Winter 2016/Fuller Online

CH575

Feldmeth

CH575: WOMEN IN CHURCH HISTORY AND THEOLOGY (4 Units: 160 hours). Nathan P. Feldmeth.

DESCRIPTION: This course of study places special attention on the unique contributions women have made to the Church from the first century through the late- 20th century. Such advances usually happened despite official impediments to women’s spiritual leadership and active ministry. The course highlights conflicts women faced raised by doctrine, traditions, and practices of the Church and as well as issues of ethnic and racial bias.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who complete CH575 will demonstrate: 1) knowledge of the developing history of women in the Church and key women who have shaped that history through the 20^th century through exposure to primary source materials; 2) the ability to historically access theological, cultural and philosophical presuppositions about women and how these influenced women’s roles in Christian ministry, 3) a critical and sympathetic appreciation for the breadth, unity and diversity of women’s contributions to the Christian church and how to interpret these contextually.

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. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online forums and “live chat” discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.

REQUIRED READING: 1300 total pages of required reading

Clark, Elizabeth A. Women in the Early Church. Liturgical Press, 1984. ISBN: 978-0814653326, Pub. Price $24.95 [138 pp. assigned]

Jantzen, Grace M. Julian of Norwich: Mystic and Theologian. Paulist Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0809139910, Pub. Price $16.50 [120 pp. assigned]

Jewett, Paul King. The Ordination of Women. Eerdmans, 1980. ISBN: 978-0802818508, Pub. Price $17.00 [164 pp. assigned]

Kienzle, Beverly, and Walker, Pamela. Women Preachers and Prophets Through Two Millennia of Christianity. University of California Press, 1998. ISBN: 978-0520209220, Pub. Price $34.95 [195 pp. assigned]

Oden, Amy. In Her Words: Women’s Writings in the History of Christian Thought. Abingdon Press, 1994. ISBN: 978-0687459728, Pub. Price $32.99 [206 pp. assigned]

Petroff, Elizabeth Alvilda, Editor. Medieval Women’s Visionary Literature. Oxford University Press, 1986. ISBN: 978-0195037128, Pub. Price $49.95 [272 pp. assigned]

Thompson, John L. Reading the Bible with the Dead. Eerdmans, 2007. ISBN: 978-0802807533, Pub. Price $24.00 [205 pp. assigned]

RECOMMENDED READING: An extensive list of recommended reading is included with the course syllabus.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Assigned readings (~1300 pp.) to be completed in preparation for class presentations and discussion. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1,2,3] [75 hours]
2. Moodle-based recorded video lectures and other video presentations etc. [20 hours].
3. 250-word weekly forum posts (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [10 hours].
4. 125-word weekly forum responses (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2,3] [5 hours].
5. Students will compile a reading journal of assigned texts. (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1,2,3] [15 hours]
6. Students will write three five- seven page research papers focusing on theological, cultural and philosophical presuppositions about women in each of the three of the following periods: 1) the early church, 2) medieval, and reformation church, and 3) the modern church that have a direct bearing on women’s roles in ministry. (60%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2,3] [30 hours]
7. Weekly real time question/answer session with student groups and professor using Zoom (30 minute = 5 hours). (5%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2, 3] [5 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MAT Programs (Fall 2015). Option to meet the C5 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MATM Programs (Fall 2015).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.