Spring 2013/Fuller Online
CH504
Johnson
CH504: MODERN CHURCH HISTORY. Richard O. Johnson.
DESCRIPTION: This course will trace the history of Christianity from the late 16th century to the present. The focus will be upon key personalities and movements that have shaped Christian belief and practice in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceana. Themes such as Pietism, the Enlightenment, the missionary movement, revivalism, liberalism, modernism, fundamentalism, Pentecostalism and ecumenism will be examined with an emphasis on the significance of this heritage for understanding contemporary Christianity.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The course will continually raise the question of how our history and tradition informs our present life and faith. Especially by hearing the voices of key figures through the generous use of primary sources, students will learn how the history of the modern church helps them to identify the historical and theological “location” of their own ministry and the trajectory of the church in the 21st century.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will demonstrate the ability to (1) identify and explain principal theological developments and historical events and personalities that have shaped the modern church; (2) think critically about historical texts and arguments, placing them in context; (3) interpret a variety of ecclesial traditions and experiences, including their own, with critical awareness and reflection; (4) critically assess their religious and cultural assumptions by examining the complexity and diversity of modern Christian history; (5) gain an appreciation for the multiplicity of ways in which the Christian faith is experienced and expressed around the world.
COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.
REQUIRED READING:
Bettenson, Henry, and Chris Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0199568987, Pub.price $29.95 [85 pp. assigned].
González, Justo L. The Story of Christianity Volume 2: The Reformation to the Present Day. 2nd ed. HarperOne, 2010. ISBN: 978-0061855894, Pub.price $26.00 [350 pp. assigned].
Hastings, Adrian, ed. A World History of Christianity. Eerdmans, 2000. ISBN: 978-0802848758, Pub.price $38.00 [100 pp. assigned].
Jenkins, Philip. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0199767465, Pub.price $15.95 [220 pp. assigned].
Koschorke, Klaus, Frieder Ludwig, and Mariano Delgado, eds. A History of Christianity in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, 1450-1990: A Documentary Sourcebook. Eerdmans, 2007. ISBN: 978-0802828897, Pub.price $40.00 [130 pp. assigned].
Primary source documents (including excerpts from the Canons of Dordt, John Wesley, David Livingstone, the Barmen Declaration), which will be posted on Moodle (approximately 100 pp.).
RECOMMENDED READING:
Core, Deborah. The Seminary Student Writes. Chalice Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0827234475, Pub.price $16.99 [130 pp.].
Rampolla, Mary Lynn. A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. 6th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. ISBN: 978-0312535032, Pub.price $22.00 [160 pp.].
ASSIGNMENTS:
Regular reading assignments from the required texts; active weekly participation in course discussion forums (20% of grade)
Participation with other students in a joint class presentation (20% of grade)
One 10-page research paper (30% of grade)
FINAL Exam (30% of grade)
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History “C” (CHC); seminary core requirement (SCR) for MATM, MACL, MAICS, and MAFS degrees (Winter 2010).
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.