DESCRIPTION: This course surveys the theology of the church in the Patristic period from the close of the apostolic age, AD 90, to the Synod of Orange in AD 521. Particular attention will be given to the theological heresies and controversies that arose in this era, the first four ecumenical councils, and the writings of the most significant theologians.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course has four objectives: (1) to increase students' knowledge of the important theological doctrines and their development in the early church period, (2) to help students gain a basic competence in how to interpret the historical development of Christian theology in light of the Hellenistic culture of late antiquity, (3) to give students practice in reading selected primary texts and evaluating the specific theological issues which arise from them, and (4) to provide students the opportunity to reflect upon the relevance of ancient theological controversies and the results of the first four ecumenical councils that have shaped the Christian church today.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Historical theology is a necessary field of study in order to grasp Christian theology as a whole. Studying this formative stage of theological development in the church will enhance students' abilities to discern fundamental theological issues in a variety of contemporary ministry settings. It will explain the theological doctrines that are the foundation of the Christian faith and the unity of the church. Finally, it is hoped that through this course students will develop a sympathetic understanding of the early church and the Christians who reflected, wrote, and defended the Christian faith during that formative period.

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:

Hägglund, Bengt. History of Theology. 3rd ed. Concordia Publishing House, 1968.

Hardy, Edward R., ed. Christology of the Later Fathers. The Westminster Press, 1954.

Norris, Richard A., Jr., ed. The Christological Controversy. Fortress Press, 1980.

Richardson, Cyril C., ed. Early Christian Fathers. Macmillan Publishing, 1970.

Pine-Coffin, R. S., tr. Saint Augustine: Confessions. Penguin, 1961.

Syllabus and assembled readings.

Cross, F. L. and Elizabeth A. Livingstone, eds. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Davis, L. D. The First Seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787). Michael Glazier/Liturgical Press, 1983.

Di Berardino, Angelo, ed. Encyclopedia of the Early Church. 2 vols. Oxford University Press, 1992.

Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. 3rd ed. Eerdmans, 2003.

Kelly, J. N. D. Early Christian Creeds. 3rd ed. London: Longman, 1972.

________. Early Christian Doctrines. 4th ed. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1968.

McGuckin, John A. The Westminster Handbook to Patristic Theology. Westminster John Knox, 2004.

Muller, Richard A. Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms. Baker Books, 1985.

Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition. Vol. 1. University of Chicago Press, 1971.

Placher, William C. A History of Christian Theology. Westminster Press, 1983.

Young, Frances M. From Nicaea to Chalcedon. SCM Press, 1983.