Intro History of Christianity

Introduction to the History of Christianity

(IST 2500; 4 Credits; HI-INTRO)

Spring Term 2019 - Hybrid Course

Gathering Days Classroom Location: Bartlett Lounge, Iliff Hall

Instructor: Albert Hernández, Ph.D.

Office: Iliff Hall, Room 111. Office Hours: -- By Appointment--

Course Description/Synopsis:

This course introduces students to the broad outlines of the history of Christianity with an emphasis on major historical developments, and on the emergence of both local and trans-local expressions of religious traditions. Students will examine and discuss a series of historical case studies, derived from primary and secondary sources, covering different periods and themes, beliefs and practices, controversies and compromises, and key religious figures. Students will apply their learning from the case studies to a broad understanding of how different social, cross-cultural, institutional and intellectual patterns have shaped the diversity and complexity of the Christian historical and religious tradition.

Course Overview:

This course introduces students to the broad outlines of the history of Christianity with an emphasis on major historical developments, and on the emergence of both local and trans-local expressions of religious traditions. Students will examine and discuss a series of historical case studies, derived from primary and secondary sources, covering different periods and themes, beliefs and practices, controversies and compromises, and key religious figures. Students will apply their learning from the case studies to a broad understanding of how different social, cross-cultural, institutional and intellectual patterns have shaped the diversity and complexity of the Christian historical and religious tradition.

Course Objectives/Learning Goals:

(1) Students will demonstrate basic fluency with key vocabulary and theological concepts used by historians to define and organize the different periods, themes, and concepts of the history of Christianity, such as ecclesiology, soteriology, pneumatology, Christology, theological anthropology, orthodoxy and heresy, reformism, and church revitalization.   

(2) Students will gain a basic understanding of the major historical periods, the varieties of local/regional expressions of Christian belief and practice, and of the complex, contested nature of forging trans-local definitions of Christian unity and identity out of the diversity of local communities and persons that make up the history of Christianity.

(3) Students will develop critical thinking skills through the assessment and application of historical knowledge from among the case studies, themes and periods, and religious traditions covered in the course. 

(4) Students will develop systematic research skills with both primary and secondary sources while studying and discussing the social, institutional, cultural, and intellectual history of the case studies covered in the course.

DEGREE LEARNING GOALS in HISTORY (For all I.S.T. Master’s Degree Programs)

Historical Development and Expressions of Religious Traditions (HI): Demonstrate awareness of religious traditions as historically-situated movements that interacted and changed in relationship to their surrounding cultures and subcultures over time, resulting in various expressions located within and influenced by social structures and institutions, ideologies, historical events, ethnicity and gender, and cultural worldviews.

Required Course Textbooks and Readings:

Justo González, The Story of Christianity, Volume I:  The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation. Revised and Updated Edition. New York: Harper-One, 2010. [ISBN: 978-0-06-185-588-7]. (Also available from Amazon Kindle, and from Harper-Collins e-books thru Harper Collins Publishers, and available to Rent from select textbook providers, including Amazon.com).

Justo González, Church History: An Essential Guide. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996. [ISBN: 978-0-687-01611-2]. (This is a concise and very useful 95-page summary of the history of Christianity, which is also available from Amazon Kindle).

Justo González, The Story of Christianity, Volume II:  The Reformation to the Present Day. Revised and Updated Edition. New York: Harper-One, 2010.  [ISBN: 978-0-06-185-558-94].  (Also available from Amazon Kindle, and available from Harper-Collins e-books thru Harper Collins Publishers, and available to Rent from select textbook providers, including Amazon.com).

Additional required readings, from primary and secondary sources, will be made available to students under the "Files" tab of our Canvas course site, and will be listed in the "Course Outline" of the syllabus under the respective week of the course in which the reading is due to be completed with full author, title, and page number information as well as any relevant internal or external links for each source or for each excerpt.

Suggested Additional Reading: (Optional texts; Not required to purchase)

Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity. Third Edition. William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003.

Kevin Madigan, Medieval Christianity: A New History . Yale University Press, 2015.

Brian Catlos, Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain. Basic Books/Hachette Book Group, 2018.

Glen S. Sunshine, A Brief Introduction to the Reformation. Westminster John Knox Press, 2017.

George E. Tinker, Missionary Conquest: The Gospel and Native American Cultural Genocide. Fortress Press, 1993.

Course Procedures and Expectations:

Accessing and Regularly Checking the Canvas Course Site:

• Students are expected to use the Canvas course site/page to familiarize themselves with the entire course syllabus, the required weekly reading assignments from the different primary and secondary sources, and with all required and graded assignments throughout the duration of the course.
• Students are expected to check the Canvas course site/page regularly for important announcements or updates from the instructor.
• Historical timelines, relevant images from the historical periods covered in the course, and links to additional web-based resources are also available on the Canvas course site/page and on the files tab for the course.
• Inclusive Language: It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community.
• Pass/Fail: Masters students wishing to take the class Pass/Fail should discuss this with the instructor by the second class session.

Guidelines for Online Group Discussions/Open Forums:

• In order to participate effectively with their peers in each required/graded Group Discussion, students will be expected to have read the assignments for each week of the course, and to have viewed the respective video lecture(s) for the week of the class discussion
• A paragraph or so, or four to six complete sentences, is sufficient to receive credit. You can always do more if you like, but the idea is to generate conversation with each other while reflecting on the discussion topic.
• Each required/graded Group Discussion/Open Forum is structured on Canvas so that you must first post your reply to the actual discussion topic, and then the next time you log-in to post you will be permitted to see others’ replies to the topic.
• Please remember to log back in to the Group Discussion/Open Forum to post your second required response to the respective week's theme or topic, and to extend the conversation by engaging your classmates before moving on to next week's course topics and reading materials.
• You will get credit for doing the discussion assignment, and you will receive no credit if you don't do it --simple as that.
• Late postings or incomplete participation in the online Group Discussions will result in a point deduction.
• Students are expected to participate respectfully in the online Discussions by interacting in both positive and critically thoughtful ways with their peers and with the instructor.

Mandatory Attendance:

• Attendance during the On-Campus Class Sessions on Tuesday April 23, 2019 from 1 PM to 5 PM, and Wednesday April 24, 2019 from 8 AM to Noon is Mandatory. (As stated in the I.S.T. Masters Student Handbook, in order to receive a passing grade and full-credit for this course, attendance and full participation in both of this week's residential class sessions is required).

Writing Lab:

Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments.  Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. , which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft.

Academic Integrity and Core Values:

All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity Links to an external site. , as published in the Masters Student Handbook (Links to an external site. ) Links to an external site. , or the Joint PhD Statement on Academic Honesty, as published in the Joint PhD Student Handbook (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. , as appropriate.  All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Core Values (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. .

Incomplete Grades:

• Incomplete Grade petitions will be granted only in the case of documented and verifiable medical circumstances or other personal or family related emergencies. In the event a student requires this option, the final grade for the course will be assigned as a "Pass" (P) or "Fail" (F) grade.

Additional Policies & Services:

For information about A.D.A. Accommodations , or for information about additional Iliff School of Theology "Policies & Services" go to this tab/section of our Canvas course page or go there by clicking on this Link.

EVALUATION & REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS: