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Christian Belief and Thought RELS 1202 NA / CAST 1202 NA Spring 2011 Class meets Tuesdays 5:45-8:15 p.m. in Fahy Hall, Room 122. February 22, 2011 version; check regularly for revisions, particularly in the event of weather closings. |
 The Relics of St John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople from 398 to 404. The relics were stolen in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade and returned by the Pope to the Patriarch of Constantinople in 2004. |
| Jan 18 |
Introduction to the course: the roots of
the Christian tradition in the Hebrew Bible
Christianity is, first of all, a tradition (or perhaps better, a stream of traditions); we all encounter it at a particular point in the history of those traditions, and any look at the Christianity of a particular time and place is a look at a point in that history. The history is a definite one, and by all accounts it begins with the collection of literature that Jesus and his contemporaries took as the word of God. In this first class we will be giving an overview of that literature and its place in the development of the Christian tradition, and a quick overview of the tradition itself. The first class will also cover the course requirements and other matters dealt with in this syllabus. Reading before class: The Christian Theological Tradition, Introduction, pp. 1-17 |
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| Jan 25 |
God, the Covenant and the Hebrew tradition
The Exodus The Christian Theological Tradition, chapters 1 through 5, pp. 19-89, especially pp. 19-59 The Bible: Genesis and Exodus, especially Genesis chapters 1 through 23 and Exodus chapters 1 through 24 |
Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam Sistine Chapel |
| Feb 1 |
Jesus and the Gospels Class cancelled tonight because of weather conditions; see the revised syllabus for February 8, when we will cover this material. You have one journal entry due, posted either for February 1 or February 8. The class of February 15 will cover material originally assigned for February 8 and February 15. |
 Sandro Botticelli, The Adoration of the Magi Florence: Uffizi |
| Feb 8 |
Jesus and the Gospels
Jesus Writing
Assignment Note that the
Resources on this syllabus can provide you with a number of valuable
sources that will help you with your research project, although your
final paper must reference both print and online sources. Read before class and post a Journal entry: The Christian Theological Tradition, chapter 6, pp. 91-117 The Gospels of Luke and John, especially Luke chapters 1 through 6 and 22 through 24; and John chapters 1 through 3 and 11 through 21
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 The Tomb of Jesus, Church of the Holy Sepulchre |
| Feb 15 |
Early Christianity Paul and the first witnesses Christianity and pagan culture Read before class and post a Journal entry: The Christian Theological Tradition, chapters 7 and 8, pp. 118-159 The Bible: The Acts of the Apostles, Paul's Letter to the Romans Letter of Pliny to Trajan on the Christians The Gospel of Thomas: see how this text is different from the canonical Gospels
Other reading: Letter of Ignatius of Antioch to the Romans |
Jesus as the Good Shepherd Rome, 3rd century |
| Feb 22 |
The Imperial Church Church councils Theology as response to philosophical inquiry Monasticism
Read before class and post a Journal entry: The Christian Theological Tradition, chapters 9 and 10; pp. 161-193 The Creed of the Council of Nicaea
Other reading: Eusebius on the conversion of Constantine Athanasius' Life of Anthony the First Hermit
Term paper outline due in class tonight Review for the Midterm Exam |
Sant' Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna |
| Mar 1 | ||
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Midterm Exam on the preceding
material The exam will begin at 5:45, and will conclude by 7:15. The remainder of the class time will be devoted to the topic of Islam. You will answer three of the following questions in concise essays:
The rise of Islam Reading before class: The Christian Theological Tradition, chapter 12; pp. 211-234 |
Alhambra, Granada, Spain |
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| Mar 8 | Spring Break - No class | |
| Mar 15 |
Byzantine Christianity
The sacred emperor Read before
class and post a Journal entry:
Other reading:
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 Justinian and his court. Mosaic, San Vitale, Ravenna |
| Mar 22 |
Latin Christianity in the Early Middle Ages
Develpment of theology Read before
class and post a Journal entry:
Other reading:
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 Pulpit, Aachen Cathedral |
| Mar 29 |
Latin Christianity in the High Middle Ages
Monasteries and religious orders Read before
class and post a Journal entry:
Other reading:
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Sainte Chapelle, Paris |
| Apr 5 |
Latin Christianity in the Late Middle Ages Early reforms: Francis and others
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 Isenheim Altarpiece, Mattias Gruenewald |
| Apr 12 |
Reformations in the Western Churches
The churches and the rising national states The question of justification Read before
class:
Other reading:
Term paper due at tonight's class
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 Martin Luther by Lukas Cranach |
| Apr 19 |
Roman Catholic Christianity St. Peter's Basilica Read before class and post a Journal entry: The Christian Theological Tradition, chapters 20 and 21; pp. 351-377
Other reading:
The Creed of Pius IV (1564) |
 Burial of the Count of Orgaz, El Greco Toledo, Church of Santo Tomé |
| Apr 26 |
European Christianity in the modern world The French Revolution and its aftermath Development of Christian missions beyond the Americas Religion as
expression of national identity Christianity and modern thought
Reading before
class:
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 The galaxy Abell 370, photographed by the Hubble telescope in 2009 |
| May 3 |
American Christianity Puritans and
Cavaliers The First Vatican Council Reading before
class:
Review for Final Examination |
 St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City |
| May 10 |
Final
Examination
The final examination will be in class, during the regularly scheduled class period. |
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Scope and Purpose of the Course
This course is intended to provide you with an understanding of the variety of ways in which Christian people have lived their faith in God. We will begin with a study of the basic stories and themes in the Hebrew Bible, which formed the religious consciousness of Jesus and the early Christians, and have served ever since as part of the authoritative sources of Christian tradition. We will then look at the evidence of the first generations of Christians: their recollection of the person and meaning of Jesus of Nazareth, and the ways in which they preserved his story in the New Testament and other early Christian writings. We will then look at the early Christian churches in the Roman empire, to see the variety of ways in which they understood and lived out their faith in Jesus: the issues which confronted them, and the ways in which they dealt with these issues.
