Conversion to Christianity is the
religious conversionReligious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the convert's previous beliefs. It involves a new religious identity, or a change from one religious identity to another. Conversion requires internalization of the new belief system...
of a previously non-Christian person to some form of
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
. It has been called the foundational experience of Christian life. Conversion to Christianity primarily involves
beliefBelief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.- Belief, knowledge and epistemology :The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
(
faithFaith is the confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. The word "faith" can refer to a religion itself or to religion in general....
) in God,
repentanceRepentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
of sin, and
confessionThe confession of one's sins is a religious practice important to many faiths, e.g., Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.- Christianity :...
of Jesus Christ as the
Son of God"Son of God" is a phrase found in the Hebrew Bible, various other Jewish texts and the Christian Bible. In the holy Hebrew scriptures, according to Jewish religious tradition, "Son of God" has many possible meanings, referring to angels, or humans or even all mankind...
. While conversion to Christianity may simply involve a personal choice to identify with Christianity rather than with another religion, many Christians understand it to mean that the individual attains eternal salvation by a genuine conversion experience or act—a "radical transformation of self."
Conversion has also been described as the point of transition from "natural life" to spiritual life. In this sense it is seen as both a "radical change of heart and life" and also a more gradual process in which the convert's spiritual nature develops through Christian culture and education.
According to theologian
Charles CurranThe Rev. Charles E. Curran is a moral theologian. He currently serves at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, as the Elizabeth Scurlock Professor of Human Values.-Biography:...
, conversion is the central moral message of Jesus. He describes it as an "awakening to a consciousness of the presence of divine reality" in one's life. The
Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
quotes Jesus as teaching, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
Social scientists have shown great interest in the Christian conversion as a religious experience that believers describe as strengthening their faith and changing their lives.
Not to be confused with Conversion to Christianity is
ChristianizationThe historical phenomenon of Christianization, the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once, also includes the practice of converting native pagan practices and culture, pagan religious imagery, pagan sites and the pagan calendar to Christian uses, due...
, defined as the "reformulation of social relations, cultural meanings, and personal experience in terms of (commonly accepted or supposed) Christian ideals." It typically has involved efforts to systematically convert an entire continent or culture from existing beliefs to Christianity.
Some New Testament examples
The conversion of the Apostle Peter, as recorded in the Bible, serves as a classic example of "a previously non-Christian person [entering] upon the Christian way of life":
An even more dramatic conversion to Christianity occurred in the life of the Apostle Paul whose pre-conversion name was Saul. He was a zealot for the cause of first century conservative
JudaismJudaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts...
who had been "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" (v. 1). While traveling to
DamascusDamascus is the capital and largest city of Syria. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and its current population is estimated at about 1,669,000...
to arrest Christians, he fell to the ground upon being surrounded by a bright light "from heaven." He heard a voice accusing him: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (v. 4). The experience rendered him temporarily blind. The voice directed him to go on to Damascus where he received his sight again, was described as being filled with the
Holy SpiritIn Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. In mainstream Christian beliefs he is the third person of the Trinity. As part of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and with God the Son....
, and began to passionately proclaim the Christian gospel (good news).
Hanigan perceives a common "death and rebirth" experience in these and other conversions which he describes as "encounters with the living God." His analysis is that these individuals responded not so much out of a sense of guilt, but from their awe, reverence, and holy fear of God's presence. The pattern, he writes, begins with God taking initiative in the individual's life. Then, the person responds by acknowledging and confessing personal lostness and sinfulness, and then accepting a call to holiness.
Methods and procedures vary
The exact understanding of what it means to attain salvation varies somewhat among
denominationsA Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity.Worldwide, Christians are divided, often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and another are...
. The procedure for conversion itself depends on the sponsoring denomination and hinges on meeting the ritual and substantive requirements for such conversion. A person converting to Christianity often chooses to experience
baptismIn Christianity, baptism is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which one is admitted to membership of the Christian Church and, in the view of some, as a member of the particular Church in which the baptism is administered.The usual form of baptism among the earliest Christians was for the...
as a sign of their conversion. It is required by some Churches and denominations as a prerequisite to membership.
