STUDY GUIDE M.A. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

Transcription

1 STUDY GUIDE M.A. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION M.A. Prgram: Histry f Christianity Saturday, Octber 28, 2017 (Buswell 112A) 8:45 am 4:00 pm Saturday, March 24, 2018 (Buswell 112A) 8:45 am 4:00 pm The purpse f this exam is t evaluate each student s cmprehensive knwledge f the Histry f Christianity. In their answers, students shuld be prepared t Explre the histrical cntext f the church in a particular perid (Early, Medieval, Refrmatin, r Mdern) thereby shwing an awareness f characteristic practices, cncerns, figures, and events in a cncentrated manner. Offer insight int the ways in which cntextual factrs relate t the histrical develpment f Christianity acrss perids (i.e., shwing develpment frm at least ne perid t anther by lking at intellectual, scial, plitical, ecnmic, racial, gender, and/r cultural factrs). Identify key figures f the Histry f Christianity and present their lives and thught with attentin t their cntextual significance in thught and actin. Engage with histrigraphy ver interpretatins f histrical events and cnsider the methdlgical apprach f histry as a Christian and a histrian. Offer insight int hw develping biblical interpretatins and thelgical ideas shaped Christianity and were influenced by the histrical cntext. Exhibit a critical eye in the analysis f primary surce texts with attentin t key terms, ideas, cntext, and the significance f the dcument fr the Histry f Christianity. Students will have 6 hurs in rder t cmplete a ttal f 6 essay questins. In additin t meeting the abve bjectives, answers shuld Be clearly rganized and written (i.e., prviding an intrductin, tpic sentences, transitins, and a cnclusin) Prvide 1.5 r 2 spacing fr yur essay questins. Persuasively argue yur psitin with strng supprting and specific histrical evidence. Tuch n every perid f the histry f Christianity ver the curse f the 6 essays (i.e., marks taken ff fr excluding a perid frm analysis). 1 P age

2 NOTE: Cncentratin students in particular will need t highlight their cmprehensive knwledge f the range f Christian histry beynd their specific fcus in Christian histry. Make sure that the evidence yu are prviding frm the histrical accunt clearly and directly answers the questin. Avid repetitin f infrmatin acrss answers in rder t reveal the full range and breadth f knwledge that a student has achieved NOTE: Students shuld keep that in mind when selecting their questins frm the ptins prvided. The repetitin f infrmatin will nt be cunted mre than nce. Be sure t engage with thelgy in the thelgy questins. Infuse yur writing with infrmatin dates, figures, and terminlgy (alng with brief definitin). Shw a wide breadth f knwledge in terms f histrigraphy (avid relegating yur grasp f histrigraphy t ne questin r sectin, but it shuld be evident thrughut). The frmat f the exam will prceed as specified belw: Sectin I. The Histrical Develpment f Christianity The first sectin f the exam will test the student s knwledge f The Histrical Develpment f Christianity in tw parts (I.1 & I.2). I.1 (Chse 1 questin): The first part f this sectin will test student understanding f histrical develpment during ne perid f Christian histry, namely the Patristic, Medieval, Refrmatin, and Mdern eras. Students are expected t be able t prvide depth f cncentrated knwledge f the characteristic practices, cncerns, key figures, and significant events f ne perid. I. 2 (Chse 2 questins): The secnd part f the first sectin will ask students t explre the develpment f Christianity as it related t scial, plitical, ecnmic, racial, gender, cultural, and intellectual factrs. Students will be required t shw develp frm at least ne perid t ne ther perid. Part f that wrk will include identifying and explring ntable turning pints within Christian histry. Sectin II. The Histry f Biblical Interpretatin & Thelgy (Chse 1 questin): The secnd sectin f the exam will test the student s knwledge f hw interpretatins f scripture and the develpment f thelgical understandings related t the histrical cntext and shaped Christianity. 2 P age

