Originally posted by no1marauder
I don't think the last is a requirement for Christianity. Ever hear of the Unitarians?
Here's the Christian Creed ...
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
You're right, how the God/Son/Holy Spirit bit is interpreted does vary from Catholic/Protestant to Orthodox to smaller sects. But I think you'd have to agree, most Christians believe in the Trinity stuff, so it would probably be fair to say it's a common component of a typical Christian's set of beliefs.