DESCRIPTION:

This course will provide an introduction to the more important themes, movements, and Christian leaders from the sixth through the seventeenth centuries. Students will survey the strengths and weaknesses of Christian life and thought from the beginnings of medieval history through the breakup of the Western church at the time of the Reformation.

The evangelical tradition which has nurtured most of our students can best be understood as standing within the Western theological tradition which produced the major historic Protestant churches. This course should enable students to come to terms with their own confessional identities. We will evaluate certain aspects in the development of doctrine within its historical context, and seek to understand its ramifications for contemporary Christian faith. The historical context, too, is important in that much of Western history and culture fed into what became the American experience. By looking at the context of history, the development of theology, and the personal lives of various Christian leaders, students should gain insight into the nature of Christian ministry, the character of Christian leaders, and the ramifications of their actions upon Church life. Students will also be challenged to think about the Church and its history ecumenically.

The course will be conducted twice weekly for two hours per session in a lecture-discussion format.

Chadwick, Owen. The Reformation. London: Penguin, 1964.

Hendrix, Scott H. Recultivating the Vineyard: The Reformation Agendas of Christianization Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2004.

Logan, F. Donald. A History of the Church in the Middle Ages. New York: Routledge, 2002.

Papadakis, Aristeides, The Christian East and the Rise of the Papacy. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1994.

Robeck, Cecil M. Unpublished Course Notes.

Students are expected to keep up with the readings and be prepared to discuss them in class as needed. A midterm and a final exam, each worth 35% of the grade, will be given. A 5-page paper assessing a key historical document of the period will be due during the eighth week. It will be worth 30% of the grade.

None.

Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History "b" (CHB).

Yes.