Define "Christian"

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Mystophilus

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Reading another thread, and thinking about the idea of schisms in Christianity and in other faiths, I was struck by the fact that some variances are regarded as much greater than others, and that different people see those variances in thoroughly different ways.

Often, those who are wholly outside of the situation lump groups together, without a second thought, while those who have something against a particular group are eager to point out any divisions which they perceive within it. Often, different branches of one original group will vehemently denounce each other as traitors to the True Heritage. I have seen Catholics assert that Protestants are not Christians, and Protestants assert that Catholics are not Christians (and, in what I consider to be a great honour, I have been called non-Christian by both sides). I have seen Sunnis assert that Shiites are not Muslims, and devotees of Hinayana say that devotees of Mahayana are not Buddhists.

So, here is my challenge to you:

define, to the most minimal, essentialist degree, what is required for any given individual to be a Christian.
 
No, we have to make one important distinction:

One who follows or tries to follow the teachings of Christ whom one believes to be a Person of the Triune God.

I think that just about covers it.

In fact, there is an answer which has been given very commonly throughout history that involves 4 things if I’m not mistaken… the person must believe in the Trinity and three other things I forget right now, or something along those lines.
 
The must be Baptized with water in the Name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

Anyone who is Baptized is a Christian.
 
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Lazerlike42:
In fact, there is an answer which has been given very commonly throughout history that involves 4 things if I’m not mistaken… the person must believe in the Trinity and three other things I forget right now, or something along those lines.
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Do you mean this?

“Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation (asunchutos, atreptos, adiairetos, achoristos); the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.” (Chalcedonian Creed: Council of Chalcedon AD 451)
 
Only God can define a Christian since He is our ultimate Judge.
 
Okay, I’ll try to explain my definition of “christian”. 🙂

Believe that Christ is the only son of God. Believe that God the Father sent his only Son to save us all. By believing one must be baptised to purify us of our sins. Follow Christ through his word which is in the 4 gospels and the teachings in the OT and NT. Love one another as Jesus has loved us and to love ourselves.

This is a very simplistic answer for such a LARGE question, but for me it was the start of a beautiful journey in faith and brought me into the Catholic Church. :gopray:

Jesus I Trust In You,
suzieq :angel1:
 
I purposely worded my definition so as to include JW’s and Arians (should I have just said, “Arians, including JW’s”? In other words, are JW’s, Arians?), as I didn’t want to exclude them; even though I think it is a grey area.

At answers.com, they have this entry:
A follower or disciple of Jesus; someone who believes Jesus is the Christ or Messiah. The New Testament mentions that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians within a few years after his death.
which I like.
 
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Atreyu:
I purposely worded my definition so as to include JW’s and Arians (should I have just said, “Arians, including JW’s”? In other words, are JW’s, Arians?), as I didn’t want to exclude them; even though I think it is a grey area.

At answers.com, they have this entry:
A follower or disciple of Jesus; someone who believes Jesus is the Christ or Messiah. The New Testament mentions that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians within a few years after his death.
which I like.
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I purposefully worded my answer so as to exlude them. I think that if you’re not viewing Jesus as God, you’re not Christian. If you’re not viewing Jesus as God but you are viewing Him as a prophet or as some sort of teacher, then you are taking the same view of Christ as a Muslim or as a Jew or even an atheist. So how then can you be a Christian?
 
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Atreyu:
I purposely worded my definition so as to include JW’s and Arians (should I have just said, “Arians, including JW’s”? In other words, are JW’s, Arians?), as I didn’t want to exclude them; even though I think it is a grey area.

At answers.com, they have this entry:A follower or disciple of Jesus; someone who believes Jesus is the Christ or Messiah…which I like.
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Demons believe as well…just something to think about. 😉
 
E.E.N.S.:
Demons believe as well…just something to think about. 😉
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However, would you describe them as ‘followers’ or ‘disciples’ of Jesus?
 
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Atreyu:
In other words, are JW’s, Arians?
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Their beliefs coincide regarding the denial of the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father, but diverge otherwise. I doubt that JWs would consider themselves Arians; perhaps ‘Russellians’ (after founder Charles Taze Russell) would be more acceptable to them.

“the modern Jehovah’s Witnesses have some similar beliefs. However, Arius viewed the Holy Spirit as a person, whereas Jehovah’s Witnesses do not attribute personality to the spirit. Jehovah’s Witnesses also, unlike Arians, deny belief in a disembodied soul after death, eternal punishment of the unrepentantly wicked, and episcopacy: doctrines to which the Arians did not obviously object. In some respects, there is a closer analogy to Socinianism, than to Arianism, in Jehovah’s Witness theology (Socinians similarly were called “Arians” by their detractors; see also Unitarianism). Jehovah’s Witnesses, unlike Arians, do not direct prayers to Jesus.” Answers.com/Wikipedia

“Socinianism represented an extreme attempt to reconcile Christianity with humanism. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity was rejected, the Scriptures were considered authoritative but were interpreted in the light of the new rationalism, and the sacraments were viewed as spiritual symbols. The Nicene and Athanasian creeds were rejected and Jesus was held to be only the human instrument of divine mercy and the Holy Spirit merely the activity of God.” Answers.com
 
A Christian is a knower/lover/doer-imitator of the teachings and person of Yeshua of Nazareth.
 
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