ABSTRACT
Christianity is the name given to the beliefs of those who accept Jesus Christ as their spiritual savior. Until the 16th century the major division within Christianity was between Eastern Orthodoxy and those who accepted the authority of the pope (bishop) of Rome (Roman Catholic). In the 16th century most nation-states in northern Europe created national churches independent of Roman authority. The authority of these national churches was in turn challenged by sectarian movements which rejected any formal ties between church and state. Both participants in national churches and sectaries are commonly known as Protestants.
