Tenets of christanity Christianity (from the Ancient Greek word , Christos, tr n tion of the e rew , M, meaning "the anointed

one", together with the Latin suffixes -ian and -itas) is a monotheistic religion based on the life and oral teachings of Jesus as presented in the New Testament. Christianity is the world's largest religion,with approximately 2.2 billion adherents, known as Christians. Most Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, fully divine and fully human, and the saviour of humanity whose coming was prophesied in the Old Testament. Consequently, Christians refer to Jesus as "Christ" or the Messiah. The foundations of Christian theology are expressed in ecumenical creeds. These professions of faith state that Jesus suffered, died, were buried, and was resurrected from the dead in order to grant eternal life to those who believe in him and trust in him for the remission of their sins. The creeds further maintain that Jesus bodily ascended into heaven, where he reigns with God the Father. Most Christian denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge everybody, living and dead, and to grant eternal life to his followers. He is considered the model of a virtuous life. His ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection are often referred to as the "gospel", meaning "good new " ( o n tr n tion of the Greek: euanglion). The term gospel also refers to written accounts of Jesus' life and teaching, four of which the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and Johnare considered canonical and included in Christian Bibles. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion that began as a Jewish sect in the mid-1st century.Originating in the Levant region of the Middle East, it quickly spread to Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and Egypt. It grew in size and influence over a few centuries, and by the end of the 4th century had become the official state church of the Roman Empire, replacing other forms of religion practiced under Roman rule. During the Middle Ages, most of the remainder of Europe was Christianized, and adherents were gained in the Middle East, North Africa, Ethiopia and parts of India Following the Age of Discovery, Christianity spread to the Americas, Australasia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the rest of the world through missionary work and colonization. Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization. Worldwide, the three largest groups of Christianity are the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the various denominations of Protestantism. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox patriarchates split from one another in the schism of the 11th century, and Protestantism came into existence during the Reformation of the 16th century, splitting from the Roman Catholic Church.

10 Tenets of Biblical Christianity 1. God Cre tion God created all things; the Biblical account of creation is completely trustworthy. 2. Sovereignty of God He has created us for Himself of His good pleasure. We are restless until we are reconciled unto God and ultimately restored by the blood of the Savior, Jesus Christ! 3. Original Sin The fall of man has left everything broken and bruised. Nobody is sparred from the effects of sin internally or externally, spiritually or physically. We are all cre ted in God im ge, ut of cre tion h een deep y wounded from the effect of sin. Although there are moments of prosperity, peace, and tranquility, this life is often a v e of te r we mu t ive for omething more, omething better. 4. Moral law The commands of God are still binding, although they cannot be kept perfectly. Once made alive through Jesus Christ, who paid the price on our behalf, we are now dead to sin and will no longer desire to have it live in our hearts. 5. Regeneration We are spiritually dead in our natural state and have to be made alive by the Holy Spirit who applies the truths of Scripture to our hearts. 6. Redemption All the pain, all the tears, all the adversities, all the heartache, and all the suffering we experience in this life will be washed away for those who have given their lives to Jesus in faith, with fear and trembling, hope and love, and a true desire for righteousness. 7. Inerrancy of Scriptures Filled with God-inspired wisdom, scripture is trustworthy and speaks to all essential matters of spiritual and earthly living. Jesus Himself and His disciples referenced scripture as trustworthy and authoritative 8. Evangelism God fo ower men. re on fire for The Lord nd wi ecome fi h ers of

9. Traditional Family The nuclear family (father, mother, children) is ordained by God. God is the Ultimate Authority in all matters, and we are to live in service to The Lord with love and goodwill to our fellow man. 10. Personal Responsibility, Accountability, and Charity We should diligently provide for our families and glorify God in all that we do (including our vocations) by maintaining a strong sense of moral responsibility in thought, word, and deed. We should bear each others burdens, provide for the needs of the poor and the needy, and love our neighbors as ourselves. The believer is sanctified and seeks to walk in humility, righteousness, and holiness through Christ, who strengthens us!

