Introduction to the History of Christianity

Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-10:50 am
Science 402

Prof. Laura Ammon
Office: Platner 112
Ext.: 4791
Office hours:  To Be Announced
Or by appointment
h) 909-931-9405  Please do not call after 10pm
email:  LauraAmmon@linkline.com  

Click here to go to primary source reading links.  

Using an internet source in your paper? Look here for citation guidelines.
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/department/so/samuel/netref.htm

Course Description:  This course is a survey of the History of Christianity from Antiquity to the present.  We will examine some of the diverse of forms that Christian faith and practice have taken in different time periods and cultural contexts since the first century.  These forms are both local and global and we will explore what those terms mean in theory and practice. The purpose of this course is to give students an introduction to the issues, both historical and contemporary, that shape the history of Christianity and modern expressions of Christian communities. A secondary purpose is to introduce to students the method of producing and interpreting history, encouraging critical engagement with primary and secondary texts.  Each student will leave this course with a broad understanding of the History of Christianity which can be deepened in subsequent course work.

Course Requirements

  • Reading Assignments:  You are expected to do the assigned readings as a preparation for class. There will be quizzes on a regular basis. Rather than reading several different books on History of Christianity, we will use one book and read primary sources representative of different eras and moments in Christian history.  These sources will be available to you on the internet. You will be responsible for exploring additional secondary material for your text analysis papers.  You can find short bibliographies in The Encyclopedia of Religion or The New Catholic Encyclopedia. You are expected to use these sources in addition to internet sources such as can be found on the course web page.
  • Writing Assignments:  You are required to write 4 papers that are 4-6 double spaced pages in length.  The font should not exceed 12 points and the margins should be 1” top and bottom, left and right.  Three of the four papers are to be text analysis papers, engaging a primary source we have read in class or that you have discussed with me.  Guidelines for writing those papers will be provided on a separate sheet and on the course home page.  The final paper is a reflection paper, tracing a theme or issue of your choice through the History of Christianity via several primary and secondary sources. If you use an internet source that is not from the course homepage you must put the URL in the footnote. I will be very attentive to these sources. You must be certain of the scholarly value of the site you are using for your papers.
  • Attendance and class participation are required.  Your grades will break down as follows:

            Text Analysis Papers                                    120 points (30 points each)
            Attendance and class participation              50 points
            Internet project                                              20 points
            Quizzes                                                             10 points each

No Incompletes will be given.  This course can only be taken for a grade.

Required Texts:
David Chidester, Christianity: A Global History
Course Reader available on the web, with a few exceptions on reserve in Wardman library