What is a Christian

**Gawain of Orkeny** · 06-12-2007, 23:11

In fact, Muslims are are also, strictly speaking, Christians because they acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah.

They most certainly do not.

The label Christ does refer to Messiah as it is simply the anglicization of the Greek for Messiah. To affirm Jesus is the Christ is thereby to affirm his Messiahship. The meaning/content of Messiah could be disputed, but arguing something at ignored the larger Jewish backdrop from which the term derives would be problematic. In simplest terms the word refers to some salvatory role: either soteriological, political or both.

It does not follow that he has to be devine or god just anointed by him.

you could make an arugment that the Catholic church and its Protestant off-shoots are not Christians at all, where the so-called "gnostic" followers of Christ are the originals. Their form of Christianity was so different than what is accepted as orthodoxy today, and theirs was much older too.

I have to agree with Zak on that. Heck how many books were left out of the bible?

So all of you maintain that one who follows the philoshopy of Christ is not a Christian unless they believe he is god?

**Pindar** · 06-13-2007, 01:49

Originally Posted by me

The label Christ does refer to Messiah as it is simply the anglicization of the Greek for Messiah. To affirm Jesus is the Christ is thereby to affirm his Messiahship. The meaning/content of Messiah could be disputed, but arguing something that ignored the larger Jewish backdrop from which the term derives would be problematic. In simplest terms the word refers to some salvatory role: either soteriological, political or both.

Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

It does not follow that he has to be devine...

My statement makes no reference to divinity. In fact it explicitly points out Messiah could be understood politically. Understanding Jesus as Divine is an orthodox position within Christianity, but there are clear examples of Christian sects especially prior to the Fourth Century who did not hold that view.

So all of you maintain that one who follows the philoshopy of Christ is not a Christian unless they believe he is god?

I haven't argued that.

**Gawain of Orkeny** · 06-13-2007, 02:55

I haven't argued that.

Good because I hate to argue with you.

**Strike For The South** · 06-13-2007, 03:03

A chiristian is someone who belives in Jesus and somone who strives to spread good will and the giid book

**AntiochusIII** · 06-13-2007, 03:39

Originally Posted by Strike For The South

somone who strives to spread good will and the giid book

Pindar noted, and I agree, that conduct is separate of belief.

**Papewaio** · 06-13-2007, 03:47

Wouldn't an alignment of belief and actions be a mark of integrity and hence a good Christian?

**Incongruous** · 06-13-2007, 11:56

Originally Posted by AntiochusIII

Pindar noted, and I agree, that conduct is separate of belief.

How so?
You mean conduct in relation to Christ's teachings?
Belief in Christ and striving to live by his teachings are inseperable if one considers one Christian, without the attempt to condcut oneself as Christ taught, the belief is a lame duck. One is simply labeling, without commiting.
Though thats my 2 cents.

**Philippus Flavius Homovallumus** · 06-13-2007, 23:33

Except that you can follow his ethical teachings without believing the stories about him. So they can be seperated.

**Philippus Flavius Homovallumus** · 06-13-2007, 10:22

Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

They most certainly do not.

The call him Jusu The Christ, hense they believe he was the Messiah, but then so was David, and Cyrus the Great. The Latter was the Persian Great King.

So all of you maintain that one who follows the philoshopy of Christ is not a Christian unless they believe he is god?

I think I explicitly argued against that. Ever heard of Arianism?