When was Christianity founded?

Christianity was founded in the 1st century C.E. It originated in Levant--now Palestine and Israel--and spread throughout the world starting in Jerusalem, Syria, Phoenicia, Asia Minor and Egypt. It expanded during Europe’s Age of Exploration, making it the largest religion of the world, as of 2014.

Christianity developed from Judaism and is based on the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first Christians were all ethnically Jewish or proselytes.

The religion has three major branches: Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. As of 2014, there are 2 billion Christians in the world, which is one-third of the human population.