Fall 2006/Pasadena
CH502
Goble
CH502: MEDIEVAL AND REFORMATION CHURCH HISTORY. Grant G. Goble.
DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to the important events, people,
and theological concerns of the church from A.D. 500 to 1600. The course will
give special attention to the various divisions in the church that arose during
this period examining the various factors that contributed to them.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: There are three primary objectives to
this course:
- to increase students' knowledge of the important events, people, and
theological developments in the Medieval and Reformation time periods,
- to give students practice in reading primary texts and evaluating the
specific historical and theological issues which arise from them, and
- to provide students the opportunity to reflect upon the theological
concerns and mitigating factors of the Medieval and Reformation periods that
have shaped the church today.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY This course will provide students with valuable
historical and theological knowledge in church history which can serve as a
resource for teaching, preaching, and other pastoral tasks. It will also help
students understand their own confessional backgrounds and how these relate to
the larger Christian movement. It is hoped that understanding more deeply the
conflicts that have given rise to the divisions in the church will provide
students with a valuable resource for relating ecumenically to the wider church
body.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions with
lectures and discussion. Assigned readings are to be completed before the
lecture in order to facilitate understanding and discussion of the material. It
is expected that the student will attend every class and will submit required
work when it is due.
REQUIRED READING:
Bettenson, Henry and Chris Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian
Church. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 1999.
Fairweather, Eugene R., ed. A Scholastic Miscellany: Anselm to Ockham.
Westminster Press, 1956.
González, Justo L. The Story of Christianity. Vols. 1-2. Harper
Collins, 1984, 1985 (chapters on the Medieval period and Reformation only)
(also available in 1-volume format through Christian Discount Books [ISBN:
1565635221]).
Hillerbrand, H. J. The Protestant Reformation. Harper, 1968.
Oden, Amy. In Her Words: Women's Writings in the History of Christian
Thought. Abingdon, 1994.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Assigned readings, to be completed as preparation for lectures.
2. Midterm examination worth 30% of final grade.
3. One research paper (10 pp.) worth 30% of final grade.
4. Final examination worth 40% of final grade.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History "b"
(CHB).
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.