Christianity

Abstract

Christianity, a monotheistic religious movement diverse in form and expression and marked by a common commitment to the life and teachings of its founder Jesus of Nazareth, has informed varied faith-based responses to HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the pandemic—from early pronouncements against HIV prevention measures (e.g., condom use and needle exchange) to further marginalization of gay men living with the illness. However, recent initiatives have emerged to stem the tide of the epidemic with prevention and care programs that are aligned with orthodox Christian doctrine. Christian-based HIV programming (CBHP) gained visible momentum during the second decade of the epidemic. This is most notable among churches in urban African-American enclaves in the USA and southern African countries—both regions with disproportionate representations of persons newly infected with HIV and living with AIDS. Moreover, as a result of research identifying a strong link between rising HIV incidence and inequitable socioeconomic conditions, a response to the epidemic began to gain ground, largely influenced by the evangelical social justice movement.