Douglas Jacobsen - What is Christianity?

Douglas Jacobsen

This edition first published 2022

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Jacobsen, Douglas G. (Douglas Gordon), 1951- author. Title: What is Christianity? : a short introduction to Christianity and its major sub-traditions / Douglas Jacobsen. Description: Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2021024449 (print) | LCCN 2021024450 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119746690 (paperback) | ISBN 9781119746706 (pdf) | ISBN 9781119746713 (epub) Subjects: LCSH: Christian sects. | Christianity. | Church history. Classification: LCC BR157 .J33 2022 (print) | LCC BR157 (ebook) | DDC 280–dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021024449LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021024450

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For Hudson

1 Cover

2 Title page What Is Christianity? Douglas Jacobsen

3 Copyright

4 Dedication

5 List of Figures

6 List of Tables

7 Introduction: What Is Christianity?

8 1 Christian Beginnings The Jewish Roots of ChristianityJesus and the GospelChristianity’s Original DiversityEmergence of the Great ChurchThe Roman Imperial ChurchChristian Diversity and Unity in the Year 500The Great DivisionThe “Traditioning” of Christianity

9 2 Orthodoxy: Preserving Ancient Ways Orthodox SpiritualityThe Orthodox Understanding of SalvationOrthodox HistoryInstitutional and Social Structure of Orthodoxy

10 3 Catholicism: The Church Catholic SpiritualityThe Catholic Understanding of SalvationCatholic HistoryInstitutional and Social Structure of Catholicism

11 4 Protestantism: The Bible and the Individual Protestant SpiritualityThe Protestant Understanding of SalvationProtestant HistoryInstitutional and Social Structure of Protestantism

12 5 Pentecostalism: The Power of the Spirit Pentecostal SpiritualityThe Pentecostal Understanding of SalvationPentecostal HistoryInstitutional and Social Structure of Pentecostalism

13 6 Becoming Global Catholic GlobalizationProtestant GlobalizationThe Bigger Picture: From Eurocentrism to World Christianity

14 7 The Contemporary Geography of Christianity Mapping Christianity’s Regional DifferencesThe Middle East and North AfricaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeIndia and Central AsiaSub-Saharan AfricaEast AsiaLatin AmericaNorth AmericaOceaniaChristian Interactions Today

15 8 Common Threads and Shared Challenges Common Threads in the Early Christian MovementThe Modern Search for Christian UnityChristian Commonalities TodayContemporary Challenges

16 Conclusion: What Is Christianity Today?

17 Index

18 End User License Agreement

1 Chapter 11.1 Figure of Jesus as a young shepherd...1.2 Geographic locations of the three traditions...1.3 Diagram of the Great Division summarizing Christological...

2 Chapter 22.1 Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral (Sibiu, Romania), interior of main dome2.2 Floor plans of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem and a...2.3 Simplified map of Eastern Europe showing national boundaries...2.4 Interior of small Orthodox church (Cyprus)

3 Chapter 33.1 Statues of the Infant of Prague (the young Jesus) for sale...3.2 Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, a Baroque style...

4 Chapter 44.1 Interior of Hungarian Reformed Church in Sibiu, Romania...4.2 Religious map of Catholic and Protestant Europe c. 1650....

5 Chapter 55.1 Aimee Semple McPherson (front row, second from left) in a...5.2 Social structure of Pentecostalism.

6 Chapter 66.1 Graph showing changing percentage of all Christians who...

7 Chapter 77.1 Global geographic profiles of the world’s four...7.2 Nine regions of the world, with percentage...

1 Chapter 22.1 Major Eastern Orthodox Churches with current...

2 Chapter 44.1 Five major Protestant families, representing...