Winter 2010/Pasadena
CH546
Johnson/Skånberg

CH546: EARLY CHRISTIAN RITUALS AND SYMBOLS. Todd Johnson and Tuve Skånberg.


DESCRIPTION: In many Protestant churches today, not least among Evangelicals, the language of Christian symbols and rituals is to a large degree unknown and forgotten. In some cases, where they are acknowledged, they are identified as things that other churches do. Unfortunately this dismisses a significant part of our Christian tradition and discounts invaluable resources in pastoral ministry in our contemporary, postmodern context. This class is an introduction to the heritage of early Christian symbols and rituals. In our course of study, we will examine the history, theology, and interpretation of the rituals and symbols of the first six centuries of the Christian church and their role in the ministry of these early Christian churches.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: By introducing the language of Christian ritual and symbol the course seeks to lead students to a broader perspective on how the Christian faith was expressed in early and medieval church history, and how it can be understood and expressed today. The course should provide students with an increased ability to articulate the meaning of the Christian faith through art, iconography, and symbols, skills that will benefit the student's reading, understanding, and exposition of the Bible itself. Further, it will consider the role of ritual as a resource for faith formation and pastoral care across traditions.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: A student successfully completing this course should accomplish the following objectives. First, he/she will have a general knowledge of early church history, in particular the symbols and rites of the church as they express church doctrine and piety. Second, the student will understand the early development of Christian rituals and symbols as well as the theory behind their use. Third, the student will develop a deeper knowledge of a particular symbolic expression or ritual practice in the first six centuries and a familiarity with the scholarship surrounding it. Fourth, the student will develop a sensibility for the language of Christian symbols and rituals, and be able to express the Christian faith using this language. Finally, the student will increase his/her critical skills in reading, writing, and discussing through the study, conversation, and presentations on rituals and symbols of the early churches.

COURSE FORMAT: Class will meet once a week for a three-hour session for lectures, with discussion sessions devoted to student papers as assigned (below). It will also require a field trip to the Getty Villa to explore ancient art and artifacts as they inform early Christian symbols and rituals.

REQUIRED READING:

Bradshaw, Paul. Early Christian Worship. Liturgical Press, 1996. (95 pp.)

Ferguson, George. Signs & Symbols in Christian Art. Oxford University Press, 1954. (178 pp.)

Finney, P. C. The Invisible God. The Earliest Christians on Art. Oxford University Press, 1994. (290 pp.)

Foley, Edward. From Age to Age. Revised and expanded ed. Liturgical Press, 2008. (185 pp.)

Jensen, Robin Margaret. Understanding Early Christian Art. Routledge, 2000. (182 pp.)

Cooke, Bernard, and Gary Macy. Christian Symbol and Ritual. Oxford University Press, 2005. (100 pp.)

Turner, Paul. The Hallelujah Highway. LTP, 2000. (95 pp.)

RECOMMENDED READING: Recommended reading will be given in the course syllabus.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: (1) Assigned readings and reflection papers (pass/fail) to be completed as preparations for lectures (10%). (2) Two 3-4 page synthesis papers integrating material from the readings and class on symbols and rituals (20% each). (3) A presentation in class on research on a particular issue in early Christian ritual or symbols (10%). (4) An 8-12 page paper on an issue in early Christian ritual or symbols which was presented and discussed in class (40%).

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (11/09)