--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It wasn't until I started reading the…" description: "\"It wasn't until I started reading the history of religion that I understood that the definition of Christianity has shifted in many different direction..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/tim-dechristopher-20612_christian_it-wasn-t-until-i-started-reading-the-hi_2326796.jpg" --- # It wasn't until I started reading the history of religion… ![“It wasn't until I started reading the history of religion that I understood that the definition of Christianity has shifted in many different directions over time, and the mainstream view today certainly doesn't have any exclusive ownership of what being a Christian means. Realizing that freed me…” quote by Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/tim-dechristopher-20612_christian_it-wasn-t-until-i-started-reading-the-hi_2326796.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/tim-dechristopher-20612_christian_it-wasn-t-until-i-started-reading-the-hi_2326796.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/tim-dechristopher-20612_christian_it-wasn-t-until-i-started-reading-the-hi_2326796.jpg) > “It wasn't until I started reading the history of religion that I understood that the definition of Christianity has shifted in many different directions over time, and the mainstream view today certainly doesn't have any exclusive ownership of what being a Christian means. Realizing that freed me to use the terminology without needing to be tied down to it.” [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding that Christianity’s definition has evolved, showing that religious identity is fluid and not owned by any single group. **In simple terms:** Christianity’s meaning changes over time. Key Takeaway Embrace flexible, inclusive spiritual language. Themes religion identity history Mood thoughtful open-minded Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - personal belief - academic study Key Concepts theology cultural evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does flexibility affect personal faith? - Can inclusive language bridge doctrinal gaps? A Different Perspective Some may view fluid definitions as undermining tradition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-means-592792/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christianity Shifted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-shifted-5582791/) [Definition Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definition-christianity-242299/) [Definitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different directions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-directions/) [Exclusive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exclusive/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Mainstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainstream/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Ownership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ownership/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-understood-1304381/) [Terminology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terminology/) [Tied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tied/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [My spiritual path has largely been Christianity - a label that I embraced and then rejected and have partially embraced again, as my understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/my-spiritual-path-has-largely-been-christianity-a-label-that-i/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) > [The world out there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity; it's waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-world-out-there-is-not-waiting-for-a-new-definition-of/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [I cannot think of a better definition of Christianity than that: give, give, give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-i-mccord/i-cannot-think-of-a-better-definition-of-christianity-than-that-give/) [James I. McCord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-i-mccord/) > [Religion, as it is understood in the West, does not lead toward progress, and science does not lead toward humanism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alija-izetbegovic/religion-as-it-is-understood-in-the-west-does-not-lead-toward/) [Alija Izetbegovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alija-izetbegovic/) > [“The truths of religion are never so well understood as by those who have lost the power of reasoning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-truths-of-religion-are-never-so-well-understood-as-by-those-who-2/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [First, we must liberate people from religion, as religion is understood and practiced today. Second, we must effect a paradigm shift from religiosity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnivesh/first-we-must-liberate-people-from-religion-as-religion-is-understood/) [Agnivesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnivesh/) > [The truths of religion are never so well understood as by those who have lost the power of reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-truths-of-religion-are-never-so-well-understood-as-by-those-who/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Secularism is a religion, a religion that is understood. It has no mysteries, no mumblings, no priests, no ceremonies, no falsehoods, no miracles, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/secularism-is-a-religion-a-religion-that-is-understood-it-has-no/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Religion, it must be understood, is not faith. Religion is the story of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/religion-it-must-be-understood-is-not-faith-religion-is-the-story-of/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [Principles are what people have instead of God. 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Oh, we know that being a Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/many-of-us-don-t-even-know-what-it-means-to-have-a-christian/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [“The word "Christian" means 'like Christ'! We are to reflect His beauty, do His deeds, think His thoughts, and speak His words. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-frost/the-word-christian-means-like-christ-we-are-to-reflect-his-beauty-do/) [Robert C. Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-frost/) ## More by Tim DeChristopher > [ Being forcefully rattled out of our consumer mentality - our addiction to comfort and convenience can create an opportunity for us \[people\] to reconnect… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/being-forcefully-rattled-out-of-our-consumer-mentality-our-addiction/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) > [That's why there is such alienation, depression, and despair in our society - because the means we're employing doesn't lead to the ends we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/that-s-why-there-is-such-alienation-depression-and-despair-in-our/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) > [We need to reject not only outdated fossil-fuel technology, but also an outdated economic system and an outdated corporatist political system. 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You have to grapple with the hard stuff, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/dealing-with-our-negative-emotions-is-a-crucial-preparatory-step-to/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) > [We need actions that are really coming from people's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/we-need-actions-that-are-really-coming-from-people-s-souls/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) > [Respond to stressful times by turning towards each other, rather than away from each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/respond-to-stressful-times-by-turning-towards-each-other-rather-than/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) > [What one person can do is to plant the seeds of love and outrage in the hearts of a movement. 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I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It wasn't until I started reading the history of religion that I understood that the definition of Christianity has shifted in many different directions over time, and the mainstream view today certainly doesn't have any exclusive ownership of what being a Christian means. 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