Winter 2012/Pasadena
Five-week Intensive: February 6-March 9
CH555
Marsden
CH555: AMERICAN EVANGELICALISM AND FUNDAMENTALISM. George Marsden.
DESCRIPTION: This course provides an opportunity to study the development of
Protestant evangelicalism in America with particular emphasis on fundamentalism
and its near relations. It will first broadly survey how transatlantic
evangelicalism took root in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century America, looking
at how evangelical versions of Christianity influenced the culture and at how
the American cultural setting helped shape the religious movement. The focus
will then turn to the religious crisis of the late nineteenth century and the
rise of fundamentalism, Pentecostalism, and related movements. Finally, the
course will deal with the new evangelicalism (including the early Fuller
Theological Seminary) after World War II, the continuance of fundamentalism,
the rise of the religious right, and the varieties of evangelicalism in recent
decades.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Understanding how evangelicalism has
developed in its American cultural context can be of great value in gaining
perspective for evangelical ministry, especially in an American setting.
American developments have often set precedents for developments in other
nations and so can be useful for ministries in such settings as well. We will
also be discussing a number of significant practical and theoretical questions
regarding theology, thought, science, culture, the church, practical
ministries, ethics, politics, social issues, and the like.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of the course, students will have
demonstrated (1) familiarity with the history of evangelicalism
particularly in its American cultural settings and (2) perspective in
addressing the sorts of questions mentioned above.
COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet twice weekly for three-hour sessions,
during the latter five weeks of the Winter term. Most of the class time will be
devoted to discussion of assigned readings and other materials.
REQUIRED READING:
- Harvey, Paul. Freedom's Coming: Religious Culture and the
Shaping of the South from the Civil War through the Civil Rights Era.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 2005. (Chapter 2 optional.) ISBN: 978-0807858141.
Publisher price: $22.95.
- Hatch, Nathan. The Democratization of American Religion. New Haven:
Yale, 1989. ISBN: 978-0300050608. Publisher price: $23.00.
- Marsden, George. Reforming Fundamentalism: Fuller Seminary and the New
Evangelicalism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. ISBN: 978-0802808707.
Publisher price: $34.00.
- _________. Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism. Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991. ISBN: 978-0802805393. Publisher price: $18.00.
- Noll, Mark. The New Shape of World Christianity. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 2009. ISBN: 9780830828470. Publisher price: $25.00.
- _________. The Rise of Evangelicalism. Downers Grove: InterVarsity
Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-0830838912. Publisher price: $24.00.
- Sutton, Matthew Avery. Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of
Christian America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007. ISBN:
978-0674032538. Publisher price: $18.95.
- Course reader containing articles provided as PDFs.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
- During the first five weeks of Winter term students will be required to
have completed the reading of the above books. Students should prepare a
one-page set of critical questions for possible discussion regarding each book
and to email these to me (marsden.1@nd.edu), along with a statement that you
have completed the reading of that book conscientiously. Prior to each class
these questions will be posted online for all to see. These will be evaluated
on a pass/fail basis only.
- A few other articles will be assigned during the course. PDFs of these will
be provided.
- Students will be required to write a paper of about 10 pages (3,000 words)
on a topic of their choice. This paper may be on how a particular subject has
been interpreted by various historians over the years. Or it may be a
discussion of a question about a particular topic. Or it might be a comparison
of two comparable figures or of aspects of their life and work. These figures
might be contemporary with each other or be comparable figures from two
different eras. Or it might be a comparison of two comparable developments,
theologies, or outlooks in an era or eras.
- There will be a final exam.
- Class attendance is required.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.
FINAL EXAM: Yes.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (October 2011)