Origins / Beliefs

Christianity is a monotheistic religion, believing in one God who is divine creator, sustainer and redeemer, yet manifest in three ways, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It emerged from Judaism in the first century following the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

Like Islam and Judaism, Christianity sees the Old Testament as a mix of history, instruction, poetry, and myth, with a recurring theme of a covenant, or relationship, between God and mankind, which mankind continually breaks, and which God attempts to restore.

The people of Israel were subject to attack and even conquest by larger nations, most notably being the period of exile in Babylon in the 6th Century BC. Over the following years, there gradually emerged the idea of a ‘Messiah’ or one anointed by God, who would restore the Jewish people. Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled this expectation; however, instead of a warrior king defeating the occupying Romans, Jesus took on the role of one who serves. He preached a message of radical personal and social transformation, challenging the people and the Jewish leaders. He also gave strong hints of a divine status, and for this, he was finally tried, found guilty of blasphemy and sedition against Rome, and was crucified.

Christians believe that he was then resurrected from the dead. This was not a mere resuscitation, but a transformation to a different form of being. In this new form, Christians believe that he continues to empower human lives, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

People are called to repent (turn around) of the way their lives run counter to God’s wish of love for your neighbour. God forgives those who truly repent, and they can experience a new, transformed life.

Structures

The history of Christianity is volatile but dynamic. The early church emerged from within Judaism, and became officially recognised by the Emperor Constantine in 324.

In the middle ages, various individuals such as Martin Luther challenged the orthodoxy of the Roman Catholic church. This led to the reformation and the establishment of the protestant tradition, with more emphasis on the bible and less on the authority of ‘the established church’.

Christianity has continued to evolve, giving rise to numerous different denominations: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Congregationalist, Salvation Army, Evangelical, Brethren, Quaker, and Pentecostal to name a few. These all have different structures; the Anglican and Catholic church have a system of priests or vicars, then Bishops, then an overall Archbishop. Other churches have their own arrangements, though always with a local Minister or Pastor.

Practice

The church ‘calendar’ is used by Catholic and Anglican traditions. Lent (March / April) is 40 days leading up to Easter weekend, when Easter Sunday marks the resurrection of Jesus. Seven weeks later is the feast of Pentecost, which marks the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The season of advent (December) ends with Christmas day, a celebration marking the birth of Jesus.

Sunday is the usual day for Christian worship, with church services varying widely between denominations, using different forms of prayer, singing, and bible readings.

History of Christianity in Preston

Christian worship in the area has been traced back to the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. In the 7th century the Anglo-Saxons established their own churches and parishes. One such was at Preston, meaning ‘priest’s town’, where the parish church was later dedicated to St Wilfrid. Then in the 1530’s the Reformation led to the emergence of Protestantism, and the Church of England became the sole religion, although in Preston many Catholics resisted this. At the beginning of the 18th century the Protestant non-conformists began to increase in numbers, and to open chapels. When Catholicism was reluctantly tolerated by the authorities, the first Catholic chapel, St Mary’s in Friargate, was opened in the town. By 1800, Preston’s religious make-up was more balanced than in almost any other English town.

From the 1930’s onwards, the movement of people out of the inner city led to the closure of churches and chapels, something we are still witnessing today. However, despite a general decline in churchgoing, today we see new forms of worship appearing; evangelical congregations seek different venues instead of old-style churches whilst the influx of Polish migrants has brought a new dimension to the Catholic church.

Christianity in Preston has a long and exceptionally interesting history, and today, almost five centuries after the reformation, there is a renewed hope of ecumenism and shared purpose.