include the writings of Josephus , who referred to “the tribe of Christians, so named from him;” [27] as well as Pliny the Younger in his correspondence with Trajan . Tacitus , writing in the early 2nd century, noted in his Annals that “by vulgar appellation [they were] commonly called Christians” [28] and identified Christians as Nero ’s scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome [29].

Nazarenes

The term “Nazarene” is another designation for Christians found in the New Testament. Jesus is referred to as a Nazarene in Matthew 2:23 , and Paul is described as such in Acts 24:5 . The latter verse clarifies that “Nazarene” could refer to both a follower of Christ and the town of Nazareth itself [original research? / citation needed].

The Jewish lawyer Tertullus , in his work Against Marcion (4:8), also used the term “Nazarene,” recording the phrase “the Jews call us Nazarenes.” Furthermore, around 331 AD, Eusebius noted that Christ was called a Nazoraean from the name Nazareth , and that in earlier centuries, “Christians” were once known as “Nazarenes” [30]. The Hebrew equivalent, Notzrim, appears in the Babylonian Talmud and remains the modern Israeli Hebrew term for a Christian.

Modern Usage

The inscription chrestianos, the first known mention of Christians in Tacitus’ Annals , found on an 11th-century copy. The Latin cross and Ichthys are symbols frequently used by Christians to represent their religion .

Definition

A wide spectrum of beliefs and practices exists among individuals who identify as Christian worldwide. The term “Christianity” itself is subject to diverse interpretations among different denominations and sects. Timothy Beal highlights the variations in belief within the United States:

“Although all of them have their historical roots in Christian theology and tradition, and although most would identify themselves as Christian, many would not identify others within the larger category as Christian. Most Baptists and fundamentalists (Christian Fundamentalism ), for example, would not acknowledge Mormonism or Christian Science as Christian. In fact, the nearly 77 percent of Americans who self-identify as Christian are a diverse pluribus of Christianities that are far from any collective unity.” [31]

Linda Woodhead proposes a unifying element for Christians, stating, “Whatever else they might disagree about, Christians are at least united in believing that Jesus has a unique significance” [11]. Michael Martin , in his analysis of three historical Christian creeds (the Apostles’ Creed , the Nicene Creed , and the Athanasian Creed ), identified a set of core Christian tenets. These include belief in theism , the historicity of Jesus , the Incarnation , salvation through faith in Jesus, and Jesus as an ethical role model [32].

Hebrew Terms

Nazareth , identified as the childhood home of Jesus , lends its name to a term used in many languages as a general designation for those of the Christian faith [33].

Judaism does not accept the identification of Jesus as the Messiah. The Hebrew term for a Christian is נוֹצְרִי (Notzri, meaning “Nazarene”), a Talmudic term derived from Jesus’s origin in the town of Nazareth in Galilee. Adherents of Messianic Judaism are referred to in modern Hebrew as יְהוּדִים מְשִׁיחִיִּים (Yehudim Meshihi’im, meaning “Messianic Jews”).

Arabic Terms

In Arabic-speaking cultures , two primary terms are used for Christians: Naṣrānī (نصراني), plural Naṣārā (نصارى), which is generally understood to derive from “Nazarenes,” followers of Jesus of Nazareth, via Syriac (Aramaic); and Masīḥī (مسيحي), meaning “follower of the Messiah” [35]. When a distinction is made, Naṣrānī often refers to individuals of Christian cultural background, while Masīḥī is used by Christians themselves to denote religious adherence to Jesus [36]. In certain countries, Naṣrānī can be used generically for non-Muslim Western foreigners [37].

Another Arabic word sometimes employed for Christians, particularly in a political context, is Ṣalībī (صليبي), meaning “Crusader,” derived from ṣalīb (صليب, “cross”). This term can carry negative connotations [35] [38]. Historically, however, Muslim writers referred to European Christian Crusaders as al-Faranj or Alfranj (الفرنج), derived from the name of the Franks . This usage can be found in historical texts such as Ali ibn al-Athir’s Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh [40] [41].