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There are many great teachings in the Bible, but here are 10 of the most important, or fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith. Within each of these broad categories there are many other doctrines that could fill whole books and bookshelves. This is just a quick overview of what Christians believe. God Theology is the study of God. This includes who He is in person and personality. This is an absolutely fundamental belief of Christianity. In the pages of the Bible it is taken for granted by the writers that God does exist. The Bible opens with the words that God created the Heavens and the earth He is the creator, or source, of all life Nature teaches us that there is a Creator and we have within us a basic understanding of a higher power. God is a Spirit. He does not want to be worshiped through graven images or idols because He does not have a form as we know it. Though a spirit, He has personality as denoted by the names He has been given or claims of Himself. Though existing in three persons (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) He is one God. God knows all. He is all powerful. He is present everywhere at the same time. God is eternal and unchangeable. He is holy. He is righteous and just, yet merciful and gracious. And God is love. It is wonderful to know that God communicates to us through His Word so that we can know about Him and His plan Christ Christology is the study of Christ. Christianity would not be what it is if there was not a risen Savior, who was the promised redeemer. Though Jesus was the Son of God, He was also born to human parents. Jesus had a physical body that grew and had normal physical needs. Jesus died on a cross as the substitute for the sins of mankind. He rose bodily the third day after His death. He ascended to Heaven to God. Holy Spirit Pneumatology is the study, or doctrine, of the Holy Spirit. Though a Spirit, He too has personality like God the Father. He is referred to in many of the same passages as the

Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is who indwells believers and convicts them of sin. By the Spirit we are born again, renewed and sealed unto the day of redemption Bible When studying the Bible (Bibliology) Christians believe it is inspired by God. That means it is breathed out from Him. We learn about God and understand God through the Scriptures. Man Anthropology (the study of man) in a Christian perspective deals with the nature and origin of man. Where man came from and why. First of all, Christians believe that man is made in the image and likeness of God. Though created by God man did not always obey God. We call this the fall of man. Bec u e of m n f , in w introduced into the wor d nd the re u t i finite physical life. Salvation The study of salvation is called Soteriology. This is an area of Christian teaching that has many different aspects. These include the purpose of salvation, the method of salvation and the means of salvation just to name a few. The purpose of salvation can be summed up with the words regeneration, justification, sanctification and glorification. Regeneration is to be made new in Christ. Justification is where we are made right and just before God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are sanctified (made holy or set apart) through salvation. Ultimately we will be glorified in Heaven as a result of our salvation. Church God has established a few institutions in this world. One of them is the church. The study of the doctrine of the church is called Ecclesiology. This word comes from the Greek word th t me n to c out from. It cou d e id th t the church i congregation of believers called out from the world. Je u de th w for the e t i hment of the church. The fir t church w in Jerusalem. Other congregations were established in various places. This started in Judea and Samaria. Throughout the book of Acts there is a spreading of the Gospel and a constant establishment of churches. On a broad scale the church is the body of Christ made up of Christians. There is also the idea of a local church assembly where believers meet on a regular basis.

The purpose of the church is to worship God and bring glory to Him on the earth. It is to evangelize the world and help people to grow into mature Christians. Shunning the attendance of church leads to false doctrine. Angels Angels are beings created by God and are not the spirits of dead saints or simply glorified believers. They are ministers of God. Angels have great might and power. Their is a hierarchy of angels. There are some angels who have abandoned God. Satan is one of these fallen angels and is at war with God and His angelic host. He is called the prince of the power of the air, the god of this world, the wicked one, the tempter. He is an adversary to the Christian. His final judgment is to be cast into the lake of fire. Future Escatology is the study of the last things. While there is some controversy among Christians over the exact order of events, the general idea of things to come is that Christ will return to rapture the church and resurrect the dead believers. There will be judgment for the unsaved. While the saved will be judged, there will also be a time of reward for them. Prayer Though this is not a strictly Christian belief, prayer is vital to a Christian. So important that the Bible says that neglecting prayer grieves the Lord. Prayer is the way God has ordained for us to communicate with Him. It is so important the founders of the church sought help in the ministry so that they could dedicate their time to prayer. Through out the Bible prayer can be seen to take many forms. Moses talked with God in prayer more like a dialogue between two friends. In Joshua and Judges the Israelites often cried out to God. Samuel, and many other prophets prayed more in a manner of intercession (on behalf of others). David considered himself able to go to God in prayer on his own behalf instead of needing someone to pray for him. The book of Psalms is full of a crying out to God on a continual and consistent basis. We can pray to God, to Christ and to the Holy Spirit. The normal pattern in prayer is that we pray to God through the Holy Spirit with the authority of Christ. There is no required position in prayer prescribed in the Bible. We can pray standing up, kneeling, prostrate or in bed. Basic Beliefs of a Christian As I said at the outset, these are just some of the basic beliefs of a Christian. It is wonderful to know that God communicates to us through His Word so that we can know

about Him and His plan. I want to encourage you to take the basic Bible teachings here and study more about God and His Word on your own. Feel free to share with us what you learn in the comments below.

