Fall 2014/Fuller Online

CH500

Waldrop

CH500: EARLY CHURCH HISTORY (4 Units: 164 Hours). Jeffrey Waldrop.

DESCRIPTION: An introduction to the more important themes, people, events, and doctrines in church history. Attention will be given to a variety of leading apologists, theologians, monastics and church leaders of the church in the West and in the East, from the post-apostolic fathers through about the end of the sixth century.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have demonstrated (1) the ability to place their own confessional tradition within the broader framework of early catholic Christianity; (2) an understanding of the ways in which the doctrines and the practices of the church emerge in specific historical contexts; (3) an understanding of the vocabulary of the Trinitarian, Christological, and soteriological debates of the first four centuries; and (4) an increase of their critical skills in reading and writing through the study of primary source materials and by the writing of an analytical essay.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours, which is outlined below in the assignment and assessment section. 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: Approx. 1,000 pp. required.

Bettenson, Henry, and Chris Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church. 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0199568987, Pub. Price $29.95 [sections on the period through to A.D. 600 only––100 pp. assigned].

Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. Penguin, rev. ed., 1993. ISBN: 978-0140231991, Pub. Price $18.00 [314 pp.].

Clark, Elizabeth A. Women in the Early Church. The Liturgical Press, 1984. ISBN: 978-0814653326, Pub. Price $24.95 [258 pp.].

Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity Vol. 1. Harper Collins, 1975. ISBN: 978-0060649524, Pub. Price $25.99 [320 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Frend, W. H. C. The Rise of Christianity. Fortress Press, 1984. ISBN: 978-0800619312, Pub. Price $46.50.

MacMullen, Ramsay. Christianizing the Roman Empire: A.D. 100-400. Yale University Press, 1984. ISBN: 978-0300036428, Pub. Price $22.00.

ASSIGNMENTS & ASSESSMENT:  Assignments, Hourly Requirements for each, and relevance to Learning Outcomes:

1. Watch YouTube Lectures, and read Lecture notes and Power points [20 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3].

2. Engage in Classroom Forums—Initial posts [10 hours] [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3].

3. Engage in Classroom Forums—Response to classmate posts [10 hours] [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3].

4. Read assignments from class texts (about 1,000 pp.) [65 hours] [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4].

5. Outline three primary source documents [10 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4].

6. Submit weekly reflections over class readings [10 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4].

7. Submit a seven-page analytical essay based upon a classic text from the early church [15 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4].

8. Mid-term exam [12 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3].

9. FINAL Exam [12 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3].

COURSE Activities will be graded as follows:

1. Active participation in course discussion forums in which students interact with course lectures, course readings, and each other (20%).

2. A seven-page analytical essay based upon a classic text from the early church (30%)

3. Reading assignments (about 1000 pp.), weekly reflections over reading assignments and primary source outlines (10%).

4. Mid-term exam (20%).

5. FINAL Exam (20%).

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program. Meets 144 MDiv core requirement in Church History “a” (CHA).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.