Claim: Jesus became a central figure of Christianity.

A Christian -LRB- -LSB- pronaudio = En-us-Christian . oggˈkɹɪʃtʃən -RSB- or -LSB- ˈkɹɪstjən -RSB- -RRB- is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity , an Abrahamic , monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ . `` Christian '' derives from the Koine Greek word Christós , a translation of the Biblical Hebrew term mashiach .   While there are diverse interpretations of Christianity which sometimes conflict , they are united in believing that Jesus has a unique significance . The term `` Christian '' is also used as an adjective to describe anything associated with Christianity , or in a proverbial sense `` all that is noble , and good , and Christ-like . ''   According to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey , there were 2.2 billion Christians around the world in 2010 , up from about 600 million in 1910 . By 2050 , the Christian population is expected to exceed 3 billion . According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey Christianity will remain the world 's largest religion in 2050 , if current trends continue .   Today , about 37 % of all Christians live in the Americas , about 26 % live in Europe , 24 % live in sub-Saharan Africa , about 13 % live in Asia and the Pacific , and 1 % live in the Middle east and North Africa . About half of all Christians worldwide are Catholic , while more than a third are Protestant -LRB- 37 % -RRB- . Orthodox communions comprise 12 % of the world 's Christians . Other Christian groups make up the remainder . Christians make up the majority of the population in 158 countries and territories . 280 million Christian live as a minority .   Christians have significantly influenced and contributed to human progress in many fields , including philosophy , ethics , literature , business and economics , fine arts and architecture , music , theatre and medicine , as well as science and technology , both historically and in modern times .