3 Sectin III. Histrical Methdlgy The third sectin f the exam will test students grasp f the methdlgical apprach t histry as Christians by explring the fllwing questin: Outline and evaluate varius cmpeting perspectives regarding whether r in what way Christian histrians shuld g abut the task f writing histry differently frm secular histrians. Sectin IV. Textual Analysis Fr the final sectin f the exam, students will be expected t write a textual analysis f 1 Gbbet (i.e., a prminent excerpt frm a histrical dcument). Answers shuld identify the authr, title, and era f the text as well as expund upn the ideas within the passage and cntextualize thse ideas apprpriately. Attentin t scriptural allusins and references is als necessary when applicable. STUDY GUIDELINES Preparatin fr the exam will require review f the cre curse classes. The attached bibligraphy shuld als prvide assistance in identifying areas where further study is needed. Each student taking the exam needs t meet with the degree crdinatr t ensure they are fully prepared fr the requirements f the exam. The degree crdinatr will schedule a grup meeting t that end a few weeks prir t the exam date. Fr the exam, it is recmmended that yu will have read r at least be familiar with the structure and argument f many f the bks that are listed. Yu are respnsible in this manner fr the texts that appear in the bibligraphy belw whether r nt they were assigned in yur classes. BIBLIOGRAPHY Textbks: Gnzález, Just. A Histry f Christian Thught, vls. 1-3, The Stry f Christianity, vls. 1-2, Kee, Hward, et. al. Christianity: A Scial and Cultural Histry, Olsn, Rger E. The Stry f Christian Thelgy, Raitt, Jill, ed. Christian Spirituality, vls. 1-3, Sunquist, Sctt and Dale Irvin. Histry f the Wrld Christian Mvement, ) Early Christianity: 3 Page

4 Brwn, Peter. Augustine f Hipp, Hall, S. G. Dctrine and Practice in the Early Church, Kelly, J. N. D. Early Christian Dctrines, McGuckin, J. A. The Westminster Handbk t Patristic Thelgy, Stark, Rdney. The Rise f Christianity, Trevett, Christine. Mntanism: Gender, Authrity, and the New Prphecy, Wilken, R. L. The Spirit f Early Christian Thught: Seeking the Face f Gd, ) Medieval Christianity: Bell, David N. and Many Mansins. An Intrductin t the Develpment and Diversity f Medieval Thelgy, East and West, Evans, G. R., ed. The Medieval Thelgians, McGinn, Bernard. A Histry f Western Christian Mysticism, vls. 1-4, Reid, Patrick V. Readings in Western Religius Thught II: The Middle Ages Thrugh the Refrmatin, Jlly, Karen. Traditin & Diversity: Christianity in a Wrld Cntext t 1500, Brunn, Emilie Zum and Gergette Epiney-Burgard. Wmen Mystics in Medieval Eurpe, ) Refrmatin Christianity: Benedict, Philip. Christ s Churches Purely Refrmed: A Scial Histry f Calvinism, Grdn, Bruce. Calvin, Oberman, Heik A. Luther: Man Between Gd and the Devil, Ozment, Steven. When Fathers Ruled: Family Life in Refrmatin Eurpe, Pettegree, Andrew, ed. The Refrmatin Wrld, P age

5 5 P age Steinmetz, David. Refrmers in the Wings, Williams, Gerge H. The Radical Refrmatin, 3 rd ed., ) Mdern Eurpean Christianity: Brwn, Callum G. The Death f Christian Britain, Cffey, Jhn. Persecutin and Tleratin in Prtestant England , Frd, David, ed. Mdern Thelgians, Larsen, Timthy. Crisis f Dubt: Hnest Faith in Nineteenth-Century England, Martin, David. Pentecstalism, McLed, Hugh. Secularisatin in Western Eurpe, , Srkin, David. The Religius Enlightenment, ) American Christianity: Bremer, Francis J. The Puritan Experiment: New England Sciety frm Bradfrd t Edwards, Hatch, Nathan O. The Demcratizatin f American Christianity, Marsden, Gerge M. Fundamentalism and American Culture, Jnathan Edwards: A Life, Marsh, Charles. Gd s Lng Summer: Stries f Faith and Civil Rights, Nll, Mark A. America s Gd: Frm Jnathan Edwards t Abraham Lincln, The Old Religin in a New Wrld: The Histry f Nrth American Christianity, Wacker, Grant. Early Pentecstals and American Culture, ) Wrld Christianity: Barrett, David. Wrld Christian Encyclpedia, 2 nd ed., 2001.