Basic tenets of hindu Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, Hinduism Today's founder, assembled these beliefs, a creed shared by most Hindus, to summarize a vast and profound faith. He wrote, "The Hindu is completely filled with his religion all of the time. It is a religion of love. The common bonds uniting all Hindus into a singular spiritual body are the laws of karma and dharma, the belief in reincarnation, all-pervasive Divinity, the ageless traditions and our Gods. Our religion is a religion of closeness, one to another, because of the common bond of loving the same Gods. All Hindu people are a one family, for we cannot separate one God too far from another. Each in His heavenly realm is also of a one family, a divine hierarchy which governs and has governed the Hindu religion from time immemorial, and will govern Sanatana Dharma on into the infinite. The enduring sense of an ever-present Truth that is God within man is the essence of the Sanatana Dharma. Such an inherent reality wells up lifetime after lifetime after lifetime, unfolding the innate perfection of the soul as man comes more fully into the awakened state of seeing his total and complete oneness with God." 1 Reverence for Our Revealed Scriptures Hindus believe in the divinity of the Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion which has neither beginning nor end. 2 All-Pervasive Divinity Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. 3 Three Worlds and Cycles of Creation Hindus believe there are three worlds of existence--physical, astral and causal--and that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. 4 The Laws of Karma and Dharma Hindus believe in karma--the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds--and in dharma, righteous living.

5 Reincarnation and Liberation Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha--spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth--is attained. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny. 6 Temples and the Inner Worlds Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments as well as personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods. 7 Yoga Guided by a Satguru Hindus believe that a spiritually awakened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry and meditation. 8 Compassion and Noninjury Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, "noninjury." 9 Genuine Respect for Other Faiths Hindus believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God's Pure Love and Light, deserving tolerance and understanding. Hinduism: Background, Basic Beliefs and Sacred Texts How did Hinduism begin? Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma ("eternal spiritual path") began about 4000 years ago in India. It was the religion of an ancient people known as the Aryans ("noble people") whose philosophy, religion, and customs are recorded in their sacred texts known as the Vedas. These texts were initially handed down by word of mouth from teacher to student. It was not until much later that they were actually written down. Archeological evidence from the Indus Valley civilization of northwestern India helps to establish Hinduism as the world's oldest living religion. Today, worldwide, there are almost one billion people professing some aspect of Hinduism. The fundamental teachings of Hinduism, which form the foundation of all its different sects, are contained in the concluding portion of the Vedas, and are therefore known as the Vedanta (the "end or concluding portion of the Vedas"). This part of the Vedas is also known as the Upanishads.

What do Hindus believe and practice? The fundamental teaching of Hinduism, or Vedanta, is that a human being's basic nature is not confined to the body or the mind. Beyond both of these is the spirit or the spark of God within the soul. This spirit is within us and also within everything we see. All beings and all things are really, in their deepest essence, this pure or divine spirit, full of peace, full of joy and wisdom, ever united with God. This is not just theory, but it can actually be experienced. Anyone who takes the trouble to undergo the necessary training to purify and refine the mind and senses can begin to feel the truth of this. This training can take various forms and is known as yoga ("union"- union of the individual self with this inner spirit). There are four main types of yoga, meant for the four main Types of human temperaments: o Karma Yoga or the discipline of right actions is for those of active temperament, striving to eliminate selfishness, and to cultivate universal sympathy by seeing the divine reality in all. o Bhakti Yoga is the path of devotion to God whose presence can be felt in all things. God can be worshipped as present in an image in a Temple. God can be worshipped also as present in suffering humanity by service. o Jnana Yoga, preferred by those of analytical bent of mind, is the discipline of trying to see the divine reality within all things directly, by mentally brushing aside all the obstructing physical and mental coverings that hide it. o Raja Yoga is the process of mental control, purity, and meditation to make the mind very calm and quiet. In that profound quiet, the inner divine light reveals itself.

What are the manifestation(s) God in Hinduism? What are the different sects of Hinduism?

The general name for God in Hinduism is Brahman. The name of the divine essence within us is Atman. They are one and the same, infinite and eternal. However, God is also present in all creation. God's manifestation in creation goes by many names. It is the one infinite, eternal, Divine Being that is manifesting in countless ways. It is like a person at the same time being called "father" by his son, "friend" by his friend, "son" by his own father, "husband" by his wife, etc. A special relationship goes with each name. So the same Divine Lord has been addressed as Shiva, Vishnu, etc and as Divine Mother, Kali, Durga, etc. God can also manifest as an extraordinary being in

human form, who is then known as an incarnation of God, such as Krishna, Rama, etc. Since it is the one infinite God alone that is being looked at in different ways, all these manifestations can be prayed to for help and protection. This is the underlying principle behind all the different sects of Hinduism. Those who prefer a particular manifestation of the divinity will form a sect devoted to the contemplation and worship of that manifestation. All the sects, however, will accept the ancient teachings of the Vedas and the Vedanta as the foundation of their practice

