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Canyon College

online Foundations of Christianity course at Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: Foundations of Christianity

Course Title:DV510 - Foundations of Christianity
Department:Master of Divinity
Instructor: Gerald FitzGerald, BD, MDiv, DMin, Phd Theology CandidateE-Mail -- Vita
Prerequisites:None

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
This course is a survey of some of the issues, institutions and movements which have given rise to Christianity as a Western Religion and which have helped to shape Christianity as it has emerged from its birth in Palestine to its preeminence as the official religion of the Roman Empire to whatever it is we perceive it as today. This course is made all the more critical by the many attempts at ecumenism and interfaith dialogue and the discussions among scholars of our need to move to a global theology. Before we can embrace others, we must have a firm foundation in our own faith. It is to this end that this course is designed.

Students, by the end of the course, should acquire an understanding of these issues, institutions and movements and be able to articulate why they are referred to in this course as "Foundations of Christianity." Students should also have an appreciation for these foundations and be willing to work them into their own approaches to theology and divinity.

DOCTRINAL STATMENT
Canyon College is a non-sectarian, non-denominational school committed to the study of God in all the richness and diversity of God's revelations to humanity and an exploration of what those revelations mean to the everyday lives of finite human beings. Canyon College does not advocate any particular belief, creed, doctrine or idea other than the reality of God and does not require that its students and faculty subscribe to any particular belief, creed, doctrine or idea other than a willingness to be challenged and a commitment to an investigation into truth and the pursuit of academic honesty and excellence.

INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
Students should strive to use inclusive language in their writings. By inclusive language is meant language that is not gender specific and which attempts to include as many people as possible. For instance, instead of writing that "God wills that every man obeys His will," inclusive language would require us to write, "God wills that everyone obeys God’s will."

REQUIREMENTS

1. Readings. The required texts are:   Online Bookstore

A. Brown, Peter, "The Cult of the Saints: Its Rise and Function in Latin Christianity," soft-cover, Univ. Of Chicago Press, 1981(1980,1990). ISBN: 0226076229

B. Wilken, Robert L., "The Christians as the Romans Saw Them," Second Edition, soft-cover, Yale University Press, 2003. ISBN:0300098391

C. Jaoudi, Maria, "Christian Mysticism East and West: What the Masters Teach Us," soft-cover, Paulist Press, 1998. ISBN: 0809138239

D. Markus, Robert, "The End of Ancient Christianity," soft-cover, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1990(1991,1994). ISBN: 0521339499

E. Barraclough, Geoffrey, "The Medieval Papacy," soft-cover, W.W. Norton & Co., 1968. ISBN: 0393951006

F. Peavy, Sr., Don E., "What Must I do?": Exploring Themes in Christian Ethics, soft-cover, 1st Books Library (AuthorHouse), 2002. ISBN: 0759637458 Online Bookstore Secondary Source Third Source
2. Conferences. Students may schedule up to two Internet Conferences with the professor by sending an e-mail to the professor with a proposed date and time and the reason for the conference. Of course, students may ask questions of the professor at any time by sending an E-mail to the address at the link above or by posting them to the message board.

3. Exams. There will be two exams: a mid-term examination which must be taken by the end of the third week and a comprehensive final examination which must be taken by the end of the sixth week. The exams will cover the assigned readings.

4. Papers. There will be a short paper of no less than two single- spaced pages or 1,250 words, and no more than five single-spaced pages, due at the end of each week’s readings in which students will answer the discussion questions and give a reaction to their readings. These papers are to be e-mailed to the professor. Those who do not feel comfortable with e-mailing the papers can contact the professor for a mailing address. The papers should conform to the latest edition of Kate L. Turabian’s, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.

5. Grades. Course work will be weighted as follows:
Papers 30%
Midterm Exam 30%
Final Exam 40%
6. Grading Scale.
90-100% A - Excellent
80-89% B - Above Average
70-79% C - Average
60-69% D - Below Average
59% or below F - Failing Grade
A = Clearly stands out as excellent performance. Has unusually sharp insight into material and initiates thoughtful questions. Sees many sides of an issue. Articulates well and writes logically and clearly. Integrates ideas previously learned from this and other disciplines. Anticipates next steps in progression of ideas.

