Spring 2019/Seattle

CH506

C. Scalise

CH506: AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY IN A GLOBAL HISTORICAL CONTEXT (4 Units: 160 hours). Charles J. Scalise.

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DESCRIPTION: CH506 analyzes the history and distinctive global roles of American Christianity to illumine and facilitate the interpretation of the church in the present generation. Christians from many countries and people groups have come to the United States, making it one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse nations on earth. The class offers an introductory overview of the history of Christianity in America, which will explore some of the major persons, ideas, and movements that have shaped Christian faith and practice, both in North America and throughout the world. The course will also involve students in opportunities for more intensive pursuit and presentation of their particular interests in the story of North American Christianity and its global implications.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who complete CH506 will demonstrate: (1) a basic historical and theological knowledge of the doctrines of the Christian church as these developed distinctively in the North American context from the sixteenth century to the present day and shaped its local cultures, experience of immigration, and global mission outreach; (2) a basic competence in interpreting this history and theology and an ability to evaluate these theological issues and their historical development; and (3) a critical and sympathetic appreciation for the breadth, unity, and diversity of the Christian church.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: 1172 pages.

Gaustad, Edwin S. and Mark A. Noll, eds. A Documentary History of Religion in America to 1877. 3rd ed. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 978-0802822291, Pub. Price $65.00. Available on Kindle. [100 pp. assigned]

MacHaffie, Barbara J. Her Story: Women in Christian Tradition. 2nd ed. Fortress Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0800638269, Pub. Price $44.00. Available on Kindle. [219 pp. assigned]

Noll, Mark A. A History of Christianity in the United States and Canada. Eerdmans, 1992. ISBN: 978-0802806512, Pub. Price $52.00. Available on Kindle. [553 pp. assigned]

Powery, Emerson B. and Rodney S. Sadler, Jr. The Genesis of Liberation: Biblical Interpretation in the Antebellum Narratives of the Enslaved. Westminster John Knox Press, 2016. ISBN: 978-0664230531. Pub. Price $35.00. Available on Kindle and as Fuller Library e-book [60 pp. assigned.]

Instructor-approved historical figure reading from primary and secondary sources for student presentations. [100 pp.]

Instructor-approved readings from primary and secondary sources for research paper. [140 pp.]

RECOMMENDED READING:

Gabaccia, Donna R. Immigration and American Diversity: A Social and Cultural History. Wiley Blackwell, 2002. ISBN: 978-0631220336, Pub. Price $64.95.

Orsi, Robert A. The Madonna of 115th Street: Faith and Community in Italian Harlem, 1880-1950. 3rd. ed. Yale Univ. Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0300157529, Pub. Price $24.00.

Robeck, Cecil M., Jr. The Azusa Street Mission and Revival: The Birth of the Global Pentecostal Movement. Thomas Nelson, 2006. ISBN: 978-1418506247, Pub. Price $16.99.

Sernett, Milton C. African American Religious History: A Documentary Witness. 2nd ed. Duke University Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0822324492, Pub. Price $32.95.

Sweeney, Douglas A. The American Evangelical Story: A History of the Movement. 2nd. Ed. Baker Academic, 2005. ISBN: 978-0801026584, Pub. Price $22.00.

Recommended Resources:

Cullen, Jim. Essaying the Past: How to Read, Write, and Think about History. 3rd ed. Wiley-Blackwell, 2016. ISBN: 978-1119111900, Pub. Price $24.95.

Gaustad, Edwin S. and Mark A. Noll, eds. A Documentary History of Religion in America Since 1877. 3rd ed. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 978-0802822307, Pub. Price $65.00.

Rampolla, Mary Lynn. A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. 9th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s (Macmillan), 2017. ISBN: 978-1319113025. Pub. Price $31.99.

Reid, Daniel G., et al., eds. Concise Dictionary of Christianity in America. Wipf & Stock, 2002. ISBN: 978-1579109691, Pub. Price $41.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Total structured hours: 160

1. Classroom hours of lecture, discussion, document workshops, student devotional presentations, and other learning activities. Attendance and participation: 10% [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, and 3.] [30 hours].
2. Online directed learning activities (10%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2 and #3] [10 hours].
3. 1,172 pages of required reading. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, and 3.] [78 hours].
4. Historical figure reading list for student group presentations (10%). [Graded credit-no credit; hours included in #6] [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2.]
5. Research paper proposal (10%). [Graded credit-no credit; hours included in #7] [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2 and 3].
6. Historical figure group presentations (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2.] [10 hours, including #4].
7. Research paper (2500 words) based on an instructor-approved proposal (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 2 and 3.] [20 hours, including #5].
8. Final exam (2000 word maximum) covering readings, lectures, and document workshops (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, and 3.] [12 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH3 or TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MAT Programs (Fall 2015). Option to meet the TH3 requirement in the 80 MATM Program (Fall 2015). Meets CHC in the 144 MDiv Program.

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. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.