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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Gottservant (talk | contribs) at 13:29, 14 January 2012 (→Edit request on 14 January 2012: new section). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Former featured articleChristianity is a former featured article. Please see the links under Article milestones below for its original nomination page (for older articles, check the nomination archive) and why it was removed.
Main Page trophyThis article appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page as Today's featured article on July 18, 2004.
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January 19, 2004Refreshing brilliant proseKept
December 26, 2005Featured article reviewDemoted
July 14, 2006Good article nomineeListed
January 4, 2008Good article reassessmentDelisted
Article Collaboration and Improvement Drive This article was on the Article Collaboration and Improvement Drive for the week of October 1, 2006.
Current status: Former featured article

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Incorrect statistics

There is a map of the world where every nation with a population of 50% or more christians is colored purple. According to it more than 50% of Swedens population are christians. I don't know where those numbers came from, but it is just plain wrong. Denmark and Finland shouldn't be colored purple either. Those errors make me question the rest of the map too. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.209.81.254 (talk) 08:15, 22 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Idem for Netherlands: much less then 50 percent are churchgoing, and less then 10 percent literally believe in trinity and resurrection. So depending on how strict you define 'Christians', Netherlands should either be pink or grey. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Pieter Felix Smit (talk • contribs) 06:29, 25 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The whole concept of claiming such high levels of Christianity is nonsense. The figures come from diverse sources, with no accurate nor consistent definition of what a Christian is. My country, Australia, is coloured purple on that map. Weekly church attendance is around 7% of the population. I cannot comprehend how such inaccurate rubbish is permitted to remain in Wikipedia. HiLo48 (talk) 06:45, 25 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]
You should define a Christian based on what the Bible says, I do know that whether or not you go to church doesn't define a Christian. If you can find reliable mainstream sources that contradict evidence in the map, please notify editors so we can have consensus on the map.--174.49.24.190 (talk) 23:28, 12 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

These statistics are completely incorrect but Wikipedia has servers in United States so such exageration is natural.Christianity is in Europe,North and South America and Europe.In Russia most are atheists.In Europe Islam is gaining ground.Christian population must be near to 2 billion if statistics are correct.Countrey with highest Christian population is USA which alone conveys that Christians are very less than what the statistics claim.Raw555 (talk) 15:50, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Minor correction to Sacraments section of this article suggested

Currently this section includes the sentence: Taken together, these are the Seven Sacraments as recognised by churches in the High church tradition—notably Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Independent Catholic, Old Catholic most Anglicans, and some Lutherans.

The phrase: ", Old Catholic most Anglicans, and some Lutherans." should be changed to: "and Old Catholic."

The Anglican and Lutheran churches overwhelmingly teach that there are two sacraments. The various Wikipedia articles on Anglicans, Lutherans and Sacraments all echo the two sacrament belief.

Phgeyer (talk) 22:18, 18 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I believe you're right. In addition, many if not most Orthodox Christians hold that there also exist additional sacraments. Wesley (talk) 22:10, 9 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
>:) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.189.130.43 (talk) 17:27, 14 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

United States-centric in the intro

"Among all Christians, 37.5% live in the Americas (11.4% in the United States), 25.7% live in Europe, 22.5% live in Africa, 13.1% live in Asia, 1.2% live in Oceania and 0.9% live in the Middle East."

Is it really necessary to include the percentage of Christians living in the United states? Why not also say the percentage of Christians living in Australia or Canada or the United Kingdom; I mean, they're English-speaking countries too!

I propose removing the "(11.4% in the United States)" statistic. Peter (talk) 20:25, 2 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Done. Doesn't seem controversial, and there's some support already. --Harizotoh9 (talk) 20:45, 2 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Irrelevant Subsection of various interpretation of Bible under the Section 'Scriptures'

The sections contains the differing interpretation of Bible by the three main christian denominations. I think this subsection is irrelevant here, as the article is about Christianity and describes its main beliefs. I think this sub-section should be deleted or moved to the Article on Bible it self. Sajjad Arif (talk) 02:23, 3 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Boring - no mention of popular culture or major works

This has to be one of the most dry encyclopedic articles I have ever browsed over.

There are no culture specific mentions of Christianity in popular culture, movies, plays, songs, games. There is only a tiny mention of Christian festivals, Christmas, Easter, with no details. There is no mention of the charitable works being undertaken by Christians worldwide - poverty, hunger, thirst, first aid.

