THS 603 L.00A Church History

Spring 2016

T- 1:30 PM- 4 PM Criswell CollegeCredit Hours: 3

Dr. Christopher Graham Email:

Office phone: 214-818-1390

Home phone: 214-388-8089

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will provide an introductory examination of the history of the Christian church from the first century to the present, with an emphasis on the roots of American Christianity.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course, the student should have the ability to . . .

  1. Articulate a working knowledge of the significant phases, events, persons, and development of Christian thought in the history of the Church.
  2. Enrich his or her own devotion to the faith through the models of devotion manifest in the history of the Church.
  3. Recognize how all ministry (doctrine and practice) is influenced by contemporary and antecedent forces and develop a sense of discernment in regards to the forces impacting his or her ministry.
  4. Encourage others as to their place in the history of God’s work.
  5. Engage in sympathetic but critical dialogue with diverse Christian communities, traditions, and denominations striving for unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
  6. Pursue further formal and informal education in biblical, theological, and ministerial fields by displaying a basic familiarity with scholarship in the field of Church history.[1]

COURSE TEXTS

  • Earl E. Cairns. Christianity through the Centuries. 3rd ed. Revised and Expanded. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.
  • Gregg Allison. Historical Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.
  • A primary work by and scholarly monograph about a significant figure within Church history—to be determined in consultation with professor.
  • Criswell College Manual of Style, 3rd ed. Dallas: Criswell College, 2010.(Available on-line at http:criswell.edu/Current Students/Student Life/Student Resources.)2008. ISBN:978006147280

COURSE REQUIREMENTS[2]

Exams (40%): There will be two exams given in this course on the dates listed on the schedule below. These exams will cover material from the Cairns and Allison texts and are cumulative.

Reading Assignments (20%):Ideally, reading should be completed by the class session as it appears on the schedule below. Since exams will be based on the reading, it is imperative that assigned reading be completed up through each exam. Reading progress will be graded at each exam by a review of notes taken on the reading. Notes should be brought to the exam for the professor to review during the exam period. Notes compiled in a computer program should be e-mailed to the professor prior to the exam in which they will be reviewed. Notes in the texts themselves will not be considered. The form of the notes is up to the student. They should be prepared in such a way that they will benefit the student for test preparation and future reference. Examples of successful note-taking content include: outline or summarization of material in book; questions evoked during reading; special notes and definitions about key terms or concepts; cross-reference to classroom discussion notes or other works to augment understanding of terms and concepts.

Research Assignment (40%):

The student will research a significant figure from Church history. This figure will be determined in consultation with the professor by the beginning of the third class session (February 2nd). Any changes must be approved by the professor prior to completing the Essay and Paper.

Sources:

  1. One text written by the figure being studied. This will be determined in consultation with the professor by the beginning of the third class session (February 2nd). Any changes must be approved by professor prior to completing the Essay and Paper.
  2. One monograph on the figure being studied. This will be determined in consultation with the professor by the beginning of the fifth class session (February 16th).
  3. A minimum of ten secondary sources consulted and listed in bibliography attached to Paper.
  4. A maximum of three of which may be reference books (e.g. dictionaries, encyclopedias, general history texts).
  5. A maximum of three of which may be significant on-line resources.

Results of Research:

The results of research will be presented in a 2-page, in-class Essay and 9–12 page Paper.

Essay: 25% of research assignment grade. Can be written on either of the exam dates listed in the class schedule below.You will be required to write a 2-page (closed-book/closed-notes) in-class essay on the significant biographical information about the figure you have chosen. Significant biographical information includes, for example:

  • Dates: birth, death, significant events
  • Locations: birth, education, institutions/cities where figure worked/ministered
  • Language(s) spoken/written
  • Corpus (written work): type and extent of material
  • Accomplishments and Legacy
  • The figure’s political, religious, social, intellectual, milieu

Paper: 75% of research assignment grade. Due at the beginning of class May 10th.

Content:

  1. Review of the primary text (1-2 pages)
  2. Interaction with primary text and lessons learned for personal application (6-7 pages)
  3. See handout “Monograph Usage in Research” (2-3 pages)
  4. Bibliography of sources cited and sources consulted

Form and style:

The Criswell College Manual of Style (3rd ed) must be consulted for proper footnote and bibliographic forms. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation will also be included in the grading.

Extra Credit:

Up to twenty points of extra credit are available for the Research Assignment to students who participate in a “rough draft review” of their Paper. To participate, a student should e-mail a copy of the rough draft to the professor by Thursday, April 28th (5pm). The professor will review the paper to make sure that the right path is being followed regarding to content. The professor will also forward the paper to another student who is participating in the “rough draft review,” who will read the paper and offer suggestions on grammar, syntax, format, and logical flow. Both the professor and the student-reviewer will e-mail the annotated rough draft back to the author before the beginning of class, May 2nd. Gaining the full twenty points will be determined by the professor based on the extent to which the rough draft is complete and the degree to which the student-reviewer reads and returns a fellow student’s rough draft.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS

Students are required to be present on days when exams are given and reading notes are checked. Late exams will only be given in extreme circumstances.

The Research Assignment is due at the beginning of class May 10th.If it is not submitted on time, a student earns an automatic extension penalty of 10 points. There is an additional 10-point deduction for every 24-hour period from that point forward. Late papers should be e-mailed to the professor. A response will be provided within 24 hours indicating receipt of the paper. If the student does not receive a receipt message from the professor, it is up to the student to contact the professor to arrange for delivery.

GRADING SCALE

The final grade will be based on the total accumulation of points as indicated under Course Requirements according to the grade scale in the Criswell College catalog.

