Part of a series of articles on Christianity

Foundations The Lord Jesus Christ The Holy Trinity (Father Son Holy Spirit) Holy Bible · Christian Theology New Covenant · Supersessionism Apostles · Church · Kingdom · Gospel History of Christianity · Timeline Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... Image File history File links Christian_cross. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Tetragrammaton. ... Jesus (8–2 BC/BCE to 29–36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... This page is about the title or the Divine Person. For the Christian figure, see Jesus. ... For other uses, see Trinity (disambiguation). ... In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... This article presents a description of Jesus as based on the views of Christians. ... This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers, and should be edited to rectify this. ... For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Christian theological controversy be merged into this article or section. ... Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). ... Supersessionism (also called Replacement theology by some, e. ... The Twelve Apostles (, apostolos, Liddell & Scott, Strongs G652, someone sent forth/sent out) were men that according to the Synoptic Gospels and Christian tradition, were chosen from among the disciples (students) of Jesus for a mission. ... The phrase One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church appears in the Nicene Creed () and, in part, in the Apostles Creed (the holy catholic church, sanctam ecclesiam catholicam). ... The Kingdom of God (Greek basileia tou theou,[1] or the Kingdom of Heaven) is a key concept in Christianity based on a phrase attributed to Jesus of Nazareth in the gospels. ... For other articles with similar names, see Gospel (disambiguation). ... This article outlines the history of Christianity and provides links to relevant topics. ... The purpose of this chronology is to give a detailed account of Christianity from the beginning of the current era to the present. ...

Holy Bible Old Testament · New Testament Decalogue · Sermon on the Mount Birth · Resurrection · Great Commission Inspiration · Books · Canon · Apocrypha Hermeneutics · LXX · English Translation Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh. ... John 21:1 Jesus Appears to His Disciples--Alessandro Mantovani: the Vatican, Rome. ... This 1768 parchment (612x502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Decalogue at the Esnoga synagogue of Amsterdam The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a list of religious and moral imperatives which, according to the Hebrew Bible, were written by God and given to Moses on Mount Sinai in the... The Sermon on the Mount was, according to the Gospel of Matthew, a particular sermon given by Jesus of Nazareth (estimated around AD 30) on a mountainside to his disciples and a large crowd (Matt 5:1-7:29). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... The Death of Jesus and the Resurrection of Jesus are two events in the New Testament in which Jesus is crucified on one day (the Day of Preparation, i. ... The Great Commission is a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing mission work and evangelism, particularly (but not exclusively) emphasized by evangelicals. ... Biblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology concerned with the divine origin of the Bible and what the Bible teaches about itself. ... The canonical list of the Books of the Bible differs among Jews, and Catholic, Protestant, and Greek Orthodox Christians, even though there is a great deal of overlap. ... The Biblical canon is an exclusive list of books written during the formative period of the Jewish or Christian faiths; the leaders of these communities believed these books to be inspired by God or to express the authoritative history of the relationship between God and his people (although there may... Apocrypha (from the Greek word απόκρυφα meaning those having been hidden away[1]) are texts of uncertain authenticity or writings where the authorship is questioned. ... Biblical Hermeneutics, part of the broader hermeneutical question, relates to the problem of how one is to understand Holy Scripture. ... The Septuagint: A page from Codex vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Brentons English translation. ... The efforts of translating the Bible from its original languages into over 2,000 others have spanned more than two millennia. ... The Bible has been translated into many languages. ...

