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:

  1. to increase students' knowledge of the important events, people, and theological developments in the Medieval and Reformation time periods,

  2. to give students practice in reading primary texts and evaluating the specific historical and theological issues which arise from them, and

  3. 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.