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Canyon College

online History of Christianity course at Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: History of Christianity

Course Title: History of Christianity - TH405
Department: Bachelor of Divinity
Instructor: Dona Williams, MTh, BS, E-Mail Vita
Prerequisites: None

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
This course will survey the development of Christianity in Western Europe and its continued expansion from the first to the 16th centuries. We will focus on some of the institutions which came out of this movement and how such institutions helped to shape the religious, political, economic and social landscapes of their day. By the end of the course, students should have an understanding of how Christianity went from being a sect of Judaism to a major player on the world stage as well as the evolution of the concept of what it means to be a Christian.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Readings. The required texts are:   Online Book Store
A. Justo González, The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1.,
HarperCollins Publishers,  ISBN: 0060633158

B. Elaine Pagels, The Origin of Satan,
Softback, Knopf Publishing Group or Vintage Books, ISBN: 0679731180
(Note: the hardback edition page numbers do match the soft cover edition or this syllabus.)
Textbooks should be ordered from the Canyon College Online Bookstore to insure that the correct volume and edition is obtained.

2. Conferences. Students may schedule no more than two Internet conferences between the student and the professor. These should be scheduled as necessary by the student. 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 a midterm exam and a comprehensive final examination. The exams will cover the assigned readings. The midterm exam should be taken prior to the end of the week indicated below and the final examination should be taken before the end of week six.

4. Papers. There will be a short paper of no more than two single-spaced pages or 1,250 words (not counting end-notes and bibliography), 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. Papers should conform to the form and style outlined in Kate L. Turabian’s "A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations," 6th ed. Students should use end notes instead of footnotes. Finally, the papers are intended to be reflection papers and not research or the "author said" papers. Students should indicate their understanding of the texts and this cannot be done merely by quoting the authors.

5. Grades. Course work will be weighted as follows:
Papers 30%
Midterm Exam 20%
Final Exam 50%
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

WEEK 1

Introduction and the Early Church. Read Gonzales, chapters 1-4 and Pagels, pages xv to 34.

Discussion Questions:
  1. How does the figure of Satan characterize the enemy? What is Satan, and how does he appear on earth?
  2. What is the "Good News?"
  3. What two books has Luke left us? What is the significance of each?
  4. What is Hellenism? What did it contribute to Christianity, if anything?

WEEK 2

The Church faces external conflicts. Read Gonzales chapters 5-6. Read Pagels, pages 35 to 88.

Discussion Questions:
  1. What were some of the major external conflicts which the Early Church faced?
  2. Discuss the development of Satan and/or the concept of Satan during this early period. Is there a difference in how Satan is viewed in the Hebrew scriptures compared to the Gospels?

WEEK 3

The Church faces internal conflicts. Read Gonzalez chapters 7-12. Read Pagels, pages 89 to 148.

Discussion Questions:
  1. What does Pagels say about Satan in this week’s readings? What exactly is Satan’s "earthly Kingdom?" Devote your entire paper to the answering of these questions.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE MIDTERM EXAMINATION BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK.

WEEK 4

The Church’s internal conflicts continue. Read Gonzales, chapters 16-25. Read Pagels, pages 149 to 184.

Discussion Questions:
  1. What is Gnosticism? Discuss this concept and describe some of the early major players in this controversy.
  2. How does Gnosticism differ from Arianism?

WEEK 5

Medieval Christianity. Read Gonzales, chapters 26-28.

Discussion Questions:
  1. Discuss the Papacy. What is the authority given for its existence? Who were some of the early popes and what were their major contributions? Who was the first pope?

WEEK 6

Renewal Movements and new challenges. Read Gonzales, chapters 29-34.

PLEASE TAKE FINAL EXAMINATION BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.