East Meets West

[SoulGrind]

Out of pure curiosity (and the fact that I haven't finished my first cup of morning coffee), why do "people" (aka "them" or "they") refer to Christianity as a "Western" religion?

Let's take pause and consider this but for a moment.

Q.> Where did Christianity originate?

A.> Christianity originated in the city of Jerusalem in present-day Israel. The founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, was born in the small town of Bethlehem, just a few miles southwest of Jerusalem.

Based on this information, can we not conclude that the birth-place of Christianity, which began with Jesus Christ, had its humble beginnings in the Middle East?

Did the Islamic (Muslim) faith not start in the Middle East as well? And yet, we consider the Nation of Islam / Muslim faith to be an Eastern religion.

I can understand that when we enter Asia and Asia minor that this is definitely as far East as we can get, but why the distinction between Christianity whose roots share the same soil as those of other Middle Eastern religions (Islam, Hindu, etc.)

Is it because some feel that Christianity broke off ties with the East when it made its way into Rome and then into Europe giving birth and rise to "Christendom" where men with their own personal agendas "came in the name of God?"

Do we consider the Jewish faith (that makes up a good percentage of the Christian faith as well) to be an Eastern religion or a Western religion?

Please note that the Nation of Israel (Jews) still have land-ties to Jerusalem -- a place in the Middle East.

If someone can shed some light on this, that would make my day.

Thanks for taking a trip into the curiosity corridors of my mind.

[ColleenLovesMischief]

Wow....you sound like me before the morning coffee. Very very good point too.

[Hunterpoet]

The middle east is west of China

[Blien]

Actually, I just heard a sermon about this early this morning. It was a secondary topic but here is the verse they referenced..

Genesis 16:12

"He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers."

Who were the descendants of the Ishmael? Were they not the enemies of God chosen people, Ishmaelites, Amalekites, etc.? If you would like to hear the sermon it's here... http://www.calvaryphx.com/podcasts/podcast...wd052009mp3.mp3

Enjoy!

[georgedrw81]

The worl is round so you can be living in the west and east at the same time

Blessings

[Guest]

The Plan Of Redemption And Adoption Started Way Before There Was An East Or A West

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

1 Peter 1:18-20

And Will Be Here Long After This Universe Flees Away

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Revelation 21:1-7

I Can Hardly Wait!

[Fraught]

my understanding was that countries in the western hemisphere have been typically christian. i.e. beginning with the roman church in europe, then protestantism and then spreading to new lands west of there.

the eastern hemisphere being primarily know for hinduism, islam, various pantheistic religions, etc.

[nebula]

Out of pure curiosity (and the fact that I haven't finished my first cup of morning coffee), why do "people" (aka "them" or "they") refer to Christianity as a "Western" religion?

Let's take pause and consider this but for a moment.

Q.> Where did Christianity originate?

A.> Christianity originated in the city of Jerusalem in present-day Israel. The founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, was born in the small town of Bethlehem, just a few miles southwest of Jerusalem.

Based on this information, can we not conclude that the birth-place of Christianity, which began with Jesus Christ, had its humble beginnings in the Middle East?

You have a good point.

What happened, though, was that Christianity became "Westernized" around the third century. The Christianity we see through the Midieval period and beyond is nothing like the 1st Century Christianity.

[mizzdy]

Even in the first century there were those that were already creeping into the congregations with their greek type thinking. That greek or western thinking is prevalent in many churches even today.

[Hunterpoet]

Even in the first century there were those that were already creeping into the congregations with their greek type thinking. That greek or western thinking is prevalent in many churches even today.

I'm genuinely curious. What things in the church would represent Greek type thinking?