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.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course should enable students to arrive at an overall,
positive appraisal of Medieval Christianity. It will enable them to understand
and value the origins of their own confessions by showing how the doctrines and
the practices of the Reformation churches emerged in specific historical
contexts. Students will learn the continuing importance of the
sixteenth-century controversies over such things as Scripture, justification,
the sacraments, and church and state. Finally, students will increase their
critical skills in reading and writing through the study of primary source
materials.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: 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.
COURSE FORMAT: The course will be conducted twice weekly for two hours per
session in a lecture-discussion format.
REQUIRED READING: