What is the significance of the Bible to Christianity? What exactly is the significance of the Bible to Christianity?


Is Christianity defined by the Bible?


If so, is belief in the Bible the most important (or foundational) belief in Christianity?  Is it the basis of Christianity?
If not, what is it defined by, exactly?

Can you be a Christian and not believe in the Bible?
Can you be a Christian without ever having been taught from the Bible?


If so, why is the Bible important to Christianity?





If the answer is dependent upon tradition (I don't know if it is), please answer from a Protestant perspective.
This may be redundant, but from a Sola Scriptura/Biblical Literalist/Protestant/Evangelical/Fundamentalist view...


  
  Is Christianity defined by the Bible?
  
  
  If so, is belief in the Bible the most important (or foundational) belief in Christianity?  Is it the basis of Christianity?
  
  


Yes.  Christianity is the faith in the God of the Bible.  If we believe in a god, any God other than the God defined in the Bible, then by definition, we are following a god that either we made up to suit ourselves, or one made up by men. Either way it's called idolatry.


  
  If not, what is it exactly that makes a person a "Christian"?  (Can an Atheist call himself a Christian and be counted as a Christian?)
  


According to the rules of this site, anyone can call themselves a Christian, and we act as if that is the case.  So for the purposes of this site, yes.  

But: Scripture says otherwise.  It teaches of false brethren, false converts - people who think they're Christian but aren't.  It speaks of false teachers.  It defines Christians as those who have accepted the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ alone.


  
  Can you be a Christian and not believe in the Bible?
  


Again, per the rules of this site, yes, but in reality, I don't think so.  See the first portion of my answer.  Further, if God is who the Bible says He is, and if the Bible is truly God's word, then to disbelieve the Bible is to disbelieve God - to think that he is either mistaken (and therefore not worthy to be called God) or a liar (also not worthy of the title.)


  
  Can you be a Christian without ever having been taught from the Bible?
  


The people saved in the New testament didn't have the Bible.  It wasn't completely written yet.  They were taught what would later become Scripture. So it is possible to become a Christian without having someone physically open the Book.  

But:  the people who were saved in the early Church were told about Christ, they were told the gospel message (as described in the book of Acts) so in essence, they were taught what the bible teaches.  They were just taught it before it was recorded.


  
  If so, why is the Bible important to Christianity?
  


N/A.  "If so" clearly isn't the case.  The Bible is essential to Christianity today.  The events described in it happened thousands of years ago, and if we didn't have this Book of history, recorded exactly the way God intended, and preserved to the present day, we'd have no solid foundation for our faith.  We'd have a million different views on God (as we do today) without the one source of Truth that the Scriptures provide, as a plumb-line against which to measure the truth of the various teachings.

In other words, without the Bible, we could know nothing about God.  We would have no basis for our faith, other than to base it on our own suppositions and the suppositions of those in authority who came before us.