Christian Theology History of Theology · Apologetics Creation · Fall of Man · Covenant · Law Grace · Faith · Justification · Salvation Sanctification · Theosis · Worship Church · Sacraments · Future {Under construction!} The history of theology is about the way theology has developed and the way history has impacted theology. ... Theology (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason) means reasoned discourse concerning religion, spirituality and God. ... Christian Apologetics is the field of study concerned with the systematic defense of Christianity. ... Creation (theology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Covenant, meaning a solemn contract, is the customary word used to translate the Hebrew word berith (ברית, Tiberian Hebrew bÉ™rîṯ, Standard Hebrew bÉ™rit) as it is used in the Hebrew Bible. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh. ... In Christianity, divine grace refers to the sovereign favor of God for humankind, as manifest in the blessings bestowed upon all —irrespective of actions (deeds), earned worth, or proven goodness. ... Faith in Christianity centers on faith in the existence of God, who created the universe. ... In Christian theology, justification is Gods act of making or declaring a sinner righteous before God. ... In religion, salvation refers to being saved from an undesirable state or condition. ... Sanctification or in its verb form, sanctify, literally means to set apart for special use or purpose, that is to make holy or sacred (compare Latin sanctus holy). Therefore sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart, i. ... In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic theology, theosis, meaning divinization (or deification or, to become god), is the call to man to become holy and seek union with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the resurrection. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In Christian theology, ecclesiology is a branch of study that deals with the doctrines pertaining to the Church itself as a community or organic entity, and with the understanding of what the church is —ie. ... A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates divine grace—a holy [[Mystery The root meaning of the Latin word sacramentum is making sacred. One example of its use was as the term for the oath of dedication taken by Roman soldiers; but the ecclesiastical use of the word is... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

History and Traditions Ecumenical Councils · Creeds · Missions Great Schism · Crusades · Reformation In Christianity, an Ecumenical Council or general council is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. ... A creed is a statement or confession of belief — usually religious belief — or faith. ... A Christian mission has been widely defined, since the Lausanne Congress of 1974, as that which is designed to form a viable indigenous church-planting movement. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Crusades were a series of military campaigns conducted in the name of Christendom[1] and usually sanctioned by the Pope. ... The Protestant Reformation, also referred to as the Protestant Revolution or Protestant Revolt, was a movement in the 16th century to reform the Catholic Church in Western Europe. ... Eastern Christianity Eastern Orthodoxy · Oriental Orthodoxy Syriac · Assyrian · Eastern Catholicism Eastern Christianity refers collectively to the Christian traditions and churches which developed in Greece, the Balkans, the rest of Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, northeastern Africa and southern India over several centuries of religious antiquity. ... The Eastern Orthodox Church is a religious organization which claims to be the continuation of the original Christian body, founded by Jesus and his Twelve Apostles. ... The term Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only the first three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus — and rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon. ... Syriac Christianity is a culturally and linguistically distinctive community within Eastern Christianity. ... The Holy Apostolic and Catholic Assyrian Church of the East under His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, is a Christian church that traces its origins to the See of Babylon, said to be founded by Saint Thomas the Apostle. ... The domes of an Ukrainian Catholic parish in Simpson, Pennsylvania This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the See of Rome. ... Western Christianity Western Catholicism · Protestantism Thomism · Anabaptism · Lutheranism Anglicanism · Calvinism · Arminianism Baptist · Methodism · Evangelicalism Restorationism · Liberalism · Fundamentalism Pentecostal Western Christianity refers to Catholicism, Protestantism, and Anglicanism (which is also usually included in the Protestant category). ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see Terminology, below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus, with its traditions first established by the Twelve Apostles and maintained through... Protestantism is one of three main groups currently within Christianity. ... Thomism is the philosophical school that followed in the legacy of Thomas Aquinas. ... Anabaptists (Greek ανα (again) +βαπτιζω (baptize), thus, re-baptizers [1], German: Wiedertäufer) are Christians of the Radical Reformation. ... Lutheranism is a movement within Christianity that began with the theological insights of Martin Luther in the 16th century> Luthers writings launched the Protestant Reformation of the Western church. ... The term Anglican (from medieval Latin ecclesia Anglicana meaning the English church) is used to describe the people, institutions, and churches as well as the liturgical traditions and theological concepts developed by the established Church of England, the Anglican Communion and the Continuing Anglican Churches (a loosely affiliated group of... Calvinism is a system of Christian theology and an approach to Christian life and thought within the Protestant tradition articulated by John Calvin, a Protestant Reformer in the 16th century, and subsequently by successors, associates, followers and admirers of Calvin, his interpretation of Scripture, and perspective on Christian life and... // For the Armenian nationality, see Armenia or the Armenian language. ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church or any follower of Jesus Christ who believes that baptism is administered by the full immersion of a confessing Christian. ... Methodism or the Methodist movement is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity. ... The word evangelicalism usually refers to a tendency in diverse branches of conservative, almost always Protestant, Christianity. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For Christian theological modernism in the Roman Catholic Church, see Modernism (Roman Catholicism). ... This article concerns the self-labeled Fundamentalist Movement in Protestant Christianity. ... The Pentecostal movement within Evangelical Christianity places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as shown in the Biblical account of the Day of Pentecost. ... Denominations · Movements · Ecumenism Preaching · Prayer · Music Liturgy · Calendar · Symbols · Art A denomination, in the Christian sense of the word, is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and/or doctrine. ... Christian movements are theological, political, or philosophical intepretations of Christianity that are not generally represented by a specific church, sect, or denomination. ... The word ecumenism (also oecumenism, Å“cumenism) is derived from Greek (oikoumene), which means the inhabited world, and was historically used with specific reference to the Roman Empire. ... A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. ... This article is about the many forms of prayer within Christianity. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... // Partial list of Christian liturgies (past and present) Roman Catholic church (churches in communion with the Holy See of the Bishop of Rome) Latin Rite Novus Ordo Missae Tridentine Mass Anglican Use Mozarabic Rite Ambrosian Rite Gallican Rite Eastern Rite, e. ... The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in some Christian churches which determines when Feasts, Memorials, Commemorations, and Solemnities are to be observed and which portions of Scripture are to be read. ... Christian art is art that spans many segments of Christianity. ...