In the Maltese language , a Semitic language related to Arabic but written in the Latin alphabet, Christians are called Nsara, with the masculine singular being Nisrani [42]. The Romance-derived term Kristjan may also be encountered [43].

Asian Terms

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The most prevalent Persian term is Masīhī (مسیحی), borrowed from Arabic. Other terms include Nasrānī (نصرانی), derived from Syriac and meaning “Nazarene,” and Tarsā (ترسا), originating from the Middle Persian word Tarsāg, also meaning “Christian,” which itself stems from tars, meaning “fear” or “respect” [44].

An archaic Kurdish term for Christian, frequently used, was felle (فەڵە), stemming from a root word signifying “to be saved” or “to attain salvation” [45].

The Syriac term Nasrani (“Nazarene”) has also been applied to the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala , India. In northern India and Pakistan , Christians are referred to as ʿĪsāʾī (Hindi : ईसाई, Urdu : عیسائی) [46] [47] [48]. The term Masīḥī (Hindi : मसीही, Urdu : مسیحی) is also used by Christians to self-identify [49].

Historically, the Malays referred to Christians in Malay using the Portuguese loanword Serani (from Arabic Naṣrānī). However, this term now designates the modern Kristang creoles of Malaysia . In the Indonesian language , Nasrani is used alongside Kristen.

The Chinese term is 基督徒 (jīdū tú), literally translating to “Christ follower.” The name for Christ was originally transliterated phonetically into Chinese as 基利斯督, later abbreviated to 基督. In the southern Hakka dialect , the term is Kî-tuk. In Mandarin Chinese, these characters are pronounced Jīdū. In Vietnam, the same characters are read Cơ đốc, and a “follower of Christianity” is a tín đồ Cơ đốc giáo.

Japanese Christians (Kurisuchan) depicted in Portuguese costume during the 16th–17th centuries.

In Japan, the term kirishitan (written as 吉利支丹 or 切支丹 in Edo period documents, and キリシタン in modern historical texts), derived from the Portuguese cristão, originally referred to Roman Catholics during the 16th and 17th centuries, prior to the religion’s prohibition by the Tokugawa shogunate . Currently, Christians in Standard Japanese are referred to as キリスト教徒 (Kirisuto-kyōto) or by the English loanword クリスチャン (kurisuchan).

Korean still uses 기독교도 (Gidokkyodo) for “Christian,” although the Portuguese loanword 그리스도 (Geuriseudo) has largely replaced the older Sino-Korean term 기독 (Gidok), which refers to Christ himself.

In Thailand, the common terms are คนคริสต์ (khon khrit) or ชาวคริสต์ (chao khrit), both meaning “Christ person/people” or “Jesus person/people.” The Thai word คริสต์ (khrit) is derived from “Christ.”

In the Philippines , the terms Kristiyano (“Christian”) and Kristiyanismo (“Christianity”) are widely used in most Philippine languages . These terms originate from the Spanish cristiano and cristianismo (also used in [Chavacano]) owing to the country’s early exposure to Christianity during the Spanish colonial era . Historically, some Protestants in the Philippines used Kristiyano to distinguish themselves from Catholics (Katoliko), before the term born again gained popularity.

Eastern European Terms

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The region encompassing modern Eastern Europe and Central Eurasia possesses a long-standing history of Christianity and established Christian communities. In antiquity, during the initial centuries after Christ’s birth, when this area was known as Scythia, Christian populations were already present among the Scythians [51]. Later, the region saw the first states officially adopt Christianity: Armenia (301 AD) and Georgia (337 AD), followed by Bulgaria (circa 864 AD) and Kyivan Rus (circa 988 AD).

In certain areas, the populace came to be identified as Christians (Russian : христиане, крестьяне; Ukrainian : християни, romanized : khrystyiany), and also as Russians (Russian : русские), Ruthenians (Old East Slavic : русини, руснаки, romanized: rusyny, rusnaky), or Ukrainians (Ukrainian : українці, romanized : ukraintsi).

