Editing Testimony (section)

==Religion==<!-- This section is linked from [[Fasting]] -->
[[Christians]] in general, especially within the [[Evangelical]] tradition, use the term "to testify" or "to give one's testimony" to mean "to tell the story of how one became a Christian". Commonly it may refer to a specific event in a Christian's life in which God did something deemed particularly worth [[sharing]]. Christians often give their testimony at their own [[baptism]], [[church service]]s, and at [[evangelistic]] events. Many Christians have also published their testimony on the internet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Testimonies |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/topics/t/testimonies/ |website=Christianity Today |date=22 December 2023 |publisher=© 2024 Christianity Today |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref>

===New Testament===
After the [[early church]] began to preach about the death and resurrection of [[Jesus Christ]], [[Saint Peter|Peter]] and the other [[apostle]]s asserted that "we are witnesses of these things".<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|5:32|NABRE}}: [[New American Bible (Revised Edition)]]</ref> [[Pope Francis]] has commented on Peter being "strong in his testimony", describing "testimony" as the "lifeblood" of the church.<ref>Pope Francis, [https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2016/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20160407_the-lifeblood.html The lifeblood], morning meditation in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, 7 April 2016, accessed 16 September 2022</ref>

===Types===
Many [[Methodist]] churches in the [[Holiness movement|holiness]] tradition devote a portion of their Sunday evening service and/or mid-week Wednesday evening service of worship to allow members to give a personal testimony about their faith and experiences in living the Christian life:<ref name="POF1948"/>
{{blockquote|203. ''What do we mean by testimony?''<br />
By testimony we usually mean witnessing before others to the fact that God has forgiven our sins.<br />
204. ''Who is benefited by testimony?''<br />
A testimony will help the one who makes it—it will strengthen his faith. It is also an encouragement to those who hear.<br />
205. ''What does the Bible say about testimony?''<br />
"With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom. 10:10).<br />
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony" (Rev. 12:11). —Catechism of the Pillar of Fire Church<ref name="POF1948">{{cite book |title=Catechism of the Pillar of Fire Church |date=1948 |publisher=Pillar of Fire Church |pages=39–40}}</ref>}}

In the [[Religious Society of Friends]], the word ''testimony'' is used to refer to the ways in which [[Religious Society of Friends|Friends]] ''testify'' or ''bear witness'' to their beliefs in their everyday lives. In this context, the word ''testimony'' refers not to the underlying belief, but the committed action which arises out of their beliefs, which ''testifies'' to their beliefs. Common areas in which modern [[Religious Society of Friends|Friends]] are said{{by whom|date=June 2019}} to testify include [[peace testimony|testimony towards peace]], [[testimony of simplicity|testimony to simplicity]], [[testimony of integrity|testimony to truth and integrity]], and [[testimony of equality|testimony to equality]].

{{anchor|Mormonism}} In some [[religion]]s (most notably [[Mormonism]] and [[Islam]]) many adherents testify as a profession of their [[faith]], often to a congregation of believers. In [[Mormonism]], testifying is also referred to as "bearing one's testimony", and often involves the sharing of personal experience—ranging from a simple anecdote to an account of [[Revelation (Latter Day Saints)#Personal revelation|personal revelation]]—followed by a statement of belief that has been confirmed by this experience. Within [[Mormon]] [[Culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|culture]], the word "testimony"<ref>{{citation |url= http://lds.org/study/topics/testimony?lang=eng |title=Testimony | department=Gospel Study |website=LDS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406025406/http://lds.org/study/topics/testimony?lang=eng |archive-date=2012-04-06 |access-date=2011-09-14}}</ref> has become synonymous with "belief". Although "testimony" and "belief" are often used interchangeably, they are inherently different. Most Mormons believe that when faith is acted upon, individuals can receive a spiritual witness which solidifies belief into testimony; that if the exercise of faith leads to good works, they can know their religious principles are true. An individual who no longer believes in the religion may be referred to as having "lost their testimony".