IST2011-1HY-WI14 - Christianity from Reform. to Enlight

Ted Vial

Winter 2012

Hybrid, February 7 & 8

Teaching Assistant

Iliff Hall 105

303-765-3166

tvial@iliff.edu

Vial3SQ1034SQ104Reformation to the Enlightenmenthybridwinter 2014.doc

Course Description

This sequence course provides an introduction to the history of Christian thought in its political, social, and institutional contexts, from the Reformation to the Enlightenment.  The focus is on the development of theology, which provides the basis for contemporary theological reflection.  Topics include: central themes of Lutheran and Reformed theology, the Catholic Reformation, varieties of orthodoxy, rationalism and deism, pietism and John Wesley, the beginnings of empiricism and German idealism, the rise of science, and the historical consciousness.

Book List

See Taylor Library's list of online book sellers for purchasing options.

Required Texts

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (abridged) (Westminster/John Knox 2001)

Marie Dentière, Epistle to Marguerite de Navarre and Preface to a Sermon by John Calvin (Chicago 2004)

Justo Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity, vol 2, The Reformation to the Present Day (HarperCollins, 1985)

Immanuel Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics (Macmillan, 1950)

Martin Luther, Three Treatises (Fortress Press, 1943-70)

Additional required readings will be available in Canvas.

Grading

Each student will prepare 4 papers of 3 pages each.  You will choose which four readings you will write about in the first week.  Papers may be on primary or secondary sources, but may not be on Gonzalez.  Each student must write at least once on either Hume or Kant’s Prolegomena.  Each discussion will begin with one student posting his or her paper on one author to begin our conversation.  We may or may not discuss authors for which there is no paper.  Papers will be posted by Thursday at noon.  All students will post a one-paragraph response to the paper and/or reading by Monday at noon.  All students will read all postings and post an additional one paragraph reflection or comment by Wednesday at noon.  Each paper is worth 20% of your grade, and the quality of your postings over the quarter is worth 20% of your grade.  Late postings will not be accepted.  Students presenting on the readings that are on the syllabus for our face-to-face sessions on February 9 and 10 should bring 2 copies of their papers to class and be prepared to read them as a way of initiating discussion.

Discussions will begin with the presentation of one or more brief analytical essays written by a student.  Papers will be graded according to the following 4 criteria: 1. A clearly stated claim; 2. Textual evidence to support the claim; 3. Quality of writing (organization, proper use of sentences and paragraphs, grammar, spelling, and all other mechanics); 4. Depth and seriousness of analysis.  In a short paper the claim typically appears as the last sentence of the introductory paragraph (if it is not there the writer needs clearly to mark where it is, since otherwise readers will assume that sentence is the claim).  A claim states the conclusion of the argument put forward in the paper.  You have a great deal of freedom here.  A claim might state what is the most important idea in the reading, or what the author must assume to make his or her argument, or what the logical extension of that argument might be, or how that argument relates to other readings on our syllabus, or what the author gets right or wrong, etc.   In a short paper you will likely not be able to summarize the all the points the author makes, nor should you try.  Part of your task of analysis is to prioritize what is most important to lift up for discussion for our class.  Your paper will likely not follow the same organization as the reading under analysis, since the logic of your argument will not be the same as the logic of the argument of the reading.  If your paragraphs tend to begin “And then . . .;  Next . . .” then it is probably time to go back and do at least one more draft and re-think what you are presenting and how.  Papers for this class are a little closer to the summary end of the spectrum than a term paper might be, since they are the basis for our discussion.  But they are still papers that make engage the text by making a point about the text.  At the end, some questions for discussion should be proposed.

The purpose of the papers is three-fold: the first is to encourage deep engagement with the texts; the second is to encourage a habit of discussion that is open, respectful, and rigorous.  This is best accomplished when the analytical essays take a charitable stance towards the readings.  Some of them will seem old-fashioned, and the writers may have different concerns than do we.  As in any good conversation, it is important first to try to see where the writer is coming from, rather than to be dismissive of his or her ideas.  There will be plenty of time later to decide what is useful to you and what is not.   We must begin with an accurate understanding of what is actually going on in the essay.  Third, these section papers will help develop your skills as readers and writers.  A great number of studies show that “peer-review” is a very effective way to teach writing.  The feedback you get on these papers during discussion will be quite valuable.

Special Needs

Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs.  Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations.  The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146.

 Weekly Discussion Instructions

  1. By Thursday at noon, student papers for the week will be submitted using the submit paper link on the main course page.
  2. By Friday at noon, a paper on each reading will be selected from the student submissions and posted for the class to read and engage.
  3. Read all posted papers.
  4. By the following Monday at noon, post a one paragraph response that engages the papers, the readings and the lectures for this section. 
  5. Once you post your initial Reply, you will be able to see all other Replies. By the following Wednesday at noon, read all postings and post an additional one paragraph Reply or Comment.
Brief Description of Readings

DateDayDetails
Jan 07, 2014TueIntroduce Yourselfdue by 06:59AM
Jan 07, 2014TueIntroduction to Coursedue by 07:00PM
Jan 15, 2014WedWeek 2 Lecture and Readingdue by 07:00PM
Jan 16, 2014ThuBriggs Papersdue by 07:00PM
Jan 20, 2014MonBriggs Discussiondue by 07:00PM
Jan 22, 2014WedBriggs Discussion 2nd Postingdue by 07:00PM
Jan 22, 2014WedWeek 3 Lecture and Readingsdue by 07:00PM
Jan 23, 2014ThuLuther Papersdue by 07:00PM
Jan 30, 2014ThuLuther/Gerrish Papersdue by 07:00PM
Feb 06, 2014ThuCalvin/Dentière Papersdue by 07:00PM