Over time, the Russian term крестьяне (khrest’yane) evolved to signify “peasants of Christian faith,” and subsequently “peasants” in general, representing the primary demographic of the region. Concurrently, the term Russian : христиане (khristiane) retained its religious connotation, while Russian : русские (russkie) began to denote individuals of the diverse Russian nation, formed upon a shared Christian faith and language [citation needed]. This linguistic evolution significantly influenced the region’s history and development. Within this context, the term “Orthodox faith” (Russian : православная вера, pravoslavnaia vera) or “Russian faith” (Russian : русская вера, russkaia vera) became nearly as common as the original term “Christian faith” (Russian : христианская, крестьянская вера, khristianskaia, krestianskaia) from the earliest periods [citation needed].

Additionally, in some contexts, the term cossack (Old East Slavic : козак, казак, romanized: kozak, kazak) was used to designate “free” Christians originating from the steppes and speaking an East Slavic language.

Other Non-Religious Usages

In societies that were nominally “Christian,” the term “Christian” often became the default label for citizenship or for identifying “people like us” [52]. Within this framework, religious or ethnic minorities might use “Christians” or “you Christians” as a convenient shorthand for mainstream members of society who do not belong to their group, even in a thoroughly secularized (though historically Christian) context [53].

Demographics

For a comprehensive breakdown of Christian demographics, refer to Christianity by country .

As of 2020, Christianity claims approximately 2.4 billion adherents [54] [55] [56] [57] [58]. This represents about one-third of the global population, making it the world’s largest religion. Christians have constituted roughly 33 percent of the world’s population for approximately a century. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination, with 1.3 billion followers, accounting for half of all Christians [59].

Christianity continues to be the dominant religion in the Western World , where 70% of the population identifies as Christian [3]. A 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center projected that, if current trends persist, Christianity will remain the world’s largest religion by 2050, with the Christian population expected to exceed 3 billion. While Muslims exhibit the highest fertility rate among religious groups, with an average of 3.1 children per woman, Christians are second, with 2.7 children per woman. Both high birth rates and conversion are cited as drivers of Christian population growth . A 2015 study indicated that approximately 10.2 million Muslims converted to Christianity . Christianity is experiencing growth in Africa [61], Asia [62] [63] [64] [65], Eastern Europe [66], Latin America , the Muslim world [67] [68], and Oceania [69].

Percentage of Christians worldwide, June 2014.

Christians (self-described) by region: (Source: Pew Research Center , 2011) [70] [71] [72]

RegionChristians% Christian
Europe558,260,00075.2
Latin America –Caribbean531,280,00090.0
Sub-Saharan Africa517,340,00062.9
Asia Pacific286,950,0007.1
North America266,630,00077.4
Middle East –North Africa12,710,0003.7
World2,173,180,00031.5

Socioeconomics

A 2016 study by the Pew Center on religion and education globally found that Christians ranked as the second most educated religious group worldwide, after Jews, with an average of 9.3 years of schooling [73]. The highest average years of schooling among Christians were observed in Germany (13.6), New Zealand (13.5), and Estonia (13.1) [73]. Christians also possessed the second-highest number of graduate and post-graduate degrees per capita, ranking first in absolute numbers (220 million) [73]. Among various Christian communities , Singapore leads in the percentage of Christians holding university degrees (67%) [73], followed by Christians in Israel (63%), and Christians in Georgia (country) (57%) [73].

The study indicates that Christians in North America , Europe , the Middle East , North Africa , and the Asia Pacific regions are highly educated. This is attributed, in part, to the historical establishment of numerous universities by historic Christian denominations [73]. The study also notes the historical role of “Christian monks [who] built libraries and, in the days before printing presses, preserved important earlier writings produced in Latin, Greek and Arabic” [73]. Furthermore, the study found significant gender equality in educational attainment among Christians. It suggests that one contributing factor was the encouragement of female education by the Protestant Reformers , which led to the eradication of illiteracy among women in Protestant communities [73].

Culture

Main article: Christian culture

“Christian identity” redirects here. For the white supremacist religion, see Christian Identity .

