When did Christianity become a religion?

Answer 1

Christianity began when Jesus started preaching the gospel of God. Since our Gregorian calendar is based on the time of Christ's crucifixion, and his Church was created from his disciples at or about the time of his crucifixion, it is safe to say his Church is roughly 2007 years old.

Answer 2

Christianity IS NOT A RELIGION - It is a loving relationship with a living God.

'''Answer:''' The very first warning sign Jesus lists for us regarding the end time is "false religion" [Matt.24:4-5]. Specifically... false Christianity. Today, besides hundreds of religions in the world outside of the name, "Christianity," there are hundreds of separate denominations within its realm. The spread of the "good news" [gospel] of the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached when He walked the earth as a man... was commissioned to His disciples... and it was a struggle at best for them from the beginning. "...I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus '''OTHER THAN THE JESUS WE PREACHED''', or if you receive a '''DIFFERENT SPIRIT''' from the one you received, or a '''DIFFERENT GOSPEL''' from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough." (II Cor.11:3-4 NIV) "...such men are FALSE APOSTLES, deceitful workmen, MASQUERADING AS APOSTLES OF CHRIST. And no wonder, for '''Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light'''. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness." (verses 13-15) Religions pop up wherever there are carnal minded men. '''Religion is a BELIEF SYSTEM'''. And ALL MEN BELIEVE SOMETHING... whether it's the Truth or Lies. God's Word calls itself "TRUTH." [John 17:17] The Bible is the Divinely inspired Word of God... "Divinely inspired Revelation" regarding our Creator [from our Creator] that the carnal human mind is otherwise incapable of perceiving through the physical data input of his five physical sensory sources. And unless God personally opens an individual mind to that Truth... the human mind is left to "reason things out on its own." And because the Truth of God is not widely known in the world... thereby do religions abound. And as Jesus warns us... "Christianity" is no exception when it comes to "false religion." Carnal minded men whose minds were never opened to God's Truth... "reasoned it out for themselves" as to "what they thought it was about." And the purity that is Jesus Christ became muddled and confused among the dark thoughts of men, and the multiple and divided denominations of so-called "Christianity" began to surface immediately. "...'''EVEN NOW''' '''are there MANY ANTICHRISTS'''; whereby we know that it is the last time. '''THEY WENT OUT FROM US''', but '''THEY WERE NOT OF US'''; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us..." (I John 2:18-19). True to Jesus' Word... false Christian denominations began to spread, beginning with the earliest preaching of the gospel. And in the course of time... God's Truth, which has never been tolerated [even today], was forced underground... and the false teachings of the human reasonings of "men's religions" emerged to establish themselves in the world. "The world cannot hate you; but ME IT HATETH, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." (John 7:7) "If the world hate you, ye know that it HATED ME BEFORE IT HATED YOU. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, THEREFORE THE WORLD HATETH YOU." (John 15:18-19) "Christianity" became a "religion" [many denominational religions] just as fast as men were introduced to the "good news" [gospel] of the Kingdom of God. Good news that's become confused amid the religion, with few of the denominations agreeing on just what the "gospel" is. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto '''ANOTHER GOSPEL''': which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach '''ANY OTHER GOSPEL''' unto you than that which we have preached unto you, '''LET HIM BE ACCURSED'''. "As we said before, so say I now again, '''IF ANY MAN PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO YOU THAN THAT YE HAVE RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED'''." (Gal.1:6-9) This was happening long before the "Christian religion" became "acceptable" in the world around the fourth century. The struggle between God's Truth and man's reasoning actually began in the Garden of Eden... but it wasn't called "Christian" until after Jesus came in the flesh. Satan made many untimely attempts on His mortal life from the start, beginning with Herod's murder of thousands of children in Judaea. And when He wasn't successful until God's predetermined time, which resulted in Christ's victory over him. He was left with one other option for the time being -- another false religion in the world, only with Jesus' name attached to it. "'''Modern Professing Christianity'''." The "Christian religion" we see today, that began from the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and they began to preach Jesus Christ. True Christianity is, indeed, not a religion. It's a way of life... of living... of loving. But, Jesus' warning still rings out to those with the ears to hear: "...TAKE HEED THAT NO MAN DECEIVE YOU. FOR MANY SHALL COME IN MY NAME, SAYING, I AM CHRIST; AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY." (Matt.24:4-5) It's the "Christian religion" that the world [that hates the real Jesus Christ and God's Truth] embraces. It began to establish itself as a "religion" from the day of Pentecost when the apostles received the Holy Spirit and they began to preach the gospel... and the carnal minds of men began to take it in.

Answer 3

Christianity became the most popular religion in Europe and the Mediterranean region in the fourth century CE. Until the time of Constantine, Christianity was still only a small sect, with perhaps around ten per cent of the population. Constantine gave Christianity state patronage and began a program of persecuting the pagan temples. By the time of his death, Christianity was still a minority religion in the empire, but it had grown siginificantly. Constantine's Christian successors continued the policy of favouritism towards Christianity and intensified the persecution of the pagans. By 391, the public worship of pagan gods had been banned, and the Christians were taking over many of the temple sites for their own use. Christianity had the largest number of adherents in the empire and would soon enforce conversion onto the remnant pagans.

Christianity became the most popular religion in the world following the conquest of the Americas and the colonisation of Africa and parts of Asia. At first, conversion was at the point of the sword, but in time, the Church began to rely on missionary work. Although conversion became voluntary, economic domination and sometimes intimidation were generally successful in achieving the Church's aims. Countries that have never really been colonised, like China and Japan, have been slow to take up Christianity, as have countries with strong formal religions, such as India and much of south-East Asia.

Answer 4

roughly 1,985 or so years ago when Jesus began his ministry