Instructor:
Dr. Jeff
Robbins
Office: HUM 307D
Email: robbins@lvc.edu
Phone: x.6720
Office hours: Mon, Wed 11:00-12:00, 1:00-2:00, Tues, Thur 1:00-2:00
Course Description:
An examination of the history of Christianity and the development of
Christian thought through the reading and discussion of primary works in
Christian theology and philosophy.
Course Objectives:
to introduce students to the history of Christianity as a global religion, and to reflect on the diversity of its beliefs and practices.
to read and critically reflect on primary philosophical and theological texts that have had a formative influence in the shaping of the Christian tradition.
to understand how Christianity has been transformed in its self-understanding and culturally displaced in the modern Western world.
to explore the future possibilities for Christian thought and practice in the 21st century.
Required Texts:
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
Christianity: a Global History |
Confessions, |
Discourse on Free Will by Erasmus & Luther |
Attack upon Christendom by Soren Kierkegaard |
Honest to God by John Robinson |
The Next Christendom by Philip Jenkins |
Click here to access the LVC Bookstore online
Requirements/Grading:
Reading Quizzes (worth 20% of final grade): A total of 8 reading quizzes will be given over the course of the semester. Quizzes will cover the assigned reading for the week. No make-up quizzes will be given, and students who are late to class will not be given extra time to complete the weekly quiz. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped from the final quiz average.
Reading Response Papers (3 papers, each worth 20% of final grade): Papers are to be 5-7 pages in length. The first will be on Augustine's Confessions, the second on Kierkegaard's Attack Upon "Christendom", the third either on Robinson's Honest to God, or Jenkins' The Next Christendom. Specific requirements for each paper will be distributed at least two weeks prior to paper's due date.
Attendance/Participation
(worth 20% of final grade): Each student is entitled to one unexcused
absence. Every absence thereafter will result in a half-letter deduction
from the student's final participation grade.
| Date | Topic | Reading | Assignment |
| 1/13 | Introductions | ||
| 1/15 | Documentary: "The Search for Jesus" | ||
| 1/20 | Documentary (continued) | Chidester, 3-27 | |
| 1/22 | Jesus of History/Christ of Faith | Chidester, 28-42 | Quiz #1 |
| 1/27 | The Early Church | Chidester, 43-90 | |
| 1/29 | The Christian Empire | Chidester, 91-140 | Quiz #2 |
| 2/3 | Augustine's Confessions | Augustine, Books I-III | |
| 2/5 | Augustine's Confessions | Augustine, Books IV-VI | Quiz #3 |
| 2/10 | Augustine's Confessions | Augustine, Books VII-IX | |
| 2/12 | Augustine's Confessions | Augustine, Books X-XII | Quiz #4 |
| 2/17 | No Class -- Writing Conferences | ||
| 2/19 | Discussion of Paper #1 | Paper #1 |
| Date | Topic | Reading | Assignment |
| 2/24 | Rise of Christendom | Chidester, 159-196 | |
| 2/26 | Medieval Theology | Chidester, 216-235; Anselm and Aquinas Handout | Quiz #5 |
| 3/2 | Mystics and Heretics | Chidester, 236-274 | |
| 3/4 | Renaissance and Reformation | Chidester, 275-331 | Quiz #6 |
| 3/9 | Spring Break | ||
| 3/11 | Spring Break | ||
| 3/16 | Erasmus and Luther | Discourse on Free Will | |
| 3/18 | Erasmus and Luther (continued) | Debate |
| Date | Topic | Reading | Assignment |
| 3/23 | Kierkegaard's Attack | Kierkegaard, 57-66, 77-114 | |
| 3/25 | Kierkegaard's Attack | Kierkegaard, 115-232 | Quiz #7 |
| 3/30 | Kierkegaard's Attack | Kierkegaard, 237-294 | |
| 4/1 | No Class -- Writing Conferences | ||
| 4/6 | Discussion of Paper #2 | Paper #2 | |
| 4/8 | Christianity in the New World | Chidester, 353-370, 389-411 | |
| 4/13 | Christianity after the Holocaust | Chidester, 491-558 | Quiz #8 |
| 4/15 | The Future of Christianity? | Jenkins, 1-78; or Robinson, 7-63 | |
| 4/20 | The Future of Christianity? (continued) | Jenkins, 79-162; or Robinson, 64-104 | |
| 4/22 | The Future of Christianity? (continued) | Jenkins, 163-222; or Robinson, 105-141 | |
| 4/30 | Paper #3 |