Some Churches and denominations believe that baptism is essential for salvation, though most do not. Conversion is generally understood to be undertaken by a person who explicitly chooses to convert. In some denominations, this may include any person above the age of reason (typically between seven and 14 years of age, according to denomination). The official reception is usually preceded by a period of instruction in the faith.
Conversion through salvation
Conversion through
salvationIn religion, salvation is the concept that God or other Higher Power, as part of Divine Providence, "saves" humanity from spiritual death or eternal damnation by providing for them an eternal life...
is predominantly a Protestant Christian position. It is variously called being "saved," "born again," and "converted." It holds that conversion to Christianity begins with salvation. A major tenet of the Protestant Reformation was that "Justification," i.e., salvation," is attained by faith alone (
Sola FideSola fide , also historically known as the doctrine of justification by faith, is a controversial doctrine that distinguishes most Protestant denominations from Catholicism, Eastern Christianity, and most Restorationists in Christianity.The doctrine of sola fide or "by faith alone" asserts God's...
). The exact understanding of what it means to attain salvation varies somewhat among
denominationsA Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity.Worldwide, Christians are divided, often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and another are...
. It primarily involves
beliefBelief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.- Belief, knowledge and epistemology :The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
(
faithFaith is the confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. The word "faith" can refer to a religion itself or to religion in general....
) in God,
repentanceRepentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
of sin, and
confessionThe confession of one's sins is a religious practice important to many faiths, e.g., Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.- Christianity :...
of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. In some denominations, these are all accomplished through the
sinner's prayerA Sinner's Prayer is a Christian term referring to any prayer of repentance, spoken or read by individuals who feel convicted of the presence of sin in their life and desire to form or strengthen of sin their life, a deterrent to a personal relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ...
.
The Protestant position further asserts that (1) all things necessary for salvation and concerning faith and life are taught in the Bible clearly enough for the ordinary believer to find it there and understand; and (2) Scripture alone (
Sola ScripturaSola scriptura is the doctrine that the Bible is the only infallible or inerrant authority for Christian faith, and that it contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. Consequently, Sola Scriptura demands that no doctrine is to be admitted or confessed that is not found directly...
) is their authority.
Protestants typically view profession of faith in Christ as savior (
salvationIn religion, salvation is the concept that God or other Higher Power, as part of Divine Providence, "saves" humanity from spiritual death or eternal damnation by providing for them an eternal life...
) as the only step of conversion to Christianity. To them,
baptismIn Christianity, baptism is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which one is admitted to membership of the Christian Church and, in the view of some, as a member of the particular Church in which the baptism is administered.The usual form of baptism among the earliest Christians was for the...
has more to do with public confession of faith in Christ than with salvation. They consider being baptized as identifying the individual with Christ through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and being obedient to Christ's command, but as having nothing to do with one's eternal salvation. Proponents find biblical support for this understanding the account of the "penitent" thief also hanging on another cross asking Jesus to "…remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" Jesus' straightforward reply was "Today, you will be with me in paradise." They point out that Jesus offered him unconditional salvation, apparently without necessity for baptism or any other prerequisite, based solely on the man's belief and confession. Further evidence is taken from the biblical implication that Jesus never personally baptized anyone: "In fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples." That interpretation, taken together with the New Testament's consistent representation of Jesus as "
saviorSavior or Saviour refers to a person who helps people achieve Salvation, or saves them from something:- Film :* Savior , 1998 film starring Dennis Quaid, Stellan Skarsgård and Nastassja Kinski- Television :...
," leads them to their conclusion that baptism is not necessary for salvation.
Evangelical, Fundamentalist, and Pentecostal Christians emphasize the need for a conversion experience that involves a personal, and sometimes intense, encounter of the individual with the power of God. Generally, these denominations teach that those without such a conversion
experience are not "saved" and therefore are not true Christians. These groups frequently refer to personal salvation as being "born again." This term comes from Jesus' conversation with a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. Jesus told him, "no one can see the kingdom of God without being
born again."
Most other Protestant denominations place less emphasis on a conversion
experience and rely mostly on the individual's personal statement of belief in and commitment to Jesus Christ as "Lord" and "Savior." They would expect the "convert" to receive
believer's baptismBeliever’s baptism is the Christian practice of baptism as this is understood by many Protestant churches, especially those that descend from the Anabaptist tradition. A person is baptized on the basis of his or her profession of faith in Jesus Christ and as admission into a local community of faith...
to join the church.
