The Church was called “the body of Christ” and believed to be integral and indivisible. Nonetheless, the Christian community has suffered numerous schisms. The Egyptian (Coptic) Church broke off in the 3rd century (see below). In 1054, the Great Schism split Christendom into the western Roman Catholic Church and the eastern Greek Orthodox Church. In 1512, Martin Luther started the Reformation, which began Protestantism. Protestantism is itself composed of many sects, which generally believe in salvation through faith rather than actions. Only in the 20th century has the ecumenical movement put these diverse churches on speaking terms.

Most Christians adhere to a common set of beliefs that revolve around Jesus Christ as the savior of humanity. According to this belief, individuals are fatally flawed because they are descendants of Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God. Jesus’s death and the rite of Baptism, however, absolve humankind of this “original sin.” Christianity places high value on a morally disciplined life that avoids sins such as promiscuity, adultery, and greed.