A collection of images showcasing Christian culture and notable Christian figures.

Christian culture encompasses the diverse cultural practices prevalent among Christian peoples. Variations in the application of Christian beliefs are evident across different cultures and traditions [75]. Christian culture has significantly influenced and assimilated elements from the Greco-Roman , Byzantine , Western culture [76], Middle Eastern [77] [78], Slavic [79], Caucasian [79], and Indian cultures .

Following Christianity’s expansion from the Levant into Europe, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa during the early Roman Empire , Christendom became divided into the pre-existing Greek East and Latin West . This division resulted in the development of distinct Christian cultures, each with its own rites and practices. These cultures were often centered around major cities: Rome (Western Christianity ) and Carthage (forming what was known as Western or Latin Christendom ) [80]; and Constantinople (Eastern Christianity ), Antioch (Syriac Christianity ), Kerala (Indian Christianity ), and Alexandria, among others, which constituted Eastern or Oriental Christendom [81] [82] [83]. The Byzantine Empire represents a significant epoch in Christian history and the development of Christian civilization [83]. From the 11th to the 13th centuries, Latin Christendom rose to prominence, playing a central role in shaping the Western world and Western culture [84].

For much of its history, Western culture has been largely synonymous with Christian culture, and a substantial portion of the Western Hemisphere’s population can be described as practicing or nominal Christians. The concepts of “Europe” and the “Western World” have been intrinsically linked with “Christianity and Christendom” [84]. Beyond the Western sphere, Christians have made impactful contributions to various cultures across Africa, the Near East, Middle East, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent [85] [86].

Christians have made notable contributions across numerous fields, including philosophy [87] [88], science and technology [89] [90] [91] [92], medicine [93] [94], fine arts and architecture [95] [96], politics , literature [97], music [98], and business [99] [100]. A review of Nobel Prizes awarded between 1901 and 2000 revealed that 65.4% of laureates identified Christianity in its various forms as their religious preference [101].

Persecution

Main article: Persecution of Christians

See also: Anti-Christian sentiment

In 2017, Open Doors , a human rights NGO , estimated that approximately 260 million Christians worldwide experience “high, very high, or extreme persecution” annually [102]. North Korea was identified as the most dangerous nation for Christians [103] [104].

A 2019 report [105] [106], commissioned by the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office , investigated the global persecution of Christians. It found that religious persecution has escalated, with the highest levels observed in the Middle East, North Africa, India, China, North Korea, and Latin America, among other regions [15]. The report emphasized that this persecution is a global phenomenon, not confined to Islamic states [106]. The investigation concluded that approximately 80% of persecuted believers globally are Christians [16].

