Mobile Ed: CH101 Introducing Church History I: Obscurity to Christendom (6 hour course)

by Frank A. James III

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2016

Overview

Beginning with the aftermath of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, CH101 covers the story of Christianity up to the 15th century. Dr. James unravels the distinct thought and persecution of the early Christians, as well as the key historical turning points that would result in the formation of doctrines such as the doctrine of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Trinity. This course introduces you to the important work of Augustine, who responded to the Donatists and Pelagius in a way that would have lasting marks on the church. Dr. James traces the historical context of the rise of the papacy; the violence of the first Crusades and their lingering effects; and the rise of medieval scholasticism, particularly in the work of Thomas Aquinas. This course concludes with an explanation of the Great Schism of the 14th century and the early reform attempts by John Wycliffe and Jan Hus, which paved the way for the Protestant Reformation.

Course Outline

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Contours of the Early Church

• Expansion of the Early Church
• Explanations for Christian Expansion
• Using Lists and Search Operators to See God’s Heart for the Vulnerable
• Structure of the Early Church
• Worship in the Early Church
• Apostolic Fathers

Unit 2: Persecution in the Early Church

• Historical Context and Pagan Perceptions of Christians
• Parameters of Persecution
• Roman Persecution before AD 250
• Martyrdoms of Polycarp, Blandina, and Ponticus
• Empire-Wide Persecution Begins (AD 250)
• Identifying Times of Persecution Using the Timeline
• Establishment of the Tetrarchy
• The Great Persecution
• The Tetrarchy Undone
• Constantine and the Triumph of Christianity

Unit 3: Theological Diversions in the Early Church

• Judaizing Christians
• Gnosticism
• Gnostic Anthropology

Unit 4: Canon and Trinity

• Formation of the New Testament Canon: Part 1
• Formation of the New Testament Canon: Part 2
• The Trinity: Monarchianism
• The Trinity: Arian Controversy Unfolds
• The Council of Nicaea Decides
• The Resurgence and Eventual Defeat of Arianism
• Emperor Theodosius and the Council of Constantinople

Unit 5: Christology

• Apollinaris
• Nestorius
• Cyril versus Nestorius
• Eutyches
• The Council of Chalcedon

Unit 6: Aurelius Augustine

• Gateway to the Medieval Church
• The Life and Times of Augustine
• Creating Character Biography Reports with Factbook and Wikipedia
• Donatism
• Pelagianism
• Augustinianism

Unit 7: The Rise of the Papacy

• Leo I
• Gregory the Great and the Crowning of Charlemagne
• Papal Forgeries
• Pope Innocent III

Unit 8: The Crusades

• The First Crusades
• The Failure of the Crusades

Unit 9: Medieval Scholasticism

• The Rise of Scholasticism
• Thomas Aquinas and High Scholasticism
• Late Medieval Scholasticism: Ockham

Unit 10: Late Medieval Maelstrom

• European Crises and the Babylonian Captivity
• The Great Schism
• Attempts at Reform: Wycliffe
• Building a Custom Layout to Compare English Bible Translations
• Attempts at Reform: Hus

Conclusion

• “Saints” and Sinners

Resources Included

Hide owned resources

Value if sold separately

Expand all|Collapse all|Partially included

Value if sold separately

Total value if sold separately:

About Frank A. James III

Dr. Frank A. James III brings his passion for understanding Christian faith throughout history, combined with 30 years of research and teaching experience, to bear on this two-course Church History bundle. With doctoral degrees in both theology and history, Dr. James is uniquely poised to help you better understand and trace the arc of Christian thought from its earliest days to its 21st century global presence.

Dr. James is president of Biblical Theological Seminary in the Philadelphia suburb of Hatfield, PA. Prior to taking his current post, he taught and served as president at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL, and served as provost and taught at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. Additionally, he has been on the teaching faculties of Villanova University and Westmont College, and was a visiting professor at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Oxford University.

A Texas native, Dr. James holds a DPhil in history from Oxford University and a PhD in theology from Westminster Theological Seminary. He is married to author Carolyn Custis James.