Winter 2012/Houston
CH502
Turley
CH502: MEDIEVAL AND REFORMATION CHURCH HISTORY. Steve Turley.
DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to the most
important themes and people in church history from roughly A.D. 500 to 1600.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Medieval and
Reformation history introduces the student to the Western theological tradition
and the major Protestant churches, thereby providing the foundation for one's
confessional identity. The course provides a theological grounding for the work
of the Christian ministry by surveying the historical development of Christian
doctrines. The goal of Medieval and Reformation history is to make students
conversant with the history and vocabulary of the Western church, to bring them
to an awareness of the circumstances that have influenced the origins, growth,
and development of Protestantism, to develop a critical methodology that will
enable them to discern and evaluate the perennial theological issues, to
provide them with insights into the theological character and meaning of the
church's ministry, and to form their identity as Christian leaders.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students successfully completing this course will have demonstrated (1) the ability to arrive at an overall, positive appraisal of medieval, Catholic Christianity; (2) the ability to evaluate their own particular traditions with new depth and insight as well as the acquisition of a new level of understanding regarding other denominations, movements, and historical events that have influenced and shaped the Christian faith; and (3) an understanding of the abiding importance of the sixteenth-century controversies over Scripture, justification, the sacraments, and church and state. Finally, students will demonstrate critical skills in reading, gained through the study of primary source materials.
COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet Wednesday mornings
(9:00-12:00) in a three-hour session, to include both lecture and discussion.
REQUIRED READING:
Hillerbrand, Hans J. The Division of Christendom: Christianity in the Sixteenth Century. Louisville: John Knox Press, 2007. ISBN: 0664224024. $31.50. (467 pages).
Spitz, Lewis W. The Protestant Reformation: Major Documents. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1997. ISBN: 0570049938. $24.99. (192 pages).
Volz, Carl A. The Medieval Church: From the Dawn of the Middle Ages to the Eve of the Reformation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997. ISBN: 068700604X. $26. (251 pages).
Assorted medieval primary source documents, including Benedict, Pope Gregory, Francis of Assisi, Clare of Assisi, Kempis, and Erasmus (available online, not to exceed 150 pages).
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
1. Regular assigned reading from the textbooks.
2. A midterm weighted 30%, and final examination, weighted 30% of the final grade. The exams will have both essay and objective components.
3. A five-page personal reflection essay. Students will describe one significant new or changed perception gained in the course, explaining what they understood previously and why, what they understand now and why, and what implications this change might have for ministry. This essay will account for 10% of the final grade.
4. A ten-page research paper based on at least two primary source documents. This paper will account for 30% of the final grade.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History "B" (CHB); meets MAT (2010 revision) requirement.
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.