A / A- / B+ / B / B- / C+ / C / C- / D+ / D / D- / F
97-100 / 93-96 / 91-92 / 88-90 / 86-87 / 83-85 / 80-82 / 78-79 / 75-77 / 72-74 / 70-71 / 0-69

F: Fail- If less than 70 points are earned, students may need to retake the course for degree.

WF:Withdraw Fail- Failing at the time of withdrawal.

WP: Withdraw Pass- Passing at the time of withdrawal.

I:Incomplete- No grade of incomplete will be issued unless approved by the professor.

ATTENDANCE and CLASSROOM POLICIES

Absences: Since class participation is vital to learning, absences should be taken only when absolutely necessary. More than three (3) absences for block classes will result in a grade of “F” in the courses. The professor and the Vice President must approve all exceptions to this policy. Proportionate absences apply to all other terms (Winter, summer, etc.). Students are responsible for all absences due to illness or any other reason. Granting of excused absences is permitted at the discretion of the professor.

Tardies: Missing more than fifteen (15) minutes at the beginning or end of a class period is considered one absence. Three instances of tardiness of fifteen minutes or less equals one absence. The tardy student is responsible for notifying the professor of his/her presence in writing at the end of class. Students who wish to depart early should clear it with the professor.

Attendance Sheets The official attendance record is maintained through the use of the Course Attendance Sheet. One student, who will be designated the Class Leader, will be responsible for beginning a Course Attendance Sheet. It will be distributed at the beginning of class. It is the responsibility of each student to sign the Course Attendance Sheet for the specific day. Students who are fifteen minutes late or plan to leave fifteen minutes early are considered absent (see “Tardies” section above) and should not sign the attendance sheet. The Attendance Sheet is submitted to the Academic Dean’s Office immediately after each class session.

Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is the application of the principle of truth in the classroom setting. It includes the basic premise that all work students submit must be their own and any ideas received from somewhere else must be carefully documented. To violate this principle is equivalent to academic theft, or plagiarism. Note as well that plagiarism can occur in at least two forms.

1.The copying of material directly out of a source (book or article) without using quotation marks

and/or without giving proper citation of your sources.

2.The use of large blocks of material from other sources, whether quoted or just summarized, without

giving proper acknowledgement of your sources.

Original Work: Work that has been done for other classes may not be used to earn credit in this class. Submission of work for this class is presumed to include an affirmation that it is the student’s own work and has not previously been submitted in another course.

Writing Assistance: The Writing Center is a place where writers of all abilities are invited to participate in a comfortable and collaborative environment to improve and enhance their skill and confidence by clarifying, practicing and promoting techniques of effective writing. It provides one-on-one consultation for grammar, punctuation, formatting, organization, citations, and various other writing-related concerns. Take advantage of this learning opportunity. For information and making appointments call 214-818-1373, e-mail , or visit

Learning Disabilities: In order to ensure full class participation, any student with a disabling condition requiring special accommodations (e.g., tape recorders, special adaptive equipment, special note-taking or test-taking needs) is strongly encouraged to contact the instructor at the beginning of the course or if a student has a learning disability, please inform the professor so assistance can be provided.

Student Dress Code (While on Campus): All students are to follow the Criswell College dress code as noted in the Student Handbook. Students not in compliance to the code may be asked to leave class. The dress code reflects our intent of preparing students for leadership in ministry.

Auditing & Sit-In Students: Any student may enroll in a course as an Auditor or Sit-in if space is available in the classroom. A student’s permanent transcript will reflect which courses have been completed as audits. Sit-in students are not given grades by professors and their transcripts will not reflect enrollment in the course. Taking tests and participation in course activities afforded to credit students in the syllabus is at the discretion of the professor.

Textbooks: The selection of textbooks should not be interpreted as implying the professor’s endorsement of any of the views of the authors. Textbooks are selected for their perceived value in helping to meet the course goals and objectives.

Course Materials: Any materials (course notes, lecture notes, handouts) distributed in class or posted on-line are for the use of enrolled students only. Please do not copy or distribute them to individuals not registered for this course. Any requests for these materials by non-registered individuals should be directed to the professor.

Recording: Students may not record class sessions. If a student desires to record a class session, written permission must be obtained in advance of the recording. Please submit a written request explaining the purpose of recording and the extent of use of the recording. Under no conditions may recordings be duplicated, given, or lent to anyone not registered for this class.

COURSE SCHEDULE

The following course schedule is proposed but subject to change.

DATE /
CONTENT
/
CAIRNS
1-19 / Intro to Course / 1-38, 528-560
1-26 / Ancient Church, Part 1 / 39-85
2-2 / Ancient Church, Part 2 / 86-117
2-9 / Ancient Church, Part 3 / 118-158
2-16 / Medieval Church, Part 1 / 159-201
2-23 / Medieval Church, Part 2 / 202-238
3-1 / Medieval Church, Part 3 / 239-266
3-8 / EXAM #1
3-15 / Spring Break- NO CLASS
3-22 / Reformation, Part 1 / 267-292
3-29 / Reformation, Part 2 / 293-319
4-5 / Reformation, Part 3 / 320-354
4-12 / Modern Church, Part 1 / 355-389
4-19 / Modern Church, Part 2 / 398-441
4-26 / Modern Church, Part 3 / 444-500
5-3
5-10 / EXAM #2/RESEARCH PAPER DUE

1

Graham, THS 603 (Church History), SP-16, T, 1:30–4

[1] Italics indicate differences between graduate course and undergraduate course.

[2] Prepared for posting on-line. Every effort has been made to provide all of the substantial information necessary for students to plan their semester. The final syllabus, which will be distributed on the first day of class, may differ from this version and will be the authoritative syllabus for the course.