What is reincarnation? In this world every cause must have its effect. We are responsible for the results of our actions. Long ages ago, human beings first asked themselves, why are some people born in happy circumstances, whereas others are born to suffer all their lives? The events of this present life are not enough to account for such suffering. To reasonably explain an excess of suffering or of enjoyment in this life, it was assumed that we all have had previous existences, and that we are now reaping the results of those previous actions. It must also be true then that we can take charge of our destiny right now. We can create a better tomorrow by resolving do better actions today. However, as long as desires remain in the mind, the tendency toward rebirth will exist. What is Maya? In this life we do not see things very clearly. We are constantly faced with contradictions. Though we know what is right, we have trouble doing it. Our thoughts soar high, but our actions cannot rise to the level of our thoughts. The world is full of misery and injustice; as quickly as we remove some, more seems to rush in to take its place. We are told by the saints, and we also feel, that a loving God is at work in this creation, but we cannot reconcile this with what we see around us. This complex situation in which we find ourselves is called maya. The way out of this, according to Hinduism or Vedanta, is that we are not really seeing the world properly. If we saw it properly, we would see that it is God alone before us. Instead, we superimpose all this complex world on that divine reality. The illustration given is that of a rope, mistaken in semi-darkness for a snake. The snake of this world frightens us. What is the solution? Bring a light and you will see its real nature. It is only a rope. Likewise, the real nature or essence of this world is divinity alone. Bring the light of spiritual wisdom through yoga, and you will see God alone everywhere. This is what constitutes spiritual freedom or liberation, Moksha. When this knowledge dawns, there is complete satisfaction; no desire remains in the mind, and no further impulse for rebirth remains.

What code of behavior do Hindus follow? The code of behavior is one's dharma. This is determined by the place in society and the duties associated with it. There are four main social positions or varna; Brahmins (priests and teachers) Kshatriyas (rulers and soldiers), Vaishyas (merchants) and Shudras (workers). There are four ideal stages of life described in Hindu scriptures: the student, the family man, the recluse, and the wandering holy man. For most Hindu people these represent a metaphorical path, not an actual path.

What are the Hindu sacred texts? Hindu ancient, sacred texts were written in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India. The Vedas are the oldest - about 3000 years old. They are a collection of hymns, prayers, and magic spells. The Upanishads are stories and parables told by gurus (teachers) to their students The Mahabharata is a story of a war between two royal families. The Bhagavad Gita is a very popular part of this text. The Ramayana is a story of the god Rama and the rescue of his wife Sita from Ravana, the evil demon king

A Summary of What Most Hindus Believe

In the 1980s and early '90s the publishers of Hinduism Today magazine crafted a simple summary of Hindu beliefs. These were printed side-by-side with their Christian counterparts in Christianity Today magazine in February 1993 so Christians could better comprehend Hindus. These nine beliefs offer a basic summary of Sanatana Dharma's spirituality.

Nine Beliefs of Hinduism

Hindus believe in the divinity of the Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion which has neither beginning nor end. Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds. Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny. Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments as well as personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods. Hindus believe that a spiritually awakened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry and meditation. Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, "noninjury." Hindus believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God's Pure Love and Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

Five Obligations of all Hindus Worship, upasana: Young Hindus are taught daily worship in the family shrine room-rituals, disciplines, chants, yogas and religious study. They learn to be secure through devotion in home and temple, wearing traditional dress, bringing forth love of the Divine and preparing the mind for serene meditation. Holy days, utsava: Young Hindus are taught to participate in Hindu festivals and holy days in the home and temple. They learn to be happy through sweet communion with God at such auspicious celebrations. Utsava includes fasting and attending the temple on Monday or Friday and other holy days. Virtuous living, dharma: Young Hindus are taught to live a life of duty and good conduct. They learn to be selfless by thinking of others first, being respectful of parents, elders and swamis, following divine law, especially ahimsa, mental, emotional and physical noninjury to all beings. Thus they resolve karmas. Pilgrimage, tirthayatra: Young Hindus are taught the value of pilgrimage and are taken at least once a year for darnana of holy persons, temples and places, near or far. They learn to be detached by setting aside worldly affairs and making God, Gods and gurus life's singular focus during these journeys. Rites of passage, samskara: Young Hindus are taught to observe the many sacraments which mark and sanctify their passages through life. They learn to be traditional by celebrating the rites of birth, name-giving, head-shaving, first feeding, ear-piercing, first learning, coming of age, marriage and death.