Important Figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Luther · Calvin · Wesley · Carey · Barth Graham · John Paul II · Bartholomew I This article is becoming very long. ... The (Early) Church Fathers or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian Church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. ... This article covers the events of, reaction to, and historical legacy of Roman Emperor Constantine Is legalization, legitimization, and conversion to Christianity. ... Athanasius of Alexandria (also spelled Athanasios) (c. ... For the first Archbishop of Canterbury, see Saint Augustine of Canterbury. ... Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033 or 1034 – April 21, 1109), a widely influential medieval philosopher and theologian, held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109. ... Saint Thomas Aquinas [Thomas of Aquin, or Aquino] (c. ... Gregory Palamas (1296 - 1359) was a monk of Mount Athos in Greece, and later became Archbishop of Thessalonica. ... This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers, and should be edited to rectify this. ... Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk,[1] priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. ... John Calvin (July 10, 1509 – May 27, 1564) was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and was a central developer of the system of Christian theology called Calvinism. ... John Wesley (June 17, 1703–March 2, 1791) was an 18th-century Anglican clergyman and Christian theologian who was an early leader in the Methodist movement. ... William Carey (August 17, 1761 – June 9, 1834) was an English missionary and Baptist minister, known as the father of modern missions. ... Karl Barth (May 10, 1886–December 10, 1968) (pronounced Bart) was an influential Swiss Reformed Christian theologian. ... Billy Graham, April 1966 Rev. ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), (Italian: Giovanni Paolo II), born   (May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005) reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from October 16... Patriarch Bartholomew I His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome (Greek:Η Αυτού Θειοτάτη Παναγιότητα ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης Βαρθολομαίος Α Αρχιεπίσκοπος Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, Νέας Ρώμης) , born Demetrios Archontonis (Δημήτριος Αρχοντώνης, Dimítrios Archontónis) on 29 February 1940) has been the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and thus first among equals in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, since 2 November 1991. ...

Legalism, in Christian theology, is a term referring to an improper fixation on law or codes of conduct, or legal ideas, usually implying an allegation of pride and the neglect of mercy, and ignorance of the grace of God. Legalism may also be alleged, in Christian theology, in criticism of theories which are perceived to be excessively dependent upon legal concepts. It represents the opposite extreme from antinomianism, the claim that moral laws are not binding on Christian believers. Simply put, legalism is belief, stated or supposedly implied, that law, not faith, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption. Legalism is often used as a a pejorative term. Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... Theology (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason) means reasoned discourse concerning religion, spirituality and God. ... In Christianity, divine grace refers to the sovereign favor of God for humankind, as manifest in the blessings bestowed upon all —irrespective of actions (deeds), earned worth, or proven goodness. ... Antinomianism (Koine Greek αντι, against, νομος, law), or lawlessness (ανομια), in theology is the idea that members of a particular religious group are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality as presented by religious authorities. ... Morality refers to the concept of human ethics which pertains to matters of good and evil —also referred to as right or wrong, used within three contexts: individual conscience; systems of principles and judgments — sometimes called moral values —shared within a cultural, religious, secular, Humanist, or philosophical community; and codes... In the religious sense, law can be thought of as the ordering principle of reality; knowledge as revealed by God defining and governing all human affairs. ... A word or phrase is pejorative if it implies contempt or disapproval. ...

