Since then, Christianity has gone on being invented ever since with hundreds of cults, sects and churches all claiming to have found the ‘Truth’.

The general drift of this ‘truth’ may be found in the BBC’s list of Christian beliefs.

What interests me, however, as a student of management, is what the churches are trying to ‘sell’ to the public. From a lifetime of listening to sermons and reading theology, this is what I take it to be on offer nowadays from:

Christianity, the brand

 

• God made the universe and everything in it, and humans ‘in his own image’. He became very angry when they did their own thing instead of what he wanted.

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• God then chose to reveal himself to the Jews through the law and the prophets, but his overtures were generally ignored and the chosen people continued on their wicked way to damnation here and hereafter.

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• God then contrived to have his son, Jesus born into the Jewish nation to teach them what he wanted, but they rejected Jesus and had him crucified.

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• This, however, was part of God’s plan too, for Jesus became the sacrifice that turned away God’s wrath. Although he had no sins of his own he suffered for their sins. And not only for their sins but for all the world’s sin.

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• This means that individuals, because their debt is paid, may be reconciled to God – if they have faith - that is, (and here its gets a bit hazy) if they believe and say they believe that Jesus is the Son of God and did what we have just said he did.

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• If anyone believes in Jesus in this way they will have the assistance of the Holy Spirit to live a good life, in love of neighbours and a sense of peace and confidence.

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• That confidence is partly based on the assurance that when they die they will go to be with Jesus for ever and be re-united to ‘those who have gone before.’

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• What happens to people who don’t believe has become a soggy area. It used to be taught that they go to hell, but that isn’t mentioned much nowadays.

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• There is also the promise that Jesus will return in power and rid the world of injustice, unrighteousness, suffering and death.

 

Let me add this. I know many ‘Christian’ people who would say they accept these tenets.

 

But, to my mind, it is not their beliefs that makes them Christians; it is who they are and what they do.