by Greg Spinks

Created on: September 30, 2011

Throughout the centuries, Christianity has been eyeball to eyeball with some major issues. There were the early persecutions and the lions, the Crusades and the Inquisition, the Reformation, and any number of heretical teachings, just to mention a few. Some of those same issues still exist today in some regions, minus perhaps, the lions.

In one sense, Christianity is hard to define in a nutshell. There are numerous expressions and traditions in the Christian faith today. Some traditions value a literal interpretation of the scriptures, others ritual worship, some value the pentecostal spirituality, some value a social activism, while some value a more monastic spirituality. But, the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father, is one common prayer said by all.

In another sense, most Christian denominations are more united. Christians basically believe in Jesus, as the Son of God, who rose from the dead after being crucified to save mankind, and whose teachings have been recorded in the books of the New Testament.

It is the recorded teachings in the Gospels which are perhaps the most serious issue facing Christians in today's world. While most major Christian beliefs hold that the Gospel is the Word of God, the fulfillment of the Old Testament, there is a seemingly selective reading and teaching of those scriptures, which far too often overlooks the simple basic commandment, “Love one another, as I have loved you.”

Christianity today faces a multitude of denominations and mixed messages, some congregations emphasize heterosexual unions and disregard the rest of humanity; there are denominations which protest at military funerals in the U.S., denominations which advocate violence, including murder, against opposing views (think abortion), denominations which shun helping the poor, the sick, the hungry (think the Beatitudes), denominations which emphasize a zero tolerance for non-Christian religious beliefs, denominations where prayer is the stuff of television shows. Some like the Pope, others the Archbishop, some claim the End is Near, other prefer the small independent churches and traveling preachers.

Certainly, in the media markets, particular denominations and their message usually attract the most publicity and the perception becomes the unfortunate reality. For example, some will damn Halloween celebrations as a pagan ritual despite the fact the celebration was Christianized centuries ago; All Saints Day, All Souls Day; and yes, there is a Resurrection,

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