Summer 2014/Pasadena
CH503
Scalise
CH503: MEDIEVAL AND REFORMATION THEOLOGY (4 Units: 120 hours). Charles J. Scalise.
DESCRIPTION: An introduction to the history of Christian thought from the beginning of the medieval period to the Reformation of the sixteenth century. Particular attention will be given to the history of the development of Christian doctrine. The course will offer opportunities for students to study any of the variety of ways in which Christians of the Middle Ages and early Reformation eras thought about their faith.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) develop a basic acquaintance with the thought of some of the significant persons in the West who shaped the Christian tradition during the medieval and early Reformation periods (cognitive)—assessed by final exam; (2) demonstrate knowledge of some major themes in the development of Christian doctrine from the seventh century through the middle of the sixteenth century (cognitive)—assessed by doctrine bibliography and final exam; (3) show familiarity with a variety of historical movements which impacted the social and intellectual contexts in which Christian theology has been articulated and various Western ecclesiastical traditions were formed (cognitive)—assessed by movement bibliography and final exam; (4) appropriate some of the spiritual insights and resources from the history of the church for their own Christian growth and ministry and also share them with the class (affective)-assessed by devotional presentation; (5) explore in detail the life and thought of one historical figure from the medieval or early Reformation periods and present some aspect(s) of their study to the class (instrumental)—assessed by historical figure reading list and class presentation; (6) develop the capacity to connect historical research and theological formulation through intensive acquaintance with the thought of one person and either the development of one doctrine or the significance of one movement within medieval and/or early Reformation Christianity (instrumental)—assessed by research paper.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet over two weeks for four-hour sessions. Course sessions will include lectures, class discussions, historical document workshops, small group consultations, and student presentations.
REQUIRED READING:
Fairweather, Eugene R., ed. A Scholastic Miscellany: Anselm to Ockham. Westminster John Knox, 1956. ISBN: 978-0664244187, Pub. Price $40.00 [456 pp.].
González, Justo L. A History of Christian Thought. Vol. 2. 2nd rev. ed. Abingdon Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0687171835, Pub. Price $33.99 [372 pp.].
McGrath, Alister E. Reformation Thought: An Introduction. 4th ed. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. ISBN: 978-0470672815, Pub. Price $46.95 [326 pp.].
Placher, William C., ed. Readings in the History of Christian Theology. Vol. 2. Westminster John Knox, 1998. ISBN: 978-0664240585, Pub. Price $25.00 [pp. 9-77].
Historical figure reading from primary and secondary sources for student presentations.
Readings on selected doctrine and historical movement for research paper and final exam.
RECOMMENDED READING: Optional extra credit reading:
Bynum, Caroline Walker. Jesus as Mother: Studies in the Spirituality of the High Middle Ages. University of California Press, 1984. ISBN: 978-0520052222, Pub. Price $29.95 [280 pp.].
Recommended resources:
Livingston, Elizabeth A., ed. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-0199659623, Pub. Price $22.95 [704 pp.].
Rampolla, Mary Lynn. A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. 7th ed. Bedford St. Martins, 2012. ISBN: 978-0312610418, Pub. Price $20.00 [176 pp.].
Historical maps at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical and interactive maps at http://mappinghistory.uoregon.edu/index.html.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Attendance and class participation (includes devotional leadership) (10%).
Bibliography for class presentation (evaluated credit/no credit) (5%).
Research bibliographies on doctrine and movement (evaluated credit/no credit) (10%).
Class presentation on historical figure (as scheduled) (25% of final grade).
Take-home final examination (half on prepared research; half on lectures and common reading) (25%).
Research paper (25%).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Church History “b” (CHB); meets MAT program requirement.
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.