Fall 2008/Pasadena
CH502
Ahn

CH502: MEDIEVAL AND REFORMATION HISTORY. Katherine H. L. Ahn.


DESCRIPTION: This is a survey course that studies the development of Christian doctrines and the formation of various confessional groups in the Western theological tradition from the sixth through the sixteenth centuries.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  1. Students will be able to identify and explain major theological developments and historical events that shaped the Christian church during the Medieval and the Reformation periods.

  2. Students will demonstrate through written and oral presentations their ability to analyze important historical texts and to explain their significance within different historical contexts.

  3. Students will demonstrate through presentations and writing assignments the ability to interpret various ecclesiastical traditions by analyzing their development and changes during the Medieval and Reformation periods.

  4. Students will be challenged to reflect upon some of their religious assumptions by studying the complexity and diversity of Christian churches in history and will develop a greater understanding of various Christian traditions and individuals by understanding how their beliefs and practices were formed during this period.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: This course should help students identify origins of a number of major confessional traditions among Christian churches, as well as their own. As they learn how the early Christian church was transformed into various traditions in Europe during the Medieval and Reformation periods, students will be able to understand and explain similarities and differences among the traditions. In such a way, this course can help students become more effective ministers to people with diverse Christian backgrounds, as they approach people with better historical understanding of their practices and beliefs. Students can also engage in theological discussions about issues relevant to the life of Christians today with more intelligent and historically based information and with better understanding of the great diversity within the Christian church.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet weekly for four hours for lectures, presentations, and discussions.

REQUIRED READING:
Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity. Vols. 1 and 2. Harper Collins, 1985.

Bettenson, Henry S., and Chris Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press, 1999.

Janz, Denis, ed. A Reformation Reader. Fortress, 2002.

Tucker, Ruth, and Walter L. Liefeld. Daughters of the Church. Zondervan, 1987.

ASSIGNMENTS: (1) Completion of all required reading. (2) One research paper and optional class presentation on one of the research topics provided in the syllabus (12-15 pages; 40% of the final grade). (4) One midterm and a final examination based on required readings and lectures (each 30% of the final grade).

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History "b" (CHB).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (7/08)