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{{policy}}{{box | text==Starting A New Page==The following information is a brief guide to the layout and writing style generally encouraged at WikiChristian. To learn the more technical aspects of creating and editing a page (for example using italics or inserting images) see the [[Wikichristian.org:Tutorial|WikiChristian Tutorial]].}}{{rtoc}}

New pages can be created by following a link to a nonexistent page There are four general types of articles at WikiChristian. These are:# Information Articles ("red link")i.e. You can search for any existing articles with the same or similar content and create a new page if none exists. In order to create a new page, go to main article on any relevant existing pagestopic)# Index Pages# Sermons, Essays and enclose the word or words in double square brackets '''<nowiki>[[like this]]</nowiki>''' and Opinion Articles# Original Texts including various translations of the link will be displayed '''[[like this]]'''Bible

When editing or creating We recognize that there is a wide variety of opinions within the Christian community on many issues. Where there is debate about details of doctrine, the '''Information Article''' should explain this debate in a pagenon-emotive way, showing both sides of the argument. We also recognize that there is a wide variety of opinions regarding what makes a particular denomination Christian. A line in the sand has been drawn at WikiChristian so that users and editors have clear guidelines. Essentially, a denomination is considered Christian if those in its leadership would agree with the following:# A loving God# The Bible is God's word# The Nicene Creed (and in particular it's Trinitarian theology) If a religious group is related to Christianity but its leaders would not generally agree with those three points above, then it is considered, from WikiChristian's view, to be a separate religion. We recognize that these 3 points may be considered ambiguous by some people, but unfortunately, these lines in the sand are no set guidelines never perfect.  === Writing Style of Information Articles === In general, '''Information Articles''' should be written in a manner that makes them clear and easy to understand. Theological terms should be explained. '''Information Articles''' should be accessible and understandable to a person who has never had theological training. However, the aim of an '''Information Articles''' is that it should '''also''' be useful for a person who has studied theology. This standard of writing aims to make WikiChristian significantly different from some of the other useful sources of religious information. For example, encyclopedias such as the online [[Catholic Encyclopedia]] and [[Theopedia]] have very useful resources but individual articles are often written using very technical and dry language. WikiChristian's '''Information Articles''' ideally should be written using simple language to explain difficult concepts. Furthermore, if an article evokes emotion and passion for Jesus in a reader, then it is all the more successful. Some examples of pages that hopefully reach this standard include [[Christianity]], [[Old Testament]], [[Denominations]] and [[Church]]. === Referencing === Ideally specific facts for '''Information Articles''' should be referenced from well recognized sources so that the facts can be verified. This is not an absolute requirement but is encouraged. Referencing can be accomplished by typing the reference as shown below: <pre>..... Sentence with fact <ref>Reference</ref> .... More facts <ref>Reference</ref> ...</pre> === Page Style of Information Articles === It is hoped that readers would browse WikiChristian a little like they might browse a text-book. As such, for any given topic there will be related sub-topics. For example, under the topic [[Church]] there are a number of sub-topics including: [[Church building]], [[Church history]], [[Denominations]] and [[Church service]]. These sub-topics should be clearly located in a Table of Contents using the template [[Template:Infobox Contents|Infobox_Contents]]. If the reader decides to what click on a sub-topic (such as [[Church service]]) then in the page sub-topic's Table of Contents a new set of sub-topics are listed (for example: [[Liturgy]], [[Hymns]], [[Prayer]], [[Sermons]] and [[Communion]]). Thus each '''Information Article''' should look branch out into sub-topic '''Information Articles''', a little like a tree, or perhaps more likea web.  The following main topic of WikiChristian is [[Christianity]] and from here it should be possible to reach any other topic by a guideline to series of following links in the layout Table of Contents of various pages. To get a better idea, take a look at some of these pages:* [[Christianity]] -> [[Christian doctrine and debates]] -> [[Justification]]* [[Christianity]] -> [[Essence of Christianity]] -> [[Living as a Christian]] -> [[Love]]* [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[New Testament]] -> [[Gospels]] -> [[Gospel of Matthew]] -> [[Matthew 16]] This standard pagelayout can be achieved by looking at the following template.

subtopics = List of links to related subtopics subtopic information articles, original texts and index pages |opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}Bulleted list to specific personal sermons, essays or opinion articles related to the topic (see Sermons, Essays and sermons that people have uploaded Opinions section below) |

Followed by the main text-book style article give details on the topics ==Main articleQuotes ==

Main encyclopedia style article give details on For famous quotations related to the topicstopic

==Quotes References ==

==Links==

Some == Index Pages == An '''Index Page''' should be used for lists (e.g. lists of famous Christians, song titles, Bible characters or churches). Because of the potential length of lists, '''Information Articles''' are not the best place for lists. These lists should instead be placed in a separate page named in this manner: '''''Name of Topic''' Index''. This index page can then be linked to from the relevant '''Information Article'''. For examples see: [[Famous Christians Index]], [[Christian Songs Index]], [[Churches in Adelaide Index]] == Sermons, Essays and Opinion Articles == WikiChristian, unlike Wikipedia, does not have a policy of disallowing personal opinions to look at be voiced or personal research to get written about. For any topic, the main '''Information Article''' should be written in a better idea* neutral "WikiChristian" point of view, as explained above. However, any user may write his or her own personal '''Sermon or Essay or Opinion Article''' on the topic, which only he or she should edit. An article such as this should clearly be named as ''<nowiki>[[Sermon:Name of Article (initials or name of author)]]</nowiki>'' or ''<nowiki>[[Essay:Name of Article (initials or name of author)]]</nowiki>'' or ''<nowiki>[[JustificationOpinion:Name of Article (initials or name of author)]]</nowiki>''. The article should then be linked to under the "Opinions" section in Infobox_Contents template of the main '''Information Article'''.  If a user does not wish to write a whole article voicing a personal opinion but would like to make a short one or two sentence personal comment on a topic then he or she can write a comment in the '''''Opinion:Name of topic''' (discussion)'' page that can be found in the Infobox Table of Contents on any '''Information Article'''. These short personal comments are for personal reflections about the topic and not points of dispute to do with the '''Information Article''' article itself (for which there is the standard mediawiki talk page).* ==Original Texts== WikiChristian aims to be a good source of public domain Christian texts in both their original language and their English translation. This includes the Bible, which has been uploaded verse-by-verse. There are two relevant name-spaces: Bible and Text. ===Bible=== Bible verses and their commentary can be found in the Bible name-space. For example, [[ChristianityJohn 1:1]]* redirects to [[Essence Bible:John 1:1]]. There is also a special system of Christianitydisplaying Bible verses anywhere in WikiChristian. For details about this, see [[WikiChristian:Bible]]. * The "Bible" name-space is reserved for the 66 books that are agreed as part of the Bible by all denominations. Other books that are considered part of the Bible by some denominations but not by all use the "Text" name-space. ===Text=== Original texts can be found in the Text name-space. For example, the text to the [[LoveNicene Creed]]* can be found at [[Text:Nicene Creed]]. In this example, the page [[Nicene Creed]] is an information article about the Nicene Creed whereas the page [[Matthew 16Text:Nicene Creed]]is simply a copy of an English translation of the Nicene Creed.

See alsoTexts that are further split up into chapters or topics are named as follows: [[Wikichristian'''Text:Opinion articles]] Name of Book:Name of Chapter'''

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