HS520CE Church History
This survey course in the history of the Church investigates theological, political, and social developments from the apostolic age through the Second Vatican Council. This range of topics in the course is organized according to the ‘six ages’ of the Church as divided by the historian Christopher Dawson. “A Survey of the History of the Church” is designed to provide an overview of the life of the Church up to the modern era for those serving as permanent deacons in the Catholic dioceses of the United States. It places events and controversies of history in a context that will foster a mature understanding of the Church’s mission and legacy.
Course Syllabus
A Survey of the History of the Church
Pontifical College Josephinum ✝ Diaconate Continuing Education ✝ Autumn 2015
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Course code: HS501DE
Credit hours: 2
Instructor: Dr. Eric Graff
Telephone: (614) 252–0781, ext. 2272
E–Mail: egraff@pcj.edu
Course description
This survey course in the history of the Church investigates theological, political, and social developments from the apostolic age through the Second Vatican Council. This range of topics in the course is organized according to the ‘six ages’ of the Church as divided by the historian Christopher Dawson. “A Survey of the History of the Church” is designed to provide an overview of the life of the Church up to the modern era for those serving as permanent deacons in the Catholic dioceses of the United States. It places events and controversies of history in a context that will foster a mature understanding of the Church’s mission and legacy.
Textbooks
Required
Vidmar, John. The Catholic Church through the Ages: A History. New York: Paulist Press, 2005.
Suggested
Henry Bettenson, ed. Documents of the Christian Church. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Jacques Dupuis, ed. The Christian Faith in the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church. 7th ed. New York: Alba House, 2001.
Course layout for Church History
Dr. Eric Graff, Pontifical College Josephinum
| Module | Topic of Discussion
Online Lecture |
Student Assignments | |||
| Readings | Writing | Forum Discussion | Quiz | ||
| 1 | The Identity of the Church
Theology, History, and Preparation
|
Lumen gentium, the dogmatic constitution on the Church, at http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
Vidmar 1–45 |
Reflection papers for groups A or B on the subject of a document from the primary documents list
|
Call | X |
| 2 | Trials of the Church to AD 330
Example, Culture, and Understanding
|
The Didache (PDF from the course site); The Liber Pontificalis, life of Sylvester (PDF from the course site)
Vidmar, 46–72
|
A | ||
| 3 | Growth of the Church to AD 650
Secular and regular vocations, papacy and episcopate
|
The Rule of St. Benedict, selections starting at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/gregory/life_rule.iv.i.html
Vidmar, 72–87 + short readings posted to the course site
|
B | ||
| 4 | Definition of the Church to AD 1000 (I)
Evangelizing, Western ties, Eastern relations, Islam Readings to be posted to Populi
|
Bede, On the Reckoning of Time, and The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, selections posted to the course site; Vidmar 88–118 | A | ||
| 5 | Definition of the Church to AD 1000 (II)
Language, Science, Arts and history
|
Selections from a medieval manuscript: MS Köln, Domibibliothek 83(ii) 79v–85v at http://www.ceec.uni-koeln.de/; Vidmar, 119–138 | B | Call | |
| 6 | The High Medieval Church to AD 1216
Schism, Gregorian Reform, Papal Supremacy
|
Dictatus Papae; Letters of Henry IV and Gregory VII; the Concordat of Worms; the speech of Urban II to the Council of Claremont, calling for the first crusade (all in PDF from the course site); Vidmar 138–164 | A | X | |
| 7 | The Late Medieval Church to AD 1450
Schism, Plague, War, and Print
|
Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas, selections from http://dhspriory.org/thomas/summa/index.html;
Vidmar, 165–177 |
B | ||
| 8 | The Renaissance Church to 1563
Catholic and Protestant Reformations
|
Martin Luther, 95 Theses at http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/web/ninetyfive.html; Leo X, Exsurge Domine at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo10/l10exdom.htm; The Council of Trent, selections from http://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent.html; Vidmar, 177–204
|
A | ||
| 9 | The Church in the Age of Reason to 1789
Science, Discovery, and the Old Regime Readings to be posted to Populi
|
Galileo’s letter to the Duchess Christina at http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/galileo-tuscany.asp; Cardinal Bellarmine’s letter to Fr. Foscarini at http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/letterbellarmine.html; the papal condemnation of Galileo at http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/condemnation.html;
Pope Pius VI, On the Civil Oath in France at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius06/p6charit.htm; Other readings on the French revolution at the course site; Vidmar, 204–276 |
B | ||
| 10 | The Church in the long nineteenth century
Revolution, Ideology, economy
|
Gregory XVI, Mirari vos at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Greg16/g16mirar.htm; Pius IX, Quanta cura at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9quanta.htm; Leo XIII, Rerum novarum at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13rerum.htm; Vidmar, 276–307
|
A | X | |
| 11 | The Church through the World Wars to 1950
Conflict and pastoral care, new partnerships
|
Read Vidmar 258–345
Benedict XV, Ad beatissimi apostolorum, at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Ben15/b15adbea.htm; Pius XI, Mit Brennender Sorge at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius11/P11BRENN.HTM; Pius XII, Mystici corporis Christi at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius12/P12MYSTI.HTM; Vidmar, 307–345
|
B | Call | |
| 12 | The Contemporary Church
Vatican II, the Cold War, the postmodern order Readings to be posted to Populi
|
Gaudium et Spes at http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_cons_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html; John Paul II, Christifideles laici at http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_30121988_christifideles-laici.html
|
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| Final Exam | AB: Final Paper Uploaded | Online Test | |||