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What is a Christian? Definition.

teacher

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teacher
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Given the universal-ness of the term 'Christian', the supposed two billion or so of them in their various guises/denominations, I was wondering if the term 'Christian' could be defined. I don't mean a Greek to English transliteration of the word, I want to know what you think a Christian is (and if need be, is not). Can one be born one, baptised one, just converted; is it a specific belief or set of beliefs or customs or acceptance of something or obedience to certain rules?

What is a Christian?
 
I don't know, what is a True Scottsman? Does such a thing even exist? ... Sorry, just being facetious. :D
 
Iacchus said:
I don't know, what is a True Scottsman? Does such a thing even exist? ... Sorry, just being facetious. :D
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What's a true Scottsman? Someone who truly believes in paper towels?


Oh you mean True Scotsman. I see.
 
Probably anyone who is not an atheist and doesn't believe in any of the zillion and one other superstitions out there.
 
I beleive that a Christian is someone who has a relationship with Jesus, and that they beleive that Jesus died on the cross as payment for sins and rose again on the third day to obtain victory over death and gives eternal life to all who believe in Him.
 
teacher said:
Given the universal-ness of the term 'Christian', the supposed two billion or so of them in their various guises/denominations, I was wondering if the term 'Christian' could be defined. I don't mean a Greek to English transliteration of the word, I want to know what you think a Christian is (and if need be, is not). Can one be born one, baptised one, just converted; is it a specific belief or set of beliefs or customs or acceptance of something or obedience to certain rules?

What is a Christian?
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A Christian is someone who believes in the existance and divinity of Christ. Other than that, there are no rules.

In general, if someone tells me they are a Christian, I believe them. I don't try to grill them. One of my favorite sayings is:

"There are two kinds of people: The righteous and the non-righteous... and the righteous do the dividing."
 
Tricky said:
A Christian is someone who believes in the existance and divinity of Christ. Other than that, there are no rules.
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But this does not cover the people who are "culturally Christian"; raised with the label "Christian", celebrating christmas and easter perhaps, but not really thinking a bit about the existence nor divinity of Christ. (Similarly, Freud was both a Jew and an Atheist, both self-described.)

Also, there are self-labeled Christians who do not believe Christ was divine. To them, he was an important leader and began a movement with a philosophy by which to live, and that is enough.

I would suppose that there are Christians who even doubt the actual existence of Christ, or at least "the historical Christ". To them, it does not matter whether he existed or not; his life and works are true at a different level, and attempts to prove or disprove an Historical Christ are irrelevant.
 
Tricky said:
A Christian is someone who believes in the existance and divinity of Christ. Other than that, there are no rules.
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Not all who call themselves Christian believe in Christ's divinity. The Gnostics (I think it was them) are one example.

The rule that I was introduced to when I started posting to discussion forums regularly was "A Christian is anyone who calls him/herself a Christian."


Marc
 
Darat said:
I think Tricky sums it up very concisely. (Albeit it doesn't cover some CofE Bishops.... ;) )
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Ah, the Church if England, or to give it is full name the "dunno, C Of E I supose". ;)mnid you, I thought that it was the exsistance of God which was questioned, rather than the exsistance of Christ.
 
ned flandas said:
So if I call myself a unicorn I am a unicorn?
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That's the nice thing about having an objective definition. Unicorns have a much narrower range of uncertainty, and at least one prominent characteristic. "Calling yourself a unicorn" is not it. But, perhaps, "Calling yourself a christian" is the christian's single horn.

(BTW, I saw a unicorn at the Circus once--Barnum & Bailey's, I believe it was--and it did indeed have a single horn. It was, however, a modified goat rather than a modified horse, so the kids near me were a bit dissappointed. But it did have a single horn, and so perhaps it was of a different denomination of unicorn--Unitarian Unicorn rather than Orthodox.)
 
ned flandas said:
So if I call myself a unicorn I am a unicorn?
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If "unicorn" is a kind of religion and you claim to be one, then I will accept that. I have no experience with any groups that call themselves "unicorns", though my father was an elk.

