Why the definition varies
Religious vocabulary often carries several meanings at once. A word may describe personal belief, community membership, doctrine, practice, history or cultural identity. “Christian” is no exception.
Some people use the term broadly for anyone who sincerely identifies with Christianity. Others reserve it for people who describe a particular conversion experience, affirm a selected set of teachings, participate in a church or belong to a specific communion. Each approach answers a somewhat different question.
Four common frameworks
Self-identification
A broad social or survey definition includes people and groups that sincerely call themselves Christian. It can encompass many Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox and restorationist communities.
Conversion experience
Many evangelical Christians emphasize repentance, trust in Jesus and being “born again.” Under this framework, denominational membership alone does not establish Christian identity. See the archive's introduction to salvation and conversion.
Doctrinal agreement
Some communities identify a set of essential teachings and apply the term Christian to those who affirm them. Lists differ, however, over which doctrines are indispensable. Compare the site's guide to cardinal Christian beliefs.
Church membership
Some traditions understand Christian identity through baptism, sacramental participation, formal membership or communion with a particular church. A few groups define the boundary exclusively around their own institution.
Traditions within the broad category
A broad descriptive definition may include communities as varied as Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestant denominations, the Latter-day Saint movement, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science. These groups do not necessarily recognize one another in the same way, and their beliefs should not be treated as interchangeable.
Why clarity matters
When participants use the same word according to different standards, a conversation can appear to concern facts while actually concerning definitions. This affects interchurch dialogue, demographic surveys, historical writing and everyday discussion.
- In a census or survey, self-identification may be the most workable measure.
- In a church setting, baptism, doctrine or conversion may carry greater weight.
- In historical study, the term may describe movements that developed from Christian texts and institutions.
- In respectful conversation, asking how a person uses the term is often more useful than assuming one universal definition.