The textbook contains basic information about Orthodoxy, its teaching, history, liturgical tradition. The manual provides a commented presentation of the Sacred History of the Old and New Testaments, examines the dogmatic teaching of the Orthodox Church in the scope of the Creed, explains the meaning of the Sacraments and the meaning of the Twelve Feasts, briefly the rules for performing divine services are described, an overview of the main stages of the history of the Universal Church and the Russian Orthodox Church is presented. The content of the study guide corresponds to the program of the entrance interview on the basics of Christianity at the Faculty of Further Education (FDE) of PSTGU. The study guide is intended for applicants to the FDE, but can provide significant assistance in preparation for the entrance exam for other faculties of PSTGU. The benefit may be used by teachers and catechists in educational work among children and adults (including in secular educational institutions and Sunday schools), as well as become a source of initial information about the faith for a wide range of readers interested in the teaching and history of the Orthodox Church. 2nd edition, corrected and expanded. The biblical account of the creation of the world and man. Life of the first people in paradise. The fall of the first parents and its consequences, the concept of original sin, the promise of the Savior (Gen. 3.15). The spiritual and moral state of antediluvian humanity. Cain and Abel. Cainites and Sethites. Global flood. God's Covenant with Noah. Sons of Noah. History of Ham. Blessing of Shem and Japheth. Babylonian pandemonium and the dispersion of nations. The calling of Abram and his resettlement to the promised land. God's Covenant with Abram. The appearance of God to Abraham at the oak of Mamri. The death of Sodom and Gomorrah. The birth of Isaac and his sacrifice to God. Jacob's acquisition of the birthright. Jacob's Ladder. Jacob's marriage. Homecoming. Jacob's struggle with God. Joseph's story. Blessing of Jacob. The period of Egyptian slavery. Birth of Moses. The calling of Moses. Egyptian executions. Easter holiday. Miracles during the Exodus from Egypt. Granting of the Sinai legislation. Golden Taurus. Tabernacle. At the borders of Canaan. Sending spies. Forty years of wandering in the desert. Crossing the Jordan River. Fall of Jericho. Battle of Gibeon. Division of the Promised Land. Reasons for the granting of judges to the people of Israel. Judges Gideon, Samson, Samuel. The first king is Saul. Reign of David. Solomon – wise judge and ruler. Division of the kingdoms into Israel and Judah. History and fall of the Northern Kingdom, the emergence of the Samaritans. History of the Southern Kingdom. The destruction of Jerusalem, the beginning of the period of Babylonian captivity. The content of the prophetic ministry, the influence of the prophets on the religious and political life of the Jewish people. Prophet Elijah. Prophet Elisha. Prophet Jonah. Prophet Isaiah. Prophet Jeremiah. Life of the Jews in captivity. Prophet Ezekiel. Prophet Daniel. Friends of the prophet Daniel in the Babylonian furnace. The life of the Jews in captivity. The fall of the Babylonian kingdom. Persian rule. Decree of King Cyrus on the return of the Jews to their homeland. Construction of the second temple. The spiritual and moral state of the Jews after their return from captivity. The activities of the priest Ezra. Nehemiah's activities in the restoration of Jerusalem and the resolution social problems of Jewish society. Conquest of Judea by Alexander the Great. Translation of the Holy Scriptures into Greek. Judea under Syrian rulers. Persecution for the Faith under Antiochus Epiphanes. Martyrs of the Maccabees. Revolts led by the Maccabean brothers and liberation from Syrian rule. Renewal of the Jerusalem Temple. Reign of the Maccabean dynasty. Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Nativity of the Mother of God and her upbringing in the Jerusalem Temple. Betrothal of the Virgin Mary to Righteous Joseph. Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The concept of Ever-Virginity. The meaning of the Incarnation. Nativity. Circumcision. Candlemas. Adoration of the Magi. Massacre of the Bethlehem Innocents. Flight to Egypt. Return to Nazareth. The Savior's adolescence. Circumstances and meaning of the Baptism of the Lord from John, temptations of the Lord Jesus Christ in the desert, going out to preach, performing the first miracle, the appearance of the first disciples, conversation with Nicodemus, removal to Galilee, the calling of the disciples and the election of the Twelve Apostles, the Sermon on the Mount. Parables of the sower, of the leaven, of the mustard seed, of the treasure , buried in a field, about a merchant looking for good pearls, about tares, etc. Healings of the demon-possessed, the paralytic in Capernaum, the centurion's servant, the daughter of a Canaanite woman, the resurrection of the son of the widow of Nain, the daughter of Jairus, taming the storm, the miraculous feeding of five and four thousand, walking on water, etc. Parables about the lost sheep, about the lost coin, about the prodigal son, about the merciful Samaritan, about the publican and the Pharisee. Blessing of children. Conversation with a rich young man. Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Parable of the workers in the vineyard. Healing of ten lepers. The case of the woman caught in adultery. Healing a man born blind. The Raising of Lazarus. Secret decision of the Sanhedrin. Conversion of the publican Zacchaeus. And into one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, Who was born of the Father before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, consubstantial with the Father, in Whom all things were. For our sake, man and for our salvation came down from Heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again he who comes with glory will judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the life-giving Who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son We worship and glorify the prophets who spoke. In one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead... and the life of the next century. Amen.