In the New Testament

A number of Biblical passages indicate that the tension between legalism and antinomianism goes back to the very beginnings of Christianity. For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ...

Jesus directed some of his harshest words at the Pharisees and their accompanying "scribes" and "lawyers," the guardians of the ritual law of Judaism. Matthew 23 is just one of the several sermons Jesus preached against them. The gravamen of Jesus' charge against the Pharisees was that they did, in fact, scrupulously follow the ritual laws of Judaism, but their scrupulousness did not make them more charitable or lead to inner repentance. Jesus (8–2 BC/BCE to 29–36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... The Pharisees (from the Hebrew perushim, from parash, meaning to separate) were, depending on the time, a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews that flourished during the Second Temple Era (536 BCE–70 CE). ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... Matthew 23 is the twenty-third chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. ...

Jesus also said that "except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20 - part of the Antithesis of the Law - KJV translation) Jesus sought to call his followers to a more inward form of obedience, in which righteous acts stemmed from an inward love of God, rather than a desire to please others, to seem holy in their eyes, or for a fear of temporal or divine retribution. Some have said that this teaching resembles the teachings of some strains of Judaism from the period immediately preceding Jesus, and in particular the teachings of the Rabbi Hillel the Elder. Righteousness is an important concept in the theology of Judaism and Christianity. ... The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον) is one of the four Gospel accounts of the New Testament. ... The Antithesis of the Law (Matthew 5:17-48) is a less well known but highly structured (you have heard . ... The King James Version of the Bible, or Authorised Version, was first published in 1611, has had a profound impact on English literature. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... For the town in Italy, see Rabbi, Italy Rabbi (Sephardic Hebrew רִבִּי ribbī; Ashkenazi Hebrew רֶבִּי rebbī or rebbə; and modern Israeli רַבִּי rabbī) in Judaism, means teacher, or more literally great one. The word Rabbi is derived from the Hebrew root-word RaV, which in biblical Hebrew means great or distinguished (in... Hillel (הלל) was a famous Jewish religious leader who lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod; he is one of the most important figures in Judaic history, associated with the Mishnah and the Talmud. ...

The tension continues in the epistles of Paul of Tarsus. Paul also had to deal with issues regarding the acceptance of Gentiles into Christianity, and the extent to which Gentile converts were bound by the Torah or the traditional religious rules of Judaism. Paul generally rejected extension of the purity laws of Judaism to Gentile converts, saying that no one should "judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days." -(Colossians 2:16, KJV) Yet according to Acts 15 Council of Jerusalem he accepted James' decree that new Gentile converts should follow what was later called the Noahide Law subset of the Torah. In Galatians 2:14 (part of the "Incident at Antioch") he publicly accused the Apostle Peter of "judaizing", i.e. Legalism. On the other hand, his writings also contain frequent statements to the effect that those who commit a list of sins "shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (E.g. Galatians 5:19-21), leading to conclusions like 2nd Peter 3:16 . Paul, who called himself "Apostle to the Gentiles", at times seems opposed to the Jerusalem Church of James, John and Peter which has led some to conclude that Pauline Christianity was different from the Christianity of the Jerusalem Church which is sometimes called Jewish Christianity. For example, see Acts 21:21. An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of persons, usually a letter and a very formal, often didactic and elegant one. ... This article is becoming very long. ... The word Gentile from the Latin gentilis, can either be a translation of the Hebrew Goy/גוי or of the Hebrew word Nochri/נכרי. In the most common modern use it refers to the former being derived from the Latin term gens (meaning clan or a group of families) and it is... Poo Poo Tlak Torah () is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or law. Itlucky is the central and most important document of Judaism revered by Jews through the ages. ... Council of Jerusalem is a name applied in retrospect to a meeting described in Acts of the Apostles chapter 15. ... The Noahide laws are the mitzvot (commandments) that Judaism teaches that all of humankind is morally bound to follow. ... Judaize, from the Greek Ioudaizo (ιουδαιζω), means literally to live as a Jew, however it was used primarily in a derogatory sense for Christians who chose to live more in accord with the Jesus described in the Bible, often this meant observing the... The Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem is the head bishop of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, ranking fourth of nine patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... The origins of Pauline Christianity lie in the teachings of Paul of Tarsus, who declared himself the Apostle to the Gentiles, and its development in his circle and among his followers. ... Jewish Christians (sometimes called also Hebrew Christians or Christian Jews, but see below for differences) is a term which can have two meanings, an historical one and a contemporary one. ...

