Photo by JOHN TOWNER on Unsplash

 

CHIS 511 HISTORY OF THE EARLY AND MEDIEVAL CHURCH

An overview of the development of the Christian church from apostolic times to the Reformation, including the development of doctrines and liturgical practices; the selfunderstanding, mission, and expansion of the church; and the developing relationship between church and state.

Units: 3

WHO NEEDS THIS COURSE?

Graduate students:

  • MDiv/MMin

This course may also be taken by

  • Pastors for continuing education
  • Professionals as non-degree course for professional development
  • Graduate students of other schools as transfer credits

TIME INVESTMENT

Approximately 18 hours a week for two months

 

COURSE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to:

  1. Evaluate various historiographical approaches to the history of the church;
  2. Diagram the major historical-theological developments and protagonists of the early and medieval church history;
  3. Describe and evaluate the major historical-theological developments of the early and medieval church history.
  4. Relate the events in the church history to the general history of the world in the centuries under study;
  5. Find ways of applying this study to the personal life of faith as well to the life of the church.

 

TOPICS TO COVER

Date

Topic
Week 1
Jan 10-14

Introduction. Jesus and the Church Come into the World. The Jews, the Romans & Jesus Christ. The birth, life, structure, and mission of the apostolic church.
Week 2
Jan 17-21

Church-World War I. The Persecutions of the church, the defenders of the church: the apologists and the polemists. 
Week 3
Jan 24-28

The Church Groups and Regroups. The apostolic, postapostolic church life & structure. The end of persecutions, the conversion of Constantine, the state-church relationships.
Week 4
Jan 31-Feb 4

The Church Struggles with its Integrity and Identity: monks, heretics, and orthodox. The 7 Ecumenical Councils, Eastern Christianity, and the Great Schism.
Week 5
Feb 7-11

The Church Struggles with its Integrity and Identity: The Church Fathers: Athanasius, the Cappadocians, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Jerome, and Augustine.
Week 6
Feb 14-18

Church-World War II: The barbarians, the fall of Rome, and the papacy. The Muslims, Christendom, and the Crusades.
Week 7
Feb 21-25

The Church Struggles with its Integrity and Identity. Again. The monks, the revivalists, the scholastics, and the humanists
Week 8
Feb 28 –Mar 4

The Church Struggles with its Integrity, Identity, and Mission. Again. The Golden Age of Christendom, the Babylonian Captivity of Papacy, the Mission of the Church, and the First Reformers (Conciliarists, Huss, Wycliff) 
Week 9
Mar 7-11

Final Exam

 

COURSE FACILICATOR

GHEORGHE RAZMERITA, PhD

Dr Gheorghe Razmerita is an associate professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy and PhD/MTh program director teaching in the Historical-Theological Department of the Theological Seminary at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies. Since 1995, he has served as a pastor and theology professor in various countries such as Moldova, Philippines, Kenya, Chile.

Dr Razmerita studied theology in universities in Romania and United States (extension campuses in Russia) and earned his PhD in Church History and Historical Theology from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies. Together with his wife Diana, he enjoys the company of their children, Edmond Cristian and Edna Daniela.

In recent years, Dr. Razmerita has presented at various theological symposia and conferences at AIIAS, Philippines, and in South America on topics such as Doctrine of God, Creation, Church, Salvation, Eschatology, Science and Religion, Religious Freedom. He has published “Modele intermediare în dialogul știință-religie” (“Intermediary Models in the Science-Religion Dialogue”) in TheoRhema 12 (2017): 37-68 (Romania) and contributed biblical-theological devotionals to A Walk through the Bible (2015), a multi-author devotional book (Spain). Currently, he is waiting for the publication of two chapters in two books: “God in the Apostolic Church,” a chapter in La Deidad: Una introducción a la teología adventista acerca de Dios (Brazil) and “John B. Cobb,” a chapter in Teólogos influyentes del siglo XX, vol. 2 (Argentina).