See also

References

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  • ^ Compare: Cross, Frank Leslie; Livingstone, Elizabeth A., eds. (1957). “Christian”. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press (published 2005). p. 336. ISBN 9780192802903. Retrieved 5 December 2016. “In modern times the name Christian … has tended, in nominally Christian countries, to lose any credal significance and imply only that which is ethically praiseworthy (e.g. ‘a Christian action’) or socially customary (‘Christian name’).” {{cite book }} : ISBN / Date incompatibility (help )
  • ^ Compare: Sandmel, Samuel (1967). We Jews and You Christians: An Inquiry Into Attitudes. Lippincott. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  • ^ “Religion Information Data Explorer | GRF”. www.globalreligiousfutures.org . Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  • ^ Johnson, Todd M.; Grim, Brian J., eds. (2020). “All Religions (global totals)”. World Religion Database. Leiden, Boston: BRILL, Boston University.
  • ^ 33.39% of 7.174 billion world population (under “People and Society”). “World”. CIA world facts. 25 February 2022.
  • ^ “The Next Christendom: The Rise of Global Christianity”. New York: Oxford University Press. 2002. 270 pp.
  • ^ Johnstone, Patrick; Miller, Duane Alexander (2015). “Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background: A Global Census”. Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. 11: 8. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  • ^ “Study: Christianity growth soars in Africa –”. USA Today . 20 December 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  • ^ a b Ostling, Richard N. (24 June 2001). “The Battle for Latin America’s Soul”. Time . Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  • ^ “In China, Protestantism’s Simplicity Yields More Converts Than Catholicism”. International Business Times . 28 March 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  • ^ “Understanding the rapid rise of Charismatic Christianity in Southeast Asia”. Singapore Management University. 27 October 2017.
  • ^ “Number of Christians in China and India”. Lausanne. 8 July 2011. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  • ^ “Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe”. Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project. 10 May 2017.
  • ^ Johnstone, Patrick; Miller, Duane Alexander (2015). “Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background: A Global Census”. IJRR. 11 (10): 1–19. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  • ^ Blainey, Geoffrey (2011). A Short History of Christianity. Penguin Random House Australia. ISBN 978-1-74253-416-9. “Since the 1960s, there has been a substantial increase in the number of Muslims who have converted to Christianity.”
  • ^ Analysis (19 December 2011). “Europe”. Pewforum.org. Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  • ^ Analysis (19 December 2011). “Americas”. Pewforum.org. Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  • ^ Analysis (19 December 2011). “Global religious landscape: Christians”. Pewforum.org. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  • ^ a b c d e f g h i j k “Religion and Education Around the World” (PDF). Pew Research Center. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  • ^ “المسيحيون العرب يتفوقون على يهود إسرائيل في التعليم”. Bokra. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  • ^ E. McGrath, Alister (2006). Christianity: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons. p. 336. ISBN 1405108991.
  • ^ Caltron J.H Hayas, Christianity and Western Civilization (1953), Stanford University Press, p.2: “That certain distinctive features of our Western civilization – the civilization of western Europe and of America— have been shaped chiefly by Judaeo – Graeco – Christianity, Catholic and Protestant.”
  • ^ Pacini, Andrea (1998). Christian Communities in the Arab Middle East. Clarendon Press. ISBN 9780198293880. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  • ^ Curtis, Michael (2017). Jews, Antisemitism, and the Middle East. Routledge. p. 173. ISBN 9781351510721.
  • ^ a b Ware, Kallistos (29 April 1993). The Orthodox Church. Penguin Adult. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-14-014656-1.
  • ^ Chazan, Robert (2006). The Jews of Medieval Western Christendom: 1000–1500. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. xi. ISBN 9780521616645. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  • ^ Encarta-encyclopedie Winkler Prins (1993–2002) s.v. “christendom. §1.3 Scheidingen”. Microsoft Corporation/Het Spectrum.
  • ^ Meyendorff, John (1982). The Byzantine Legacy in the Orthodox Church. Yonkers: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-913836-90-3.
  • ^ a b Cameron, Averil (2006). The Byzantines. Oxford: Blackwell. pp. 42–49. ISBN 978-1-4051-9833-2.
  • ^ a b Dawson, Christopher; Olsen, Glenn (1961). Crisis in Western Education (reprint ed.). CUA Press. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-8132-1683-6. {{cite book }} : ISBN / Date incompatibility (help )
  • ^ Curtis, Michael (2017). Jews, Antisemitism, and the Middle East. Routledge. p. 173. ISBN 9781351510721.
  • ^ D. Barr, Michael (2012). Cultural Politics and Asian Values. Routledge. p. 81. ISBN 9781136001666.
