Introduction to the History of Christianity

Hope calls itself a "college in the Christian tradition." As such, all students are required to take one of the religion department's introductory courses; one of the options is Introduction to the History of Christianity.

I had two major goals. First, many of my students had a fairly limited experience and restrictive definition of Christianity; I wanted them to discover that Christianity is a rich and complex tradition. So I introduced them to Pentecostalism, Christian Science, and Orthodoxy, in addition to more familiar names. (This approach required the use of photocopied readings to supplement the text.) Second, in line with the mission of the school, I wanted to connect the students' contemporary life in the church with its history. A short reflection paper asked them to imagine themselves a medieval peasant and decide whether or not to join the Crusades, or imagine themselves a Roman citizen and respond to the new Christian movement. I encouraged students to focus their research paper on a personal passion, such as a contemporary controversy or their career interests.

The writing assignments worked fairly well and seemed to engage students' interests. Class discussion was less successful, because of the lecture format and the fact that the class was a requirement for most students.

Religion 240
Introduction to the History of Christianity
Spring 2000
Instructor: Dr. Daniel Sack

In the history of world religions, Christianity is relatively young—a bit less than two thousand years old. It has had a massive impact on the world's culture, however, over those two thousand years. Its ideas and its language run through the world's literature, and great acts of both kindness and cruelty have been done in its name. To understand the world, we need to understand how Christianity came to be. In this class we'll begin investigating the development of this world religion.

Over the course of this semester, we will

• meet some of the important people and investigate some of the important events in the history of Christianity;
• trace how Christianity developed and changed over its two thousand years; and
• explore the richness and complexity of world Christianity.

• Because you will learn as much from classroom discussion as from the reading, class attendance and participation are important and will be figured into your grade. (Participation can help your grade but not hurt it.)
• Every day, bring to class a response card. It could be a question, a brilliant insight, or a challenge to the author (or lecturer)—something stimulated by that day's readings. By recording your insights you will help direct your own reading. This will help stimulate our discussions. (Please bring the first card on Monday, January 17. No card is required on days when there is no reading assigned.)
• There will be two papers for the course. The first is a reflection paper, due February 4; it should be approximately 3-4 pages. The second is a research paper, due April 14; it should be approximately 8-10 pages. (A brief description of your paper topic is due on February 18.) I will tell you more about these assignments early in the semester. [Note: Reflection paper asked students to imagine themselves as a historical actor. One question asked whether the student, as a Roman citizen, would have joined the early Christian movement. Another question asked the student to imagine herself a medieval peasant, and to decide whether or not to join the Crusades. For the research paper I encouraged students to
• There will be a midterm on March 3, and a final during finals week. The exams will be a combination of in-class objective and take-home essay. We will have review sessions before each exam.

• Attendance and participation: 10%
• Reflection paper: 15%
• Research paper: 30%
• Midterm: 20%
• Final: 25%

1. Deadlines: Due dates for papers are clearly stated here in syllabus and will be adhered to. Grades will decline a half-grade for each day a paper is late. Medical (with doctor's note) and family emergencies may excuse a late paper. Please plan ahead, and let me know if you think there will be a problem—we might be able to make some arrangements. To prevent computer problems, back up your work!
2. Preparation: Please come to class having done the reading and having thought about what you read. Bring along the readings for the day.
3. Office hours: Please take advantage of them. I am happy to discuss intellectual and personal questions about the material, as well as ideas and concerns about assignments.
4. Identification: Please put your name and your course section on everything you turn in.
5. Academic integrity: Plagiarism (using words from other authors without proper credit) is cheating, as well as a sign of sloppy thinking. We will discuss how to avoid plagiarism when discussing the paper assignments.
6. Respect: Religion touches many people very deeply; that makes it fascinating to teach and to study. But it can also stimulate complex emotions, as people make categorical statements about their views of reality. Not everyone in this class is a Christian, or is the same kind of Christian. Please show respect for the convictions of your classmates by making thoughtful and gentle arguments.

• Familiarity with important (not trivial) facts
• The ability to compare different events and times
• The ability to make and defend an argument

• A thesis, clearly stated and clearly defended
• References to important personalities, events, movements, and ideas in the history of Christianity
• Understanding how your work fits into the larger scheme of Christian history
• Proper citation of sources

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