6 Bednarwski, Mary Farrall, ed. Twentieth-Century Glbal Christianity. A Peple s Histry f Christianity, vl. 7, Hastings, Adrian, ed. A Wrld Histry f Christianity, Jenkins, Philips. The Next Christendm: The Cming f Glbal Christianity, The Lst Histry f Christianity, The New Faces f Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Glbal Suth, Miller, Dnald E. and Tetsuna Yamamri. Glbal Pentecstalism: The New Face f Christian Scial Engagement, Sanneh, Lamin and Jel A. Carpenter. The Changing Face f Christianity: Africa, the West, and the Wrld, ) Histrigraphy: Bauman, Michael and Martin I. Klauber. Histrians f the Christian Traditin: Their Methdlgy and Influence n Western Thught, Bebbingtn, David. Patterns in Histry, Fea, Jhn. Cnfessing Histry, Marsden, Gerge. The Outrageus Idea f Christian Schlarship, McIntire, C. T., ed. Gd, Histry, and Histrians, P age

7 EXAM POLICY The cmprehensive exam is ffered by the BITH department twice during the academic year, in Octber and March. It is nt ffered in the summer fr August graduates f the Master f Arts prgrams, s students cmpleting requirements and anticipating graduatin in August shuld be prepared t take the cmprehensive exam in March. Students shuld nt attempt t take the exam until they have had the pprtunity t cmplete all the cre curse requirements. The exam must be passed within the 5-year deadline in rder t earn the degree by traditinal students and within the 7-year deadline fr MPPM students. If a semester r mre has passed since the student s last enrllment in the Graduate Schl, the student shuld submit a Supplementary Applicatin t the Graduate Admissins department in rder t becme eligible t register fr BITH 692, Cmprehensive Exam, in the semester f their chsing. The cmprehensive exam fee is $25. Once a student has registered fr BITH 692, s/he will be infrmed f study guides, exam dates and lcatins, special instructins, prctr agreements, and any additinal infrmatin by the graduate BITH department ffice crdinatr. It is the student s respnsibility t verify that the graduate BITH department has all necessary cntact infrmatin, including an address, t be used fr cmmunicatin purpses. If the student decides t withdraw frm the exam that semester, s/he must drp it frm their registratin fr that semester in the Registrar s Office n later than 2 weeks prir t the exam date. N refund is given after the secnd week f the semester. Furthermre, it is the student s respnsibility t cmmunicate t the department n later than tw weeks prir t the exam date that they have withdrawn frm the cmprehensive exam fr that semester, r if they qualify fr special accmmdatins due t dcumented special needs r learning disabilities. The dcuments fr special needs must be n file in the Registrar s Office. Failure by the student t withdraw befre the deadline f tw weeks prir t the exam date results in the exam being recrded as an F fr that attempt. Students may attempt the cmprehensive exam fr their master s prgram nly twice. A student failing their first attempt may retake the exam nly at the annunced time in the fllwing semester. All students wh fail the first attempt will be expected t retake the entire exam n their secnd attempt and nt just the sectins missed. Failure t pass the cmprehensive exam n the secnd attempt results in failure t have the master s degree cnferred. Students that fail r withdraw frm the cmprehensive exam will be precluded frm participating in cmmencement activities fr that academic year. 7 P age