Fall 2007/Pasadena
CH504
Ahn

CH504: MODERN CHURCH HISTORY. Katherine H. Lee Ahn.


DESCRIPTION: This course surveys the history of Christianity around the world from the seventeenth through the twentieth centuries. Additional attention will be given to the transitional process of Christianity moving from a Western to a world religion and major themes and events that dominated the process.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  1. Students will be able to identify and explain many of the principal theological developments and historical events and personalities that have shaped the modern church since the Protestant and Catholic Reformations.

  2. Students will demonstrate through presentation and writing assignments the ability to think critically about historical texts and arguments, placing them in context.

  3. Students will demonstrate through presentation and writing assignments an ability to interpret their own ecclesiastical tradition and other traditions with critical awareness and reflection.

  4. Students will be challenged in some of their religious assumptions by the complexity and diversity of Christian history and through this process will develop a greater understanding of and sensitivity toward the beliefs and practices of churches in different cultural and social contexts.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Christianity is no longer the possession of the Western world, as the majority of Christians now live in the Southern Hemisphere. Non-Western Christian churches are growing rapidly, bringing fresh new energy, as well as new challenges, to the Christian church today. At the same time world Christians are still largely influenced by historically Western Christian tradition and theology. This course seeks to lead students to a broader understanding of the historical development of both the Western and non-Western churches and to find relevance of their ministry in this global Christian time. In the course of the study we will seek to understand various Christian traditions and theological and ecclesiastical developments and how they interacted and resulted in today's Christian churches. In the process we hope to gain new appreciation for the breath, unity, and diversity of the worldwide Christian church.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet weekly for four-hour sessions in lecture, presentation and discussion format.

REQUIRED READING:
Bettenson, H. S., and C. Maunder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church. Oxford Univ. Press, 1999.

Hastings, Adrian, ed. A World History of Christianity. Eerdmans, 1999. (Chaps. 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13.)

Sanneh, Lamin. Whose Religion Is Christianity? The Gospel Beyond the West. Eerdmans, 2003.

Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language. Thomas Nelson, 1995. (Starting from chapter 29.)

ASSIGNMENTS:
  1. Completion of all required readings.

  2. One mini-research paper and group presentation on a regional-specific historical event, movement, or person. (7-8 pages; 25% of the final grade).

  3. A critical book review (5-6 pp.) on one text from a selected list of recommended books (25%).

  4. One midterm exam, based on required readings and lectures (25%).

  5. Final exam, based on required readings and lectures (25%).

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History "C" (CHC).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (8/07)