Where are you? This is an advanced encyclopedia! An encyclopedia captures nothing if it does not reflect the lives of those whom it discusses. Gottservant (talk) 18:12, 9 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

An encyclopedia should answer the question "what is". That is our goal here. Telling people who charitable it is, or providing pop culture references doesn't really answer that question. Encyclopedias typically do not include these things.- Unsigned comment
Really? Then why does the Islam article have sections for architecture and art? Why does the Scientology article have sections for their social reform works and their celebrity support? Gottservant, I support the addition of details for Christian holidays as well as information about the myriad of charitable work Christians do for people world-wide as it is well-documented and very notable.--174.49.24.190 (talk) 23:34, 12 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Thankyou, your knowledge of other articles has definitely bolstered the move to put pop culture references and references to major works in this article. I concur with your reasoning.58.161.50.116 (talk) 13:59, 11 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]
"An encyclopedia should answer the question "what is"" when the subject is an "object". Christianity is not an object. Christianity is a "mystery" - an encyclopedia dealing with that should therefore answer the question "how is"58.161.50.116 (talk) 13:59, 11 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Fundamental tenet missing from first paragraph

If you know anything at all about Christianity, it is that its founder, Jesus Christ, instituted most famously of all that the body of believers that came to be known as "Christians" would be defined by their commandment to love one another.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Joh 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

This is the Zenith of the Christian faith and you have not for even a moment mentioned this fundamental tenet in the first paragraph. It is not subject to wavering interpretation, it is universal to the Christian faith. It originated with the founder of the faith and was carried to the death by martyrs of all denominations.

I will be checking to see that this is addressed some time in the near future. I am not just picking out a random verse here. It SAYS "All will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another". It is the only time Jesus ever talks about the appearance of the believers to the world. Even if it is that you are only concerned with the appearance of Christianity in this article, mentioning this commandment is crucial to doing that with any kind of integrity. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gottservant (talk • contribs) 18:19, 9 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Look, if no one is going to add the "New Commandment" to the first paragraph, I will just do it. I don't want complaints though - I have already spellled out more than enough reason to add it. 58.161.50.116 (talk) 13:55, 11 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Criticisms of Christianity

Should there be a section on criticism of Christianity? That it attracts criticism is a notable feature of the topic. DHooke1973 (talk) 20:39, 19 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Where would you stop? There are a lot of other articles mentioning Christianity in negative ways, where it's validly part of the article. I don't think it's needed here. HiLo48 (talk) 22:32, 19 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Where to stop? Well if there's too much for one page, that's not a reason not to put it in. I've added a link to Criticism of Christianity for now. DHooke1973 (talk) 23:03, 19 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
People have been criticising Christianity for 2000 years. Definitely more than a page. HiLo48 (talk) 08:27, 20 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Plus, Christians all over the world are trying to pull another "crusade" by voting down recognition of wiccan as a religion, making speech on how "wiccan is evil" and they are even attacking through Youtube! For all that is holy, they are bringing the blood stains to surface into their bible once again! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 187.126.126.62 (talk) 16:08, 29 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
No offence, but have you cleared this with Wikipedia policy? It will be the first encyclopedia I have ever heard of to venture into debate. Even from a purely neutral standpoint I can see that a shift towards debate will result in a loss of objectivity.58.161.50.116 (talk) 14:08, 11 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Liberal denominations

Which denominations of Christianity have no problem with pre-marital sex + gay marriage? Pass a Method talk 20:51, 20 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I don't know any denomination which "have no problem" with gay marriage and pre-martial sex, because those practices are generally forbidden in Christianity. Regards. ♫GoP♫TCN 16:00, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Edit request on 14 January 2012

The opening paragraph should have an additional line that - following "Adherents of the Christian faith are known as Christians.[3]" - says "By definition, this means that - as far as the world is concerned - you accept the commandment to love all other members of the Christian faith (ie., unconditionally, as requested by the aforementioned Jesus) [4]

Joh 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." Joh 13:35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

This is a non-negotiable tenet of the Christian faith, as far as its definition - in whichever way being relative to the world - is concerned. No love for other members, no Christianity. It is therefore paramount that this be stated in the opening paragraph, by way of definition, as an article to be read by the world.

It is not an attempt to prosletyze. It is not subject to the interpretation of particular denominations. It is not an irrelevant subtext to the faith.

It must be understood in the context of the faith, which is of the Jews, as being a commandment, like unto the ten commandments given to Moses on Mt Sinai (and therefore gravely serious).

I stress that you cannot define Christianity (for the world) without this commandment.

Thanks in advance for your time, consideration and care.

Gottservant (talk) 13:29, 14 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

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