The sudden recognition of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman empire brought to the fore the variety of understandings of the meaning of Christian belief. The Roman imperial system from Constantine forward looked to a unified Christian church as a fundamental unifying force in the crumbling empire; we will look at the ways in which the variety of Christian understandings came in conflict with the imperial need for a unitary church.
We will look particularly at two basic forms of Christianity which developed out of this imperial synthesis: the Byzantine church, Greek-speaking and centered in the imperial capital of Constantinople; and the Latin church of the western Mediterranean and north-west Europe. We will look both at the "high" theology of these churches, and at the popular forms of religious belief and practice as they developed over the centuries.
As European civilization developed in the middle years of this millennium, a variety of movements led to the development of a number of very different forms of Christianity over the course of the sixteenth century. Out of these movements developed the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches we recognize today, each with its distinctive forms of belief and practice, and each with its own sense of fidelity to the ancient Christian tradition.
In the last weeks of the course, we will examine the impact of the European contact with the non-European world on the development of the Christian tradition, with particular attention to the religious history of the United States.
Obviously, an introductory course of this scope can
not cover all that might be said or known about this enormously rich topic; all
we will be able to do is examine some representative movements, texts, objects
and other evidence of the rich diversity of Christian belief and practice over
the past two millennia. At the same time, however, this understanding of
the development of Christianity as a religious tradition should help you
understand something more of your own religious background, and give you some of
the tools to refine your sense of religion well beyond the few weeks of this
course. If you are not of a Christian background, this course should give
you a sense of who these curious "Christians" are.
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The text for this course is The Christian Theological Tradition, edited by Catherine Cory and Michael Hollerich, published in third edition by Prentice-Hall, ISBN 0-13-602832-1. It is available in the University Bookstore. Each class during the semester will cover topics discussed in the textbook; you are expected to have read the assigned chapters of the textbook before the class in which the chapters are to be discussed, since the class time will be devoted to discussing the matters raised in these chapters.
The other book you will need for this course is the Bible. Any 20th-century translation of the Bible is acceptable; I personally prefer the Revised Standard Version for its fidelity to the linguistic structure of the original texts. Certain books of the Bible are included in the course reading, as noted above.
In addition, many classes will also be discussing other materials available on the Web, especially primary source text and visual materials. Links to these materials are in the syllabus; you are also expected to have studied these materials before the class in which they will be discussed. Links are visible as lines of blue text in the syllabus.
Grading Criteria:
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In addition to the textbook and the materials referenced in the syllabus, you may find additional material of interest in the following locations:
Internet Resources for the Study of Judaism and Christianity
Prof.
Mahlon Smith's Virtual
Religion Index: a very comprehensive set of links to materials on the
history of Christianity and of other religions
The New Jerusalem Mosaic
(website)
The Ecole Initiative, a
Hypertext Encyclopedia of Early Church History on the World Wide Web
The Internet
Ancient History Sourcebook (website with hundreds of links to ancient documents)
The Internet
Jewish History Sourcebook (website with hundreds of Jewish documents)
The Christian Catacombs
of Rome (website)
The Church of the
Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (website)
List of Popes from
the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia (somewhat dated, but still useful)
Byzantine
Sources in Translation (index of available texts, with links)
Byzantine
Studies on the Internet (website with hundreds of texts)
Orthodox
Resources from the University of Athens
The Internet
Islamic History Sourcebook (website with hundreds of Islamic documents)
The Internet Medieval
Sourcebook (website with links to hundreds of medieval texts)
An excellent website (in
German) on the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648)
The Modern History
Sourcebook (website with links to hundreds of texts on modern history)
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Image at top of page: The Relics of St John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople from 398 to 404. The relics were stolen in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade and returned by the Pope to the Patriarch of Constantinople in 2004. The return of these relics was a significant gesture of reconciliation between the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople, the New Rome. In front of the marble casket holding the relics is a modern icon of St. John Chrysostom. The writing on the icon reads "O Agios Joannes o Chrysostomos": St. John the Golden-mouthed. He is known by that name because of his brilliant preaching.
