Christian Practice

Christian Practice

Introduction

Christian practices are things Christian people do together over time to address fundamental human needs in the light of and in response to God's grace to all creation through Christ Jesus. Christianity developed out of Judaism in the 1st century C.E. It is founded on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and those who follow him are called "Christians." Christianity has many different branches and forms with accompanying variety in beliefs and practices. The three major branches of Christianity are Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism, with numerous subcategories within each of these branches. Until the latter part of the 20th century, most adherents of Christianity were in the West, though it has spread to every continent and is now the largest religion in the world. Traditional Christian beliefs include the belief in the one and only true God, who is one being and exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the belief that Jesus is the divine and human Messiah sent to the save the world. Christianity is also noted for its emphasis on faith in Christ as the primary component of religion. The sacred text of Christianity is the Bible, including both the Hebrew scriptures (also known as the Old Testament) and the New Testament. Central to Christian practice is the gathering at churches for worship, fellowship, and study, and engagement with the world through evangelism and social action .

Discussion

Practices point beyond the individualism of the dominant culture to disclose the social (i.e., shared) quality of our lives, and especially the social quality of Christian life, theology, and spirituality. Our thinking and living take place in relation to God and also to one another, to others around the world and across the centuries, and to a vast communion of saints. In this regard, Practicing Our Faith is not a self-help book but a mutual-help book.

Practices help us to understand our continuity with the Christian tradition -- an important matter during this time of change and in the midst of a culture infatuated with what is new. The way of life we are describing is historically rooted, and the history from which Christian practices emerge is an expansive one that encompasses many cultures and denominational traditions. In the terms used here, "practices" endure over time and across cultures; what changes are the specific moves by which specific groups of Christians embody these practices in different times and places. Attention to practices, in this sense, can help contemporary people to treasure their continuity with the past, even while also helping them to embrace the future with hope and creativity, as members of a living tradition.

All of this means that people need to craft the specific forms each practice can take within their own social and historical circumstances. This approach thus requires attention to the concrete and down-to-earth quality of the Christian life. It invites attention to details such as gestures and the role of material things .

Practices make us think about who we truly ...