How does this religious-political history relate to the region of the world where you live? Can it help you explain the kinds of Christianity you find around you?

[Austin]

The history of the Protestant Reformation has a big impact on the types of Christianity we see today. In places with strong Protestant roots, like Northern Europe and North America, there are many different denominations, each with its own beliefs. This diversity comes from discussions about faith and the role of the Bible.

On the other hand, areas that stayed mostly Roman Catholic usually have a more uniform way of worship and beliefs, focusing on tradition and sacraments. Understanding this history helps explain why different Christian communities exist in your area and how local factors have shaped their beliefs and practices.

[Austin]

I find many different churches in my area. I have a better understanding of the Roman Catholic Church now.

[Austin]

There are many kinds of Protestant types of churches in my area. I agree that our salvation is a gift from God and not anything that I can earn. But I do show my faith by my works now that I have Jesus as my Savior. We do have a Catholic church in our area, but mostly other denominations who believe in a gospel of faith that is freely given when you trust in Christ.

[Austin]

There are many Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Latter day Saints including Jehovah’s witnesses who still worship by the human traditions and laws that govern their beliefs in Ohio. Yes. There are many Church organizations which make claims about following Jesus but continue to hold onto these traditions in stead of Biblical principles in the Bible. It seems there are many political communities which demand to control the religious organizations in their areas. In Ohio, many churches exist that claim to follow Jesus and have a Bible-based foundation of how to worship God, but they do not.

[Austin]

I currently live in Thailand, where Christianity is quite uncommon. I can see how early efforts to bring Christianity to the region might have been affected by those with ideals similar to Alopen in that they did not “conquer” the land for Christ, but rather sought to have a more subtle influence. However, Buddhism readily incorporates positive aspects of a religion while maintaining a Buddhist identity, so Christianity did not take hold. While much of the neighboring countries have a higher percentage of protestant and Catholic population, Thailand, having resisted colonialism, also resisted these Christian influences during the colonial period.

Previously I lived in Michigan, Germany, and Georgia (US), and the religious-political history very much reflects the kinds of Christianity found there today. Michigan was settled by the French, who brought Catholicism, and maintained a relatively large percentage of Christianity in the time and place where I lived. I lived in the northern part of what had been West Germany, where Protestantism was very common after the Reformation. In Georgia, Protestantism predominates due to the original Georgia Charter that denied Catholics the right to worship in the colony. In each of these places, a Western Christendom mindset has affected the way Christianity is practiced as well as societal norms.