B = Grasps subject matter at a level considered to be good to very good. Is an active listener and participant in chats, message boards, e-mails and conferences. Speaks and writes well. Accomplishes more than the minimum requirements. Work is of high quality.

C = Demonstrates a satisfactory comprehension of the subject matter. Accomplishes only the minimum requirements, and displays little or no initiative. Communicates at an acceptable level for a college student. Has a generally acceptable understanding of all basic concepts.

D = Quality and quantity of work is below average and barely acceptable.

F = Quality and quantity of work is unacceptable.


WEEK 1

Read all of Wilken’s "The Christians as the Romans Saw Them."

Discussion Questions:
  1. What were some of the criticisms and charges which the early Christians faced?
  2. Was there an official Roman policy of persecution against the Christians in the early years of the movement? What was the official Roman policy?
  3. What did Julian mean by his claim that "apostasy from Judaism" was the most vulnerable point of Christianity? How did the early Christians respond to this charge?
  4. What differences were there between Greek and Christian wisdom and why were these important?
  5. What did divine providence mean to the Romans? The early Christians?

WEEK 2

Read all of Brown’s "The Cult of the Saints."

Discussion Questions:
  1. Explain what Brown means by the term, "The Cult of the Saints."
  2. What was the relation between the ancient cult of the heroes and the Christian cult of the martyrs? What is a Christian martyr?
  3. What is paganism? What role did it play in the lives of the early Christians? What were some of the responses of the early Christian "fathers" to paganism?
  4. What is reverentia and how does it compare/contrast with rusticitas?
  5. What is the process of replication in the Christian church? What is its significance to the Cult of the Saints?

WEEK 3

Read all of Markus’ "The End of Ancient Christianity."

Discussion Questions:
  1. What is the "core" of Christianity? How does this "core" differ from Judaism from which Christianity emerged?
  2. What is secularism? What is the sacred? How do they compare/differ?
  3. What does Markus mean by the "ascetic?" How did this idea impact and change Christianity?
  4. What is Pelagianism? How did it impact Christianity? How did it differ from Christianity?
  5. What does it mean to be holy? Sacred? What were the three steps by which Roman towns were turned into Christian holy places?

PLEASE COMPLETE THE MID-TERM EXAM BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

WEEK 4

Read all of Barraclough's "The Medieval Papacy."

Discussion Questions:
  1. What is lay investiture? Why is/was it important?
  2. What is simony? What was its importance?
  3. What is the significance of the statement, "For he whom we are to ordain to the empire ought first to be called and elected by us,"? Who made it? When? Under what circumstances?
  4. Who was the first Bishop to use the title "pope"? What does the term mean? Is there any biblical authority for the term?
  5. Has the papacy provided any benefit to civilization beyond its influence within Christianity? If so, in what manner?

WEEK 5

Read all of Jaoudi’s "Christian Mysticism East and West."

Discussion Questions:
  1. What is mysticism? Is it a purely Christian concept?
  2. Who is Symeon? What is his significance to mysticism?
  3. What is the relationship between spirituality and the arts?
  4. What is the benefit of mysticism to building Christian communities? Is mysticism more of an individual or group exercise?
  5. What is Mandala? Who is its founder? What is its relevance to Christianity?

WEEK 6

Read Peavy Chapters 1 and 6.

Discussion Questions:

One of the pressing issues facing the church and society today is that of euthanasia. What do we say and do about the quality of life in a world in which technology makes it possible to sustain life in so many variant degrees? Should a person be allowed to end his/her life when their life is less than what s/he would have it to be? May a doctor be allowed to assist in the ending of a person’s life who desires to end it? Answer these questions in view of the readings for this course and particularly the articles you read this week. You are welcome to refer to the Bible and any other source you care to quote.

REMINDER: THE FINAL EXAM MUST BE TAKEN BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.