Pre-requisites

HS570.306 The World We Live In: World History Since 1945 OR HS502.306 Introduction to Christian History

Co-requisites

None.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Assess the situational development of key ideas, practices and structures in the early church individually and in collaboration.

• Critically analyse the interface between events, movements and key people to the development of the early church.

• Critically examine the perspective of the persecutors, opponents and defenders of the early church.

• Analyse and critique the teaching of the early church with reference to primary documents.

• Explore the history of the early church and its impact on the world today and apply these insights appropriately.

Unit Description

In exploring the church’s history from 30 to 451 CE, this unit will encompass a number of themes. These will include: the Roman world and its clash with early Christianity; the persecutions by various emperors; the ministry and worship of first churches; the lives and teaching of Apostolic Fathers and early apologists; early church documents, including Epistles of Ignatius, Epistles to Diognetus, Martyrdom of Polycarp and I Clements, Didache, etc; the early theological issues; the expansion and development of the church; the conversion of Constantine and its impact on the church and the state; the interaction of church and society after Constantine; the rise of monasticism and its leading figures; the lives of Church Fathers (Augustine, Athanasius, Cappadocian Fathers, etc) and their teaching; the early church councils and the leading theologians associated with them; the major heresies and controversies in the church and the opponents on various sides of the debate, particularly emphasis is upon the Christological and Trinitarian controversies; and development of the creeds. Throughout the unit, there will be a study of English translations of primary sources.

Teaching Strategies

Teaching strategies include some or all of the following: lectures and tutorials; residential and weekend schools; class discussions; presentation of instructional material in the form of printed documentation, DVD, video and audio tape and online interaction.

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Unit offerings

Online: (Every 2nd Year (Odd), Summer)

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.