Spring 2014/Fuller Online

CH504

Johnson

CH504: MODERN CHURCH HISTORY (4 Units). 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.

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. 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0199568987, Pub. Price $30.00 [30 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 $40.00 [40 pp. assigned].

Jenkins, Philip. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0199767465, Pub. Price $16.00 [276 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 [140 pp. assigned].

Primary source documents (including excerpts from the Canons of Dort, Spener, John Wesley, David Livingstone), which will be posted on Moodle (approximately 40 pp.).

RECOMMENDED READING:

Core, Deborah. The Seminary Student Writes. Chalice Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0827234475, Pub. Price $17.00 [130 pp.].

Rampolla, Mary Lynn. A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. 7th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. ISBN: 978-0312610418, Pub. Price $19.00 [160 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Total structured hours: 120

1. Regular reading assignments from the required texts [36 hours].

2. On-line lessons [20 hours] (10% of grade).

3. Active weekly participation in course discussion forums [26 hours] (25% of grade).

4. Participation with other students in a joint class presentation [15 hours] (20% of grade).

5. One 10-page research paper [20 hours] (25% of grade).

6. Midterm and final exams [3 hours] (20% 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.