Outline of Class Meetings (Maymester)   

     Below is an outline of the 10 on-campus class sessions to be held during Maymester.  Included with each day is a list of related readings and videos. 

·        Required readings and videos are listed in bold

·        Reading summaries are assigned for those classes designated by an “*”

·        Required videos are on reserve in the Library

·        Viewing guides are with the required videos; suggested questions for review are designated by the number corresponding with the questions on the guides

·        Worksheets are due at the time of class on the day designated (worksheet can be downloaded from this site)

Day 1    Overview of Christian/Church History

Readings to prepare for Class

* Thomas Oden Do I Really Need to Study Church History? 

http://www.rts.edu/quarterly/fall98/qa.html

Videos to prepare for Class        

Francis Shaeffer How Should We Then Live? The Roman Age

            Helpful Downloads

            Examples of Church History Timelines

http://www.churchtimeline.com/white/

                        http://www.saintignatiuschurch.org/timeline.html

            Downloads related to class

            Timeline Generating Programs (software, some limited free trial)

                        SmartDraw http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/timelines.asp?id=31697   

                        TimeLine Maker http://www.timelinemaker.com/

Download Worksheet One Here                      

Day 2    Ancient World and Context of Beginning

Readings to prepare for Class

Martanne Bonz Religion in the Roman World

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/religions.html

W. J. Conybeare, J. S. Howson The Life and Epistles of St. Paul (Sects/Parties of the Jews)

http://www.gracenotes.info/documents/TOPICS_DOC/SectsParties.doc

Barry D. Smith Background to the New Testament

http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/NTIntro/History1.htm

Jesus Institute First Century Context of Palestine

http://www.jesus-institute.org/historical-jesus/jesus-firstcenturycontext.shtml

Download Worksheet One Here

Day 3    Birth of Christianity & Beginnings

            Readings to prepare for Class

            Review introductions and notes from Study Bibles for Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans

            and 1 Peter

Videos to prepare for Class        

            Dr. Timothy George History of Christianity: Tape 1

                 p. 7, Questions 1-5; p. 8, Questions 8-10, 12; p. 9, Questions 15, 17;

                 p. 10 Questions 18-20                 

            Saints & Sinners, Tape 1: Upon This Rock

Download Worksheet One Here

Day 4    Persecution, Heresies, Apologies

            Readings to prepare for Class

            Primary Sources:

The Apostle’s Creed  (written between 200 – 300 AD) 

http://www.bibletopics.com/biblestudy/24.htm

Athanasius  Deposition of Arius

            http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-04/Npnf2-04-18.htm

Didache or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (written between 100 – 300 AD)  

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/didache.html

            The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians 

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/ignatius-ephesians-roberts.html

Gospel of Thomas

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/thomas.html

Introduction to the Ignatius of Antioch’s Letter to the Ephesians 

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/info/ignatius.html

Perpetua and Felicitas 

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/tertullian24.html

Polycarp of Smyrna, Letter to the Phillipians

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/polycarp-lake.html

(NOTE:  a single summary is to be written on the next two articles dealing with

the Letters of Pliny and the Emporer Trajan)

* Pliny the Younger Letters (10:96-97) 

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/texts/pliny.html

* L. Michael White Pliny’s Policy: Execution

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/pliny.html

Secondary Sources

Helmet Koester, L. Michael White… The Great Appeal  

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/appeal.html

Wayne A. Meeks, Paula Fredriksen, Elizabeth Clark The Martyrs

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/martyrs.html

Download Worksheet One Here   

Day 5    The Imperial Church

            Readings to prepare for Class

            Primary Sources

            Athanasius  Deposition of Arius 

http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-04/Npnf2-04-18.htm

Augustine of Hippo The City of God 

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf102.iv.html

            Secondary Sources

Don Closson The Christian Canon

http://www.grandcentralchurch.com/assets/attachments/2EFFCD2E-FCA9-5682-FEAC17BB048DD8B9.pdf

Shaye I. D. Cohen, Harold W. Attridge…Legitimization Under Constantine

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/legitimization.html

Videos to prepare for Class        

            Dr. Timothy George History of Christianity: Tape 2                  

                 p. 13, Questions 1-5; p. 14, Questions 7-10; p. 15, Questions 13, 15;

                 p. 16, Question 18

            Saints & Sinners, Tape 2:  Between Two Empires

>>>>>> Worksheet One Due <<<<<<

>>>>>> Test 1 <<<<<<