In later Christian theology

In Protestant, Evangelical, Christian theology, especially in popular versions of the same, the charge of legalism is an accusation of ignorance of the Christian Gospel, or of unbelief. In that context, to apply the criticism of legalism to a theological position or religious attitude, implies that the accused has over-turned the Gospel of salvation through faith and new life in Jesus Christ, and has substituted some principle of personal merit or ritual purity for the unearned grace of God, see also Cafeteria Christianity. Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The word evangelicalism usually refers to a tendency in diverse branches of conservative, almost always Protestant, Christianity. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as Christ. ... Theology (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason) means reasoned discourse concerning religion, spirituality and God. ... For other articles with similar names, see Gospel (disambiguation). ... In religion, salvation refers to being saved from an undesirable state or condition. ... Faith is commonly known as a belief, trust or confidence often based on a transpersonal relationship with God, a higher power, elements of nature and/or a perception of the human race as a whole. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... In Christianity, divine grace refers to the sovereign favor of God for humankind, as manifest in the blessings bestowed upon all —irrespective of actions (deeds), earned worth, or proven goodness. ... Cafeteria Christianity is a pejorative term, used in general against individual Christians or Christian churches who are perceived as selectively following or believing the doctrines of their religion, particularly what the Bible states as being the word or will of God. ...

The Eastern Orthodox, for another example, reject the satisfaction theory of the atonement as legalistic. The satisfaction theory states that mankind's Original Sin violated God's law, resulting in all men being born guilty: an idea prevalent in the writings of Tertullian and Augustine of Hippo. Anselm formally developed the theory that the legal problem of guilt before the Law, required the legal solution of retribution, in order to achieve a just salvation. The solution was for God's son Jesus to willingly die on the Cross in place of humanity, thus allowing the legal penalty to be fully carried out, satisfying the justice of God, and thus clearing the way for mercy to be shown to sinners. The Eastern Orthodox charge that this theory is too dependent upon Roman legal concepts of retribution and justice. The Eastern Orthodox Church is a religious organization which claims to be the continuation of the original Christian body, founded by Jesus and his Twelve Apostles. ... The satisfaction view of the atonement (also known as the penal or punishment theory) is a doctrine in Christian theology related to the meaning and effect of the death of Jesus Christ and has been traditionally taught in Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed circles. ... Michelangelos painting of the sin of Adam and Eve (the Fall) According to Christian tradition, Original sin is the general and non-personal condition of sinfulness (lack of holiness) into which human beings are born. ... Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicized as Tertullian, (ca. ... For the first Archbishop of Canterbury, see Saint Augustine of Canterbury. ... Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033 or 1034 – April 21, 1109), a widely influential medieval philosopher and theologian, held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109. ... A Greek cross (all arms of equal length) above a saltire, a cross rotated by 45 degrees For other uses, see Cross (disambiguation). ...

In Roman Catholicism, good works are done in service to God and one's neighbor by faith working through love. In contrast, an excess of severity in the imposition of, or overly-scrupulous conformity to any rule of piety, may be charged with legalism. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ...

Throughout the history of Christianity, certain beliefs and practices have tended to draw charges of legalism. These include: This article outlines the history of Christianity and provides links to relevant topics. ...

