CH 3001 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY COURSE SYLLABUS Fall 2014-15 Dr. Michael R. Spradlin COURSE DESCRIPTION History of Christianity is a three- semester- hour survey of the history of the Christian faith and church from the intertestamental period to the present. The course focuses on the background of early Christianity, the beginning methods by which Jesus and His disciples founded the faith, and the consequent spread of His followers throughout the world. The course will examine key historical figures and events as it tracks Christianity s progression from the time of Christ until today. COURSE OBJECTIVES The course is characterized by seven primary educational objectives: 1. To nurture historical critical thinking; 2. To formulate a broad understanding of the historical development of the Christian Church (its institutions, theology, and lifestyles) beginning with the time of Christ and moving through the Patristic Period, the Medieval Period, and the Reformation Period to the Modern Period; 3. To acquire an appreciation of the historical relationship between the church and the broader culture; 4. To evaluate the faithfulness of the church to Scripture and to Christian ethics; 5. To apply knowledge of the church s past to contemporary issues; and 6. To create a desire within the student to make reading in church history a life- long pursuit. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Attendance Students are allowed nine absences per semester. Three tardies count as one absence.
Course Textbook The official textbook for the course is: Baker, Robert and John Landers. A Summary of Christian History. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2005. The textbooks may be read at the discretion of the student. Students will be asked to sign a form stating that they have read the textbook in its entirety prior to the final examination. Course Examinations Students will be required to complete two examinations covering designated chapters in the textbook as well as the notes as set forth in the Course Schedule. The course will have two tests of equal value in this course. Test will be taken from class lecture as well as the textbook. Class Presentation Each student will make a 5-10 minute presentation in class on a historical figure or event of his/her choosing. The presentation should use power point and/or handouts. Each student will then email their presentation to their classmates so that classmates may have your notes. Assistance from the Professor The Professor may be contacted for assistance at any time by students at his office, at his home telephone (901) 751-3048 or by e- mail at spradlin@mabts.edu. Final Course Grade Each student s final grade in the course will be determined on the following basis: Grade on the First Unit Examination 20% Grade on the Second Unit Examination 20% Grade the Final Exam 20% Grade on the Presentation 20% Grade on book review 20% Final Grade for the Course 100% Cell Phones
Students may use cell phones in class but are required to keep their phone on vibrate. If an emergency occurs, students must step out of the class to take the call. Computers Students are encouraged to use computers in class. However, students may use computers only for taking notes. Grading Scale The following is the grading scale used for this course: A 98-100 C 83-80 A- 97-95 C- 79-77 B+ 94-92 D+ 76-75 B 91-89 D 74-73
CH 3001 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY COURSE SCHEDULE Fall 2014-15 Dr. Michael R. Spradlin, Professor COURSE SCHEDULE Professor reserves right to change depending on class needs. Week 1- Syllabus/Introduction to Course Week 2- How Israel Became Israel Week 3- Jesus Ministry Week 4- Making Your Way Through the Book of Acts/Fall of Israel/Masada (First Test) Week 5- The First Three Centuries- Spread Week 6- The First Three Centuries- Key Figures Week 7- The First Three Centuries- Controversies Week 8- Later Patristics 312-590- Spread Week 9- Later Patristics 312-590- Controversies and Councils (Second Test) Week 10- Middle Ages 590-1517- Spread Week 11- Middle Ages 590-1517- Key Figures Week 12- Middle Ages 590-1517- Key Figures/Events Week 13- Reformation Period Week 14- Reformation Period/Spread of Christianity to 19 th century Week 15- The Great Century Week 16- Christianity today (Final Test)
CH 3001 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY FROM THE FIRST CENTURY THROUGH THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Bettenson, Henry, and Chris Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church. 3d ed. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Bradley, James E. and Richard A. Muller. Church History: An Introduction to Research, Reference Works, and Methods. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. Brooke, Christopher. Age of the Cloister: The Story of Monastic Life in the Middle Ages. Mahway, NJ: Paulist Press, 2001. Bruce, F. F. The Canon of Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988. Cairns, Earle E. Christianity through the Centuries. 3d ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. Rev. ed. New York: Penguin, 1993. Cross, F. L., and E. A. Livingstone, eds. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 3d ed. New York: Oxford, 1977. Curtis, A. Kenneth, et. al. The 100 Most Important Events in Christian History. Grand Rapids: Revell/Baker, 1998. Dowley, Tim, ed. The Baker Atlas of Christian History. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997 Evans, G. R. The Medieval Theologians: An Introduction to the Theology in the Medieval Period. Oxford: Blackwell, 2001. Fletcher, Richard. The Barbarian Conversion: From Paganism to Christianity. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1977. Gonzalez, Justo L. A History of Christian Thought: From the Beginnings to the Council of Chalcedon. Vol. 1. Rev. ed. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1987.. A History of Christian Thought: From Augustine to the Eve of the Reformation. Vol. 2. Rev. ed. Nashville Abingdon Press, 1987.
