Interesting Stuff You Didn't Know About Christianity

Very few Christians care to know about the history of their faith. Below are interesting facts about some biblical characters and some historical trivia. Interestingly, most of the facts presented below are embedded in the scriptures. Have a look:

The Apostle Peter had a wife and he evidently travelled with her (1Cor 9:5).

According to tradition, Peter was crucified upside down in Rome prior to Nero’s death in AD68

The Apostle Mark was in Rome during Peter’s imprisonment (Col 4:10)

 

The epistle of 1 Peter was probably written shortly before the outbreak of the persecution under Nero in AD64

Jude was a brother of Jesus and like his brother James (author of the Epistle James and a respected leader of the church in Jerusalem) did not believe Jesus until after the resurrection (John7:1-9; Acts 1:4)

Jude took his wife with him on missionary journeys (1Cor 9:5)

Christianity is the largest world religion. There are about 2.2 billion Christians in the world

 

The history of Christianity in Africa began with in the 1^st century when Mark the Apostle started the orthodox church of Alexandra (Egypt) in about 43AD

The Apostle Thomas is traditionally believed to have sailed to India in 52AD to spread the Christian faith among the Cochin Jews Diaspora, the Jewish Diaspora present in Kerela at the time. He is supposed to have landed at the ancient port of Muziris (which became extinct in 1341AD due to a massive flood which realigned the coast) near Kondungalloor. He then went to Palayoor (near present-day Guruvayoor), which was a Hindu priestly community at the time. He left Palayoor in AD52 for the southern part of what is now Kerala State, where he established the Ezharappallikal, or “Seven and a half Churches”. These churches are at Kondungallur, Kollam, Niranam (Niranam St. Mary’s Orthodox Church), Nilackal (Chayal), Kokkamangalam, Kottakkayal (Paravoor), Palayoor (Chattukulangara) and Thiruvithancode Arappally- the half church.

 

During the reign of the Aksummites (a dynasty that ruled Ethiopia), King Solomon, who was in power from 970 - 930BC, was visited by the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings10:1-13). Different theories have been presented as to where the queen was actually from. One Ethiopian story, called the Kibra Negast, states that the queen was actually Queen Makeda (said to have reigned from 1005 - 955BC in the coastal regions of Ethiopia). This story claims that when Queen Makeda went to visit King Solomon, she converted to Judaism, and they became romantically involved. She bore him a son, Menelik I, and at the age of thirteen he went back to Jerusalem to get his father’s blessing. Solomon, as the story states, appointed Menelik the first king of Ethiopia. Because of this, Judaism spread throughout Ethiopia. Falashas, or Black Jews, practice a simple form of Judaism. Because they lived in near isolation, the Falashas had only the first five books of the Bible, known as the laws of Moses.

 

Tariq Aziz, former Iraqi Foreign Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister during Sadam Hussien’s reign, was a Christian

 

Antioch was the centre of Christendom outside Palestine. The apostles preached there before starting out on their missionary journeys, and in Antioch the term Christian, designating converts of saint Paul, fist came into use. Antioch is now Antakya in the Muslim nation of Turkey.  

What Would You Do?

Amaka was surely a looker. She was tall, slim, light-skinned and had a figure that would make Venus De Milo green with envy. She was the type to cause a stir wherever she went. Done with the university where she studied Banking and Finance, she was now a youth corper in one of the far-Northern states, attached to one of the biggest banks in Nigeria.

The first day of the first week of the month is usually the busiest for most banks in that part of the country. Bank halls usually bustle with an army of impatient government staffs eager to withdraw their salaries. On one such day, Amaka’s branch manager summoned her to his office.

 

“Do you want to be retained in this branch?” the man said.

 

“Yes, sir!” she answered with delight.

 

“Meet me at this address, tonight.”

She was puzzled. Scribbled on the reverse side of the card was the address of one of the most popular hotels in the state capital. Not quite sure what to expect, she decided to make the appointment, anyway.

Once in the hotel room, the bank manager began to undress.

“What’s the meaning of all these?!” she bloated in indignation.

“Well,” the man smiled, “it’s either you sleep with me or you don’t get the job.”

 

What was she to do?

What would you do?

Will Northern Christians Vote APC?

Finally, INEC has registered the ‘true’ APC. The registration was greeted with mixed reactions. While supporters and sympathizers of the coalition of opposition parties were jubilant and were painting the pages of social media platforms with hosanna-in-the-highest-like lyrics, most people were completely indifferent while some contemplated the situation not without a little trepidation.

Whether right or wrong, most northern Christians (especially those in the North West and North East) perceive the APC as a gang-up between the Muslim North and Muslim South West to take over power to enshrine and continue the persecution and sociopolitical and economic subjugation of northern Christians. A lot of northern Christians believe they're not a tiny minority in the region, but are at least 40% of the northern population. They contend that they deserve a stronger voice and a proportionate representation in the power equation of the region and of the nation.

They point out the domination of the ACN by Muslims to buttress their position. All the South West ACN Governors (except the Ekiti State Governor) are Muslims. Almost all the political office holders in Lagos State are Muslims. Northern Christians fear the ACN has an Islamisation agenda for the South West and believe a gang-up with the CPC—a party whose members and supporters are almost entirely Muslims—would consolidate the Islamic ideal of dominating Nigeria. Most of these northern Christians would most likely not vote for Buhari, Tinubu, Fashola, El’Rufia, Massari or even Tumbuwal were he to decamp to the APC.

Of course you may think this position is absolutely myopic. You may also argue that northern Christians have not fared any better under a so-called ‘Christian’ president. A lot of politically sophisticated folks would say we should do away with this kind of tenuous religious and ethnic sentiments in our politics.

Unfortunately it is sentiment that motivates interest. It is interest (whether ideological, socioeconomic, class or religious) that drives party politics everywhere in the world. It is impossible to divorce religious and ethnic sentiments from the politics of a pluralistic society such as ours. The key is to ensure that these sentiments do not provoke extreme positions that infringe on individual rights, or are detrimental to the common good, or can harm our democracy. 

So, even though this perception seems myopic, it is the reality in northern Nigeria today. And this perception is not fed to people in northern churches and religious gatherings as some are wont to think. It has rather been reinforced and entrenched by the maniacal insurgency of the Boko Haram (for which northern Christians bear the brunt), and ACN leaders’ objection to the government’s proscription of the terrorist group and the imposition of a state of emergency in three states in the North East.

Undoubtedly, APC has some support among some northern Christians especially in some North Central states such as Benue and Nasarawa States. But they are few and their political affiliation seems to be motivated by the need to find accommodating alternative political space after losing out of the rigorous internal party dynamics of the PDP in their states. Chief Audu Ogbeh, Senator George Akume, Senator Solomon Ewuga and former Governor Jolly Nyame are prime examples.

If the APC is to enjoy electoral success in 2015, it must not fail to address the concerns of northern Christians. They are a critical swing block whose votes will ultimately decide who occupies Aso Rock Villa in 2015, as it did in 2011 when it provided Goodluck Jonathan millions of popular votes and the requisite one quarter votes cast in most northern states. Failure to do so guaranties the APC the loss of a large voter base in 2015.

Also Read:  Is APC Truly Anti-Christian