• Ascetic practices such as fasting and other forms of self-denial. Those who believe in these things often defend them as practices that improve concentration on spiritual things and cultivate detachment from the world, and as practices that Jesus apparently expected his followers to continue.
• Various ordinances and customs that address subjects not directly covered in Scripture, such as customs disapproving of dancing, playing cards or alcoholic beverages. Believers in these customs often defend them as addressing issues and controversies that have arisen since the Bible was written.
• Ritual, such as the use of customary prayers and an elaborate liturgy. Believers in these practices often defend them as traditions with deep roots, and as logical expansions of practices that do in fact have Biblical precedents.
• Similarly, the insistence on certain exclusive ritual practices, such as a Saturday Sabbath or adult baptism or Passover (Christian holiday), especially when practicing these rituals is held necessary for salvation.
• Sacraments, especially when the underlying theology views them as vehicles of God's grace. Believers in these practices often defend them with the claim that the church was founded by God as the vehicle for grace, and that to reject them is to flirt with the gnostic notion that matter is inherently evil and cannot be a vehicle for God's grace.
• Biblical literalism of the sort that underlies Christian fundamentalism.
• The degree to which various ordinances of the Old Testament, such as the Ten Commandments, continue to be binding on believers. See also Christian view of the Old Testament Law.

Several underlying dynamics appear in these controversies. The permitted scope of veneration of material objects, versus claims that such veneration is idolatry, affects the perceived sanctity of ritual spaces and objects, and therefore of the rituals and customs themselves. Related to this are competing ideas about whether material things can be good, or are just a temporary evil to be done away with as soon as possible. Teachings about the authority of the church, the sources of legitimacy of that authority, and the role of clergy versus the priesthood of all believers, also affect these debates. Related to these disagreements are debates concerning the authority of the Bible, and whether it is to be interpreted literally or more freely. Ascetic redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Fast Day be merged into this article or section. ... In the religious sense, law can be thought of as the ordering principle of reality; knowledge as revealed by God defining and governing all human affairs. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Some typical Anglo-American playing cards from the Bicycle brand Set of 52 playing cards A playing card is a typically hand-sized piece of heavy paper or thin plastic. ... Bottles of cachaça, a Brazilian alcoholic beverage. ... For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ... A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. ... Mary Magdalene in prayer. ... From the Greek word λειτουργία, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning a public work, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may refer to, or include, an elaborate formal ritual (such as the Catholic Mass), or a daily activity such as... The word tradition, comes from the Latin word traditio which means to hand down or to hand over. ... This artyicle concerns the Sabbath in Christianity. ... Baptism in early Christian art. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Passover. ... A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates divine grace—a holy [[Mystery The root meaning of the Latin word sacramentum is making sacred. One example of its use was as the term for the oath of dedication taken by Roman soldiers; but the ecclesiastical use of the word is... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Biblical inerrancy is the view that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is in every detail infallible and without error. ... Fundamentalist Christianity is a fundamentalist movement, especially within American Protestantism. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh. ... This 1768 parchment (612x502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Decalogue at the Esnoga synagogue of Amsterdam The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a list of religious and moral imperatives which, according to the Hebrew Bible, were written by God and given to Moses on Mount Sinai in the... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh. ... Veneration is a religious symbolic act giving honor to someone by honoring an image of that person, particularly applied to saints. ... Idolatry is a major sin in the Abrahamic religions regarding image. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... The priesthood of all believers is a Protestant doctrine founded on the First Epistle of Peter, 2:9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into...

As a label for adherence to manmade rules

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In addition to the primary definition of legalism (in which it refers to works for salvation), the term "legalism" is commonly used to refer the view that adherence to certain manmade rules is necessary for moral or spiritual righteousness and full acceptance and partnership in the Christian community. While many argue that using the term this way is incorrect, the fact remains that it is commonly used this way. Since the term "legalism" does not occur in the Bible, and since what determines the meaning of words is their widespread usage, this usage should be viewed as a valid secondary meaning. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Righteousness is an important concept in the theology of Judaism and Christianity. ...

