Summer 2013/Pasadena

CH502

Bradley

CH502: MEDIEVAL AND REFORMATION CHURCH HISTORY. James Bradley.

DESCRIPTION: An introduction to the most important themes and people in church history and historical theology from A.D. 500 to 1600.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Medieval and Reformation history introduces the student to the Western theological tradition and the major Protestant churches thereby providing the foundation for one’s confessional identity. The course provides a theological grounding for the work of the Christian ministry by surveying the historical development of the doctrines of the church, Scripture, and justification. The goal of Medieval and Reformation history is to make students conversant with the history and vocabulary of the Western church, to bring them to an awareness of the circumstances that have influenced the origins, growth, and development of Protestantism, to develop a critical methodology that will enable them to discern and evaluate the perennial theological issues, to provide them with insights into the theological character and meaning of the church’s ministry, and to form their identity as Christian leaders.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: First, this course should enable Protestant students to arrive at an overall, positive appraisal of Medieval, Catholic Christianity. Second, it will enable them to understand and value the origins of their own Protestant confession by showing how the doctrines and the practices of the Reformation churches emerged in specific historical contexts. Third, students will learn the abiding importance of the sixteenth-century controversies over Scripture, justification, the sacraments, and church and state. Finally, students will increase their critical skills in reading through the study of primary source materials.

COURSE FORMAT: This class will meet daily for four-hour sessions for two weeks.

REQUIRED READING:

Bettenson, Henry, and Chris Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church. 4^th ed. Oxford, 2011. Sections on the Medieval period and the Reformation only. ISBN: 978-0199568987, Pub. Price $29.95 [528 pp.].

Hillerbrand, H. J. The Protestant Reformation. Harper, 2009. ISBN: 978-0061148477, Pub. Price $16.99 [368 pp.].

Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity Vols. 1 and 2. Harper Collins 1975. Chapters on the Medieval period and Reformation only. Vol. 1: ISBN: 978-0060649524, Pub Price $25.99; Vol. 2: ISBN: 978-0060649531, Pub. Price $25.95 [chapters on the Medieval period and Reformation only.].

MacHaffie, Barbara J. Her Story: Women in Christian Tradition. 2nd ed. Fortress, 2006, ISBN: 978-0800638269, Pub. Price $44.00 [chapters on Medieval period and the Reformation only].

Course Outlines and Bulletins on Moodle.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

Regular assigned reading from the textbooks.
A midterm weighted 40%, and final examination, weighted 60% of the final grade. The exams will have both essay and objective components.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History “b” (CHB); meets MAT (2010 revision) requirement.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.

NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.