. The Story of Christianity: The Early Church to the Present Day. Complete in One Volume. Volume One: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation. Volume Two: The Reformation to the Present Day. Peabody, MA: Prince Press, 2008. Hastings, Adrian, ed. A World History of Christianity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999. Hollister, C. Warren, Joe W. Leedom, et. al. eds. Medieval Europe: A Short Sourcebook. 3d ed. East Syracuse, NY: McGraw- Hill Co., 1997. Hurtado, Larry W. At the Origins of Christian Worship. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999. Kelly, J. N. D. Early Christian Doctrines. 5 th ed. Peabody, MA: Prince Press, 1978.. The Oxford Dictionary of the Popes. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1990. Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity. New York: Harper & Bros. 1953.. A History of Christianity: Beginnings to 1500. Vol.1. Rev. ed. Peabody, MA: Prince Press, 1975. Leith, John H., ed. Creeds of the Churches. 3d ed. Atlanta: John Knox, 1982. McGrath, Alister E. Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1998. Nichols, Aidan. Discovering Aquinas: An Introduction to His Life, Work, and Influence. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002. Noll, Mark A. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997. Olson, Roger E. The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition and Reformation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999. Pelikan, Jaroslov. Jesus through the Ages: His Place in the History of Culture. New York: Harper & Row, 1985, 1987. Peterson, R. Dean A Concise History of Christianity. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1993. Schaff, Phillip, ed. The Creeds of Christendom: With a History and Critical Notes. 6 th ed. 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998.
Sheldon, Henry C. History of the Christian Church. 5 vols. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., 1895. Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language. Updated 2d ed. Dallas: Word, 1995. Singman, Jeffrey L. Daily Life in Medieval Europe. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. Stevenson, J., ed. Revised by W. H. C. Frend. Creeds, Councils and Controversies: Documents Illustrating the History of the Church AD 337-461. Cambridge: University Press, 1989.., ed. Revised by W. H. C. Frend. A New Eusebius: Documents Illustrating the History of the Church to AD 337. Cambridge: University Press, 1987. Walsh, Michael. Warriors of the Lord: The Military Orders of Christendom. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003. Walton, Robert C. Chronological and Background Charts of Church History. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986. Young, Frances M. From Nicaea to Chalcedon: A Guide to the Literature and Its Background. London: SCM, 1983. Maps Anderson, Charles S. Augsburg Historical Atlas of Christianity in the Middle Ages and Reformation. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1967. Chadwick, Henry, and Gillan Evans, eds. Atlas of the Christian Church. New York: Facts on File, 1987. Littell, Franklin H. The Macmillan Atlas History of Christianity. New York: Macmillan, 1976. McEvedy, Colin. The Penguin Atlas of Medieval History. New York: Macmillan, 1976. vander Meer, F. and C. Mohrmann. Atlas of the Early Christian World. Trans./eds. M. F. Hedlund and H. H. Rowley. London: Thomas Nelson, 1958.
Reference Ante- Nicene Fathers (10 vols.) Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers, first series (14 vols.) Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers, second series (14 vols.) Quasten s Patrology (3 vols.) Dictionary of the Middle Ages History of the Middle Ages Christian History Church History Coptic Church Review Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies Greek Orthodox Theological Review Journal of Ecclesiastical History Journal of Religious Studies Medieval Theology and Philosophy Patristic and Byzantine Review The Second Century Speculum St. Vladimir s Theological Quarterly Traditio The Thomist Journals
CH 3001 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY FROM THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A Religious History of the American People. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1972. Bettenson, Henry, and Chris Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church. 3d ed. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Bradley, James E. and Richard A. Muller. Church History: An Introduction to Research, Reference Works, and Methods. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. Cairns, Earle E. Christianity through the Centuries. 3d ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. Cross, F. L., and E. A. Livingstone, eds. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 3d ed. New York: Oxford, 1997. Curtis, A. Kenneth, et. al. The 100 Most Important Events in Christian History. Grand Rapids: Revell/Baker, 1998. Dowley, Tim, ed. The Baker Atlas of Christian History. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997 Hastings, Adrian, ed. A World History of Christianity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999. Kelly, J. N. D. The Oxford Dictionary of the Popes. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1990. Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity. New York: Harper & Bros. 1953. Leith, John H., ed. Creeds of the Churches. 3d ed. Atlanta: John Knox, 1982. McGrath, Alister E. Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1998. Noll, Mark A. A History of Christianity in the United States and Canada. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.
. The Old Religion in a New World: The History of North American Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002. Christianity.. The Work We Have to Do: A History of Protestants in America. New York:Oxford, 2002. Olson, Roger E. The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition and Reformation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999. Pelikan, Jaroslov. Jesus through the Ages: His Place in the History of Culture. New York: Harper & Row, 1985, 1987. Peterson, R. Dean A Concise History of Christianity. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1993. Schaff, Phillip, ed. The Creeds of Christendom: With a History and Critical Notes. 6 th ed. 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998. Sheldon, Henry C. History of the Christian Church. 5 vols. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., 1895. Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language. Updated 2d ed. Dallas: Word, 1995. Stevenson, J., ed. Revised by W. H. C. Frend. Creeds, Councils and Controversies: Documents Illustrating the History of the Church AD 337-461. Cambridge: University Press, 1989.., ed. Revised by W. H. C. Frend. A New Eusebius: Documents Illustrating the History of the Church to AD 337. Cambridge: University Press, 1987. Walton, Robert C. Chronological and Background Charts of Church History. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986. Maps Anderson, Charles S. Augsburg Historical Atlas of Christianity in the Middle Ages and Reformation. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1967. Chadwick, Henry, and Gillan Evans, eds. Atlas of the Christian Church. New York: Facts on File, 1987. Littell, Franklin H. The Macmillan Atlas History of Christianity. New York: Macmillan, 1976.
McEvedy, Colin. The Penguin Atlas of Medieval History. New York: Macmillan, 1976. vander Meer, F. and C. Mohrmann. Atlas of the Early Christian World. Trans./eds. M. F. Hedlund and H. H. Rowley. London: Thomas Nelson, 1958.