  • ^ A. Spinello, Richard (2012). The Encyclicals of John Paul II: An Introduction and Commentary. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 147. ISBN 978-1-4422-1942-7. “… The insights of Christian philosophy ‘would not have happened without the direct or indirect contribution of Christian faith’ (FR 76). Typical Christian philosophers include St. Augustine, St. Bonaventure, and St. Thomas Aquinas. The benefits derived from Christian philosophy are twofold….”
  • ^ Wilkens, Steve (2010). Christianity and Western Thought: Journey to Postmodernity in the Twentieth Century. InterVarsity Press. p. 326. ISBN 9780830868148.
  • ^ Gilley, Sheridan; Stanley, Brian (2006). The Cambridge History of Christianity: Volume 8, World Christianities C.1815-c.1914. Cambridge University Press. p. 164. ISBN 0-521-81456-1. “… Many of the scientists who contributed to these developments were Christians…”
  • ^ Steane, Andrew (2014). Faithful to Science: The Role of Science in Religion. OUP Oxford. p. 179. ISBN 978-0-19-102513-6. “… the Christian contribution to science has been uniformly at the top level, but it has reached that level and it has been sufficiently strong overall …”
  • ^ Graves, Daniel (7 July 1998). “Christian Influences in the Sciences”. rae.org. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  • ^ “50 Nobel Laureates and Other Great Scientists Who Believe in God”. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. “Many well-known historical figures who influenced Western science considered themselves Christian such as Nicolaus Copernicus , Galileo Galilei , Johannes Kepler , Isaac Newton , Robert Boyle , Alessandro Volta , Michael Faraday , William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin and James Clerk Maxwell .”
  • ^ S. Kroger, William (2016). Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis in Medicine, Dentistry and Psychology. Pickle Partners Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78720-304-4. “Many prominent Catholic physicians and psychologists have made significant contributions to hypnosis in medicine, dentistry, and psychology.”
  • ^ Porterfield, Amanda (2005). Healing in the History of Christianity. Oxford University Press. p. 145. ISBN 9780195157185.
  • ^ Woods Jr., Thomas (2012). How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. Regnery Publishing. p. 2. ISBN 9781596983281.
  • ^ Sinclair, Scott Gambrill (2008). An Introduction to Christianity for a New Millennium. Lexington Books. p. 140. ISBN 9781461632924.
  • ^ G. Ardila, J. A. (2016). The Picaresque Novel in Western Literature. Cambridge University Press. p. 16. ISBN 9781107031654.
  • ^ E. McGrath, Alister (2006). Christianity: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons. p. 336. ISBN 1405108991. “Virtually every major European composer contributed to the development of church music. Monteverdi, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini, and Verdi are all examples of composers to have made significant contributions in this sphere. The Catholic church was without question one of the most important patrons of musical developments, and a crucial stimulus to the development of the western musical tradition.”
  • ^ W. Williams, Peter (2016). Religion, Art, and Money: Episcopalians and American Culture from the Civil War to the Great Depression. University of North Carolina Press. p. 176. ISBN 9781469626987.
  • ^ Sider, Sandra (2007). Handbook to Life in Renaissance Europe. Oxford University Press. p. 209. ISBN 9781469626987.
  • ^ Baruch A. Shalev, 100 Years of Nobel Prizes (2003), Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, p. 57: “between 1901 and 2000 reveals that 654 Laureates belong to 28 different religions. Most (65.4%) have identified Christianity in its various forms as their religious preference.” ISBN 978-0-935047-37-0.
  • ^ Weber, Jeremy. “‘Worst year yet’: the top 50 countries where it’s hardest to be a Christian”. Christianity Today . 11 January 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  • ^ Enos, Olivia. “North Korea is the world’s worst persecutor of Christians”. Forbes . 25 January 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  • ^ Worldwatchlist2020, Most dangerous countries for Christians. “Serving Persecuted Christians – Open Doors USA”. www.opendoorsusa.org . Archived from the original on 2 March 2000. Retrieved 24 March 2020. {{cite web }} : CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link )
  • ^ Mounstephen, Philip. “Interim report”. Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians. April 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  • ^ a b Mounstephen, Philip. “Final Report and Recommendations”. Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians. July 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.

Bibliography

  • Bickerman, Elias J. (April 1949). “The Name of Christians”. The Harvard Theological Review. 42 (2): 109–124. doi :10.1017/s0017816000019635. ISSN 0017-8160. JSTOR 1507955. S2CID 164195885. (from which page numbers are cited) also available in Bickerman, Elias J. (1986). Studies in Jewish and Christian history. Vol. 2. BRILL. pp. 794–808. ISBN 90-04-04395-0.
  • Wuest, Kenneth Samuel (1973). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament. Vol. 1. Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-2280-2.

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