Christianity
Jesus - his life, teachings, death and resurrection as described in the four gospels of the New Testament - is the focal point for the majority of Christians. Christianity is a monotheistic religion. (monotheism= belief in one God). God is conceived as a Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Son, seen as ‘the word of God made flesh’, and it is his death and resurrection that are believed to atone for human sins and restore people to a relationship with God. The ‘last supper’ of Jesus with the disciples before his crucifixion is symbolised and commemorated in Holy Communion (the Eucharist) when bread and wine are shared among the congregation. Different denominations have differing views on the meaning of this sacrament, its content and frequency. (sacrament= an outward sign of something spiritual). There are a number of sacraments – which include baptism, marriage and the Eucharist. Some denominations only baptise people who are old enough to profess their Faith, but most baptise small children too. Rules about marriage, divorce and remarriage differ by denomination. Many denominations ordain women, but the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches do not. Whilst all Churches recognise ministry, they do not all require ordination. Some Churches give a prominent role to the laity, recognising ‘the priesthood of all believers’; some have elders or prophets or apostles or pastors, rather than priests.
Christianity has a continuous history in Britain since the sixth century CE, with the 16th century Protestant Reformation and the evangelical revival of the 18th century changing its character and introducing new denominational forms. Today there are a wide variety of different denominations and groups in Yorkshire and the Humber, the largest being the Church of England, but with a strong Catholic presence (owing to the 19th and early 20th century migration of Irish Catholics to the area). Methodists, Baptists, and the United Reformed Church are widely represented, as are smaller groups which have been present in the region for several centuries, such as the Quakers, Unitarians, Moravians and Salvation Army. As its cities and towns are home to many minority ethnic communities, Christianity is also an ethnically diverse religion in the region, with Black African and African-Caribbean, Chinese and Korean, and middle and eastern European Christian churches. Furthermore, new Christian movements, “cell” churches, and ecumenical partnerships (churches of different denominations working together) are active. Formal bodies which enable the region’s Christian Churches to work together include groups such as North York Moors Churches Together, the Churches Regional Commission for Yorkshire and the Humber, and the West Yorkshire Council of African-Caribbean Churches.
Census 2001 revealed that there were 3,627,774 Christians in Yorkshire and the Humber, though it is known that only about 15% of them are active. There are some 4,000 Christian places of worship, most of which hold Sunday services (though there are others which are Sabbatarian - their holy day is Saturday – such as Seventh Day Adventists). Worship generally includes reading from the Bible, preaching, prayer, the singing of hymns and choruses, and Holy Communion (though for some churches, not always every week). In some cases it may include healing, witnessing, prophesying, speaking in tongues, silent worship, the lighting of candles, processions, choral music, children’s services and the participation of uniformed organisations such as Scouts and Brownies. Christians may also meet during the week for bible study or discussion, for Christian education, to run community work or to share in social gatherings. Festivals are organised around the Christian year, beginning with Advent, which commemorates the coming of Jesus, followed by Christmas. Easter and Holy Week are the most important events, commemorating his death and resurrection.
More information on Christianity from the BBC website