Spring 2014/Sacramento

CH504

Johnson

CH504: MODERN CHURCH HISTORY (4 Units). Richard 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 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: The class will meet once a week for 3.5 hours for nine weeks for a total of 31.5 hours. Class meetings will include a mixture of lecture and discussion. Some between class session interaction via Moodle will be encouraged.

REQUIRED READING:

Bettenson, Henry, and Chris Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church. 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0199568987, Pub. Price $29.95 [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 $25.99 [350 pp. assigned]

Hastings, Adrian, ed. A World History of Christianity. Eerdmans, 2000. ISBN: 978-0802848758, Pub. Price $40 [40 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 [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 [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 $16.99.

Rampolla, Mary Lynn. A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. 7th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. ISBN: 978-0312610418, Pub. Price $24.99.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Regular reading assignments from the required texts (40 hours)
  2. Classroom participation (30 hours, 10% of grade)
  3. Participation with other students in a joint class presentation (15 hours, 20% of grade)
  4. Four 1-page reflection papers (8 hours, 20% of grade)
  5. One 10-page research paper (25 hours, 30% of grade)
  6. Midterm and final exams (2 hours, 20% of grade)

PREREQUISITES: None

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History "c" (CHC); meets NT Seminary Core Requirement (SCR) for MATM, MAICS, MAFS, MACL (effective Winter 2010).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes (part in class, part take-home)


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.

For your convenience, order these texts online through the Archives Bookshop.