Regardless of the label that one uses (whether you call it "legalism" or something else, such as judaizing), it is clear that the New Testament condemns demanding that people adhere to manmade rules in order to obtain morality or spirituality in the community of believers or before God. In Mark 7:6-7 Jesus quotes Isaiah as saying, "This people honors Me [God] with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." When people teach manmade commands as if they were doctrines from God, and when they insist that others follow those rules for morality or spirituality or acceptance, they are guilty of doing exactly what Jesus condemns here. Most of the debates that Jesus had with the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the scribes did not center around legalism as it relates to salvation (the primary definition of legalism), but around legalism as it relates to daily living (this secondary definition of legalism), and concerned matters such as washing hands before eating, healing on the Sabbath, fasting, or drinking wine. See also Expounding of the Law. Judaizers is a term used by orthodox Christianity, particularly after the third century, to describe Jewish Christian groups like the Ebionites and Nazarenes who believed that followers of Jesus needed to keep the Law of Moses. ... Morality refers to the concept of human ethics which pertains to matters of good and evil —also referred to as right or wrong, used within three contexts: individual conscience; systems of principles and judgments — sometimes called moral values —shared within a cultural, religious, secular, Humanist, or philosophical community; and codes... Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. ... In religion, salvation refers to being saved from an undesirable state or condition. ... Hand washing is the act of cleansing the hands with water or other liquid, with or without the use of soap or other detergents, for the purpose of removing soil or microorganisms. ... This artyicle concerns the Sabbath in Christianity. ... It has been suggested that Fast Day be merged into this article or section. ... Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of the juice of fruits, usually grapes. ... The Expounding of the Law (KJV:Matthew 5:17-48), sometimes called the Antithesis of the Law, is a less well known but highly structured (Ye have heard . ...

There are three major kinds of legalism commonly found among religious people. First, there is theological legalism in which people separate from others over issues which the Bible does not say to separate over. (There are doctrines over which the Bible says to separate over or censure others for; in all other areas the Biblical approach seems to be to teach and allow for disagreements. As the saying goes, "In major things, unity; in minor things, liberty; in all things, charity.") Second, there is moral legalism in which people demand that certain manmade moral ideas be followed. (What often happens here is that legalists will take a broad Biblical principle, and then insist that it be applied in a certain way, even though the Bible is silent on that particular issue. For example, if someone were to say that, since the Bible says our bodies are the temple of God, then any action which might not be "best" for the body is a desecration of the temple, and that therefore one must exercise, diet, and rest in such a way as to obtain the optimal fitness. That may be good advice, but it is legalistic — a manmade rule — when it becomes a demand.) Third, there is cultural legalism in which people are expected to live up to certain cultural standards to be accepted and not looked down on. (For example, scoffing at people because they live in trailers or haven't finished high school are examples of cultural legalism since the Bible is silent on those matters.)

While a person might indeed be convicted by God to do something or to abstain from something that the Bible is silent on, and while that person should certainly have the liberty to share that conviction with others and to encourage them to adopt that same personal conviction, the line is crossed into legalism when a person insists that others do the same thing, that is, when a person teaches for doctrines the commandments of men. The Bible censures those who cause divisions over issues that the Bible does not tell us to separate over (Romans 16:17).

Additionally, the Bible does not give believers the right to allow others to act as their judges in these matters (Col. 2:16). Plus, it warns believers that such legalisms (manmade rules) are utterly useless in achieving morality or spirituality (Col. 2:23), and that those who make a habit of submitting to such rules have defiled minds and consciences (Titus 1:14-16).

See also

• Sola fide
• Antinomianism
• Marcionism
• Montanism
• Gnosticism
• Expounding of the Law

Sola fide (by faith alone), also historically known as the justification of faith, is a doctrine that distinguishes Protestant denominations from Catholicism, Eastern Christianity, and Restorationism in Christianity. ... Antinomianism (Koine Greek αντι, against, νομος, law), or lawlessness (ανομια), in theology is the idea that members of a particular religious group are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality as presented by religious authorities. ... Marcionism is the dualist belief system that originates in the teachings of Marcion of Sinope at Rome around the year 144 CE (115 years and 6 months from the Crucifixion, according to Tertullians reckoning in Adversus Marcionem, xv). ... Montanism was an early Christian sectarian movement of the mid-2nd century AD, named after its founder Montanus. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Expounding of the Law (KJV:Matthew 5:17-48), sometimes called the Antithesis of the Law, is a less well known but highly structured (Ye have heard . ...

External links

• Twisted Scriptures by Mary Alice Chrnalogar
• The Deadly Dangers of Moralism by John F. MacArthur, Jr.
• Christian Liberty by J. I. Packer
• New Perspective on Paul
• Jewish Encyclopedia: Nomism
• Slaying the Dragon of Legalism from GraceForLife.com
• Phariseeism Resurrected by Darwin Chandler