5 interesting facts on Christianity  

• Universities would not exist without Christianity  

• Christianity first started in 30 AD 

• Jesus Christ stayed on earth for 40 days (about 1 and a half months) after his resurrection  

• Jesus Christ’s actual name is Yeshua/Yehoshua meaning salvation which translates to Joshua in English 

• The first-time icons (religious imagery) were used in Christianity was 150-200 AD 

     Christian theology, or the study of God and religion, is something that some people think about, but I doubt most people my age aspire to learn more about. The form of theology I will be talking about would be of the Christain faith, which is followed by 2.4 billion people worldwide and has a powerful influence on the world today. 

My introduction to Theology  

   My introduction to Christianity was at an early age as I was always in church with my parents, and three days before I was born two pastors prayed for my arrival. Although I never went to any private Christain school, I was always taught about the scriptures from people like my father and pastors. I still go to the same church my parents took me to as a kid.  

   When I was 9-11 years old, I viewed it more of an obligation than anything else, but when I turned 12, I grew to like learning about it. However, it wasn’t up until a year later when I went out of my way to learn more about it on my own, and I love it more than ever today. 

Christian Theology 

   Although theology has influenced history in an incredible way and still influences us today, most people do not think twice about theology. So, I have decided to ask some members of our school to see their perspective on this topic, like whether they believe in Christianity, and what they think of God and Christianity.  

    “I truly believe in Christ as the evidence and logic points to it in being the truth and how I believe that the beauty of this world cannot be created without a creator. The way life is made is too complicated for it to just be moving atoms and chemical reactions,”  says 9th grade student Yair Valladares which I really resonated with. 

    Then I asked a 9th grade student Gabriel Fuentes who said, “I believe in God as he’s done a lot for me in every way and everything points to him existing I know Jesus is our savior, our creator our everything.” 

   Next, I asked 9th grade student Leonardo Mendoza, who said, “I’ve believed in God since I was a kid because I was raised that way and still do.” 

    Afterwards 9th grade student Jose Blanco said, “Jesus is our lord and savior, and he paid for our sins when he died on the cross.” 

Why I like it 

     I have grown to like theology an immense amount as it is very fascinating, and the fact my dad has also studied it made me like it even more. The stories, philosophies and people have always appealed to me, such as the gospels of Jesus Christ, a profoundly good man who was crucified and never sinned. And not to mention the prophets Elijah and Abraham. 

    Going deeper, I enjoy learning Soteriology (the study of the salvation of Christ), Pneumatology (the study of the Holy Spirit) and its apologetics (the defense of its truthfulness).  

Misconceptions on Christian Theology 

     Misconceptions about Christian theology often stem from oversimplifications or misunderstandings of its intricate doctrines. One common misconception is the belief that Christian faith disregards intellectual study. However, within theological debate, faith is often understood as a strong interplay between reason, experience, and revelation.  

   Additionally, misconceptions may arise regarding the nature of God, with some perceiving God as distant. Yet, central to Christian theology is the concept of God’s immanence and love, which extends to all creation.  

   Furthermore, misinterpretations can occur when cultural practices or historical events are misapplied with theological truths, leading to inaccurate portrayals of Christian beliefs. Clarifying these misconceptions require a deeper exploration of Christian theology, its diverse interpretations, and ongoing dialogue within the tradition, that could include the differences between Protestantism, Catholicism and orthodoxy and traditions. 

My future with theology 

   I have shown my love for theology, and I would love to further learn and even study it to become a theologian in the future as my father is one as well and studied it just like I will. I plan to study it as a major. I would also like to see other people get into it because people who are into theology like me are rare.