Conversions/transfers to another Christian denomination
In groups and denominations that practice
believer's baptismBeliever’s baptism is the Christian practice of baptism as this is understood by many Protestant churches, especially those that descend from the Anabaptist tradition. A person is baptized on the basis of his or her profession of faith in Jesus Christ and as admission into a local community of faith...
, all people who declare themselves "being born again" and who have not previously been baptized as a believer are (re-)baptized, as baptism is not seen as a sacrament, but as a ritual expression of an interior conversion.
Some denominations accept one's baptism performed by another denomination. Nearly always, the baptism must have been with water and performed in the name of the
TrinityThe Christian doctrine of the Trinity teaches the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The doctrine states that God is the Triune God, existing as three persons, or in the Greek hypostases, but one being. Each of the persons is understood as having the one...
. Such converts are usually received by a formal rite which normally also includes taking
CommunionThe Eucharist, also called Holy Communion, Sacrament of the Table, the Blessed Sacrament, or The Lord's Supper and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance, generally considered to be a commemoration of the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his...
in the denomination.
Converts to
ProtestantismProtestantism is a branch within Christianity, containing many denominations with some differing practices and doctrines, that principally originated in the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. It is considered to be one of the major divisions within Christianity, together with the Roman...
or transfers to another Protestant denomination are considered to have received a valid baptism if they have been baptized with water and in the name of the
TrinityThe Christian doctrine of the Trinity teaches the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The doctrine states that God is the Triune God, existing as three persons, or in the Greek hypostases, but one being. Each of the persons is understood as having the one...
.
In the Catholic, Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, converts also receive the sacrament of Confirmation/
ChrismationChrismation is the name given in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches, as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East, Anglican, and in Lutheran initiation rites, to the Sacrament or Sacred Mystery more commonly known in the West as confirmation, although Italian...
at reception into the Church, except when they come from a Church about which it is accepted that the sacrament has been administered validly (as in the case of an Eastern Orthodox person converting to Catholicism).
In the Latin Church (the largest branch of the Roman Catholic Church), children who convert after having attained the age of reason, but before confirmation age, are generally not confirmed until they have attained that age. In the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, where infants are chrismated and receive
First CommunionThe First Communion is a Roman Catholic ceremony. It is the colloquial name for a person's first reception of the sacrament of the Eucharist. Roman Catholics believe this event to be very important, as the Eucharist is one of the central focuses of the Roman Catholic Church...
at baptism, there is no such limitation.
Post-Reformation
(See Baptism comparative summary).
The majority of Protestant churches practice infant baptism. However, most do not deem baptism as absolutely essential for salvation. They view it to be a
sacramentA sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is what Roman Catholics believe to be "a rite in which God is uniquely active." Augustine of Hippo defined a Christian sacrament as "a visible sign of an invisible reality." The Anglican Book of Common Prayer speaks of them as "an...
or
ordinanceOrdinance is a Protestant Christian term for baptism, communion and other religious rituals. Some Protestants do not call them sacraments because they believe these rituals are outward expressions of faith, rather than impartations of God's grace....
that is an outward symbolic sign of one's identification with Christ and membership in the Christian community. Protestants that do not practice infant baptism include Apostolics, Baptists, Disciples of Christ,
ChristadelphiansChristadelphians are a Christian group that developed in the United Kingdom and North America in the 19th century. The name was coined by John Thomas, who was the group's founder...
, Churches of Christ,
PentecostalPentecostalism is a renewal movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit which is evidenced by speaking in tongues. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, a Greek term describing the Jewish Feast of...
s, and
Seventh-day AdventistsThe Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ. It is the eighth largest international body of...
.
See also
- List of converts to Christianity
- Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the convert's previous beliefs. It involves a new religious identity, or a change from one religious identity to another. Conversion requires internalization of the new belief system...
- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
- Credo
A credo is a statement of belief, commonly used for religious belief, such as the Apostles' Creed.The term especially refers to the use of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in the Mass, either as text, Gregorian chant, or other musical settings of the mass.-History:After the formulation of the...