As for Christians believing in the divinity of Christ, well, I could be wrong about that. Certainly Merc is right that by some designations, such a label is a cultural rather than religious thing, especially as regards Judaism. However if someone asks, "are you a Christian", you are probably going to answer based on your beliefs rather than your culture.
Marc L said:
Not all who call themselves Christian believe in Christ's divinity. The Gnostics (I think it was them) are one example.
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The gnostics didn't believe in Jesus' divinity? I've never heard that before, but I agree that it is possible to accept the philosophy of Christianity without the mythology, so perhaps I suppose I could modify my definition somewhat. Still, you might accept the philosophy of Christianity and yet be a different religion, so I think I should keep the "divinity" part in there. To me, it seems that respecting Christ (or his mythological symbolism) is not the same as worshipping him.
 
ned flandas said:
I beleive that a Christian is someone who has a relationship with Jesus, and that they believe that Jesus died on the cross as payment for sins and rose again on the third day to obtain victory over death and gives eternal life to all who believe in Him.
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Well I am a professing Christian...and to me it means I met Jesus. I see Him hanging there on that cross for me. My sins put him there and I am very sorry about that! I have asked him to forgive me, and that has changed me. I have repented of all those things that I now see as sins in my life. I couldn't see it before I met and believed in Jesus. Now I not only believe in his teachings, but I apply them to my life. So it's not only believing but following Christ. Now I am not only learning about forgiveness,but how to live a life that is holy and set apart from this pagan world!
A true Christian wants to follow Jesus...not just believe he died for us. It's the surrendering our will to his will that's important. Giving up our own sinful ways and nature to follow a straight and narrow path!! Only by God's grace and power working in my life can I do this. Jesus Saves!
 
kurious_kathy said:
Well I am a professing Christian...and to me it means I met Jesus. I see Him hanging there on that cross for me. My sins put him there and I am very sorry about that! I have asked him to forgive me, and that has changed me. I have repented of all those things that I now see as sins in my life. I couldn't see it before I met and believed in Jesus. Now I not only believe in his teachings, but I apply them to my life. So it's not only believing but following Christ. Now I am not only learning about forgiveness,but how to live a life that is holy and set apart from this pagan world!
A true Christian wants to follow Jesus...not just believe he died for us. It's the surrendering our will to his will that's important. Giving up our own sinful ways and nature to follow a straight and narrow path!! Only by God's grace and power working in my life can I do this. Jesus Saves!
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Kathy's back. Whee.

Kathy, I believe you had some avoided questions in the thread entitled "The Gospel" from a few months ago. Would you care to answer them, or are you just going to preach at us again?

Ps. If you have Jesus hanging on your wall, for Christ's sake let him down.

Pps. I would love to know how YOUR sins caused Christ's suffering 2000 years ago. Did you find a way to time travel?


ETA:

Starting here you can respond to any of those questions posited. Or you can ignore them and blindly preach again like you did last time. Your choice.
 
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I read somewhere once that, "A Christian is one who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin."
 
The Oxford English Dictionary offers at least a couple of common definitions for Christian: "One who believes or professes the religion of Christ; an adherent of Christianity" and "One who exhibits the spirit, and follows the precepts and example, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by genuine piety."

As a general matter, scholars of religious studies often lump together under the rubric Christian all individuals who can truthfully profess the Apostles' Creed (often called an ecumenical creed for this reason):

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic [N.B. small "C"] church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
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Few, I think, would formally define a Christian as simply a person who self-identifies as one. The fact that this is frequently resorted to in practice - particularly for statistical purposes - is merely an accommodation of the fact that there is generally no more practical and reliable evidence than self-identification to determine whether a given individual is a Christian, given that more meaningful definitions of Christianity relate to the believer's state of mind, independent confirmation or denial of which is obviously problematic.

With respect to the allusion to a "true Scotsman", I have offered a view of the relationship of that term and the eponymous fallacy to the notion of a "true Christian" here, among other places.
 
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