Kurt Warner

What is Easter? Easter is the single most important holy day of the Christian Church. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central event in Christianity. To Christians, the resurrection backs up Jesus’ claim that he had the authority to die for the sins of the world and the power to come back to life again.

Within the midst of the Easter season, Maundy Thursday — the Thursday before Easter — is one Christian holy day that many Christians and even many churches often overlook, yet it symbolizes a critically important truth of the Christian faith: Jesus as a suffering servant and the call for his followers to do the same.

Good Friday — the Friday before Easter — marks the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross for the sins of the world. The term Good Friday might be a bit confusing if you associate good with happy. Good Friday isn’t a happy day, but its name is a reminder that humans can only be considered good because of what happened on that day.

Christians observe Palm Sunday on the Sunday before Easter, celebrating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The reason they call it Palm Sunday stems from the fact that when Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, a large crowd of people in the city spread out palm branches on the ground before him as a sign of his kingship.

On the Christian calendar, Lent is the 40-day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter. When it was first observed in the fourth century, its focus was on self-examination and self-denial in preparation for Easter, and Christians used fasting (abstaining from eating food) in the early years as a visible demonstration of this process.

Understanding Christianity starts with looking at the basics that connect Christians. Then you can compare the beliefs across the Christian church, the keys to worship, and read the Nicean creed, which is commonly used in Christian liturgy.A brief look at ChristianityChristianity encompasses a great number of beliefs about a great number of different subjects and the ideas that spring from those beliefs, resulting in endless specific convictions.

Pentecost is a Christian holy day that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit 50 days after Easter. Some Christian denominations consider it the birthday of the Christian church and celebrate it as such.Originally, Pentecost was a Jewish holiday held 50 days after Passover. One of three major feasts during the Jewish year, it celebrated thanksgiving for harvested crops.

Many in postmodern society downplay tradition. This change has rippled through some parts of the Church as well. However, tradition remains an important part of what the Christian faith is all about, because when the Church recognizes holy days, holidays, and seasons, it connects Christians of today with Christians throughout history.

Different Christian denominations are organized and worship in different ways. This handy list will help you keep track of and compare some differences in worship, rituals, and beliefs of the largest groups of the Christian Church. Anglican/ Episcopalian Means of salvation: God's grace by faith alone How they worship: Traditional style through liturgy; contemporary liturgy is possible Sacraments and ordinances observed: Baptism, Lord's Supper (Regard the other five that Catholics observe as "minor sacraments") Organization: Episcopal (Clergy in local churches presided over by bishop.