Historical Courses for the 2010 Fall Session

Geographical expansion of the Church; its relation to surrounding culture; its development of doctrinal and ethical positions; its various forms of life and worship. Lectures, discussions, minor paper, mid-term paper, final exam.

From the subapostolic age to the 'Triumph of Orthodoxy' in the East and the Carolingian revival and Treaty of Verdun in the West. Geographical expansion of the church; the relation of Christian faith to cultural settings and other religions; the development of doctrinal and ethical positions; forms of Christian life and worship; the rise of Islam. This course will consist of lectures, small group discussions, and oral reports that summarize small group discussions. Short assignments; choice of final exam or research paper.

Offered On-Line: From the subapostolic age to the “Triumph of Orthodoxy” in the East and the Carolingian revival and Treaty of Verdun in the West. Geographical expansion of the church; the relation of Christian faith to cultural settings and other religions; the development of doctrinal and ethical positions; forms of Christian life and worship; the rise of Islam. Weekly on-line participation, short papers, research paper.

The course aims to provide a general knowledge of mediaeval church  history (600 - 1500) presented in a text and by exercising critical reasoning through analysing 3 primary texts chosen by the student. The reality of the church's life shown by the clergy, laity and in its worship is made tangible through manuscript, artistic and architectural material from videos and Power Point presentations.
Teaching methods: seminars, audiovisuals, lectures.

Development of thought and piety; monasticism and mendicants; crusades, parish life; papacy, princes and church councils; Byzantium; East-West relations; relations with Jews and Muslims; Renaissance and reformations; reformers; missionary expansion; confessionalism.

Surveys the spirituality of evangelicalism primarily in the Anglican tradition in England in its formative period between c. 1730 and 1833. Lectures and workshop. Short papers (including biographical study), and research paper.

Orthodox thought continues a dynamic development in the world after 1453, but struggles to engage the wider world of thought until the "renaissance" of orthodox theology in the 19th and 20th C. Reading of theologians, especially of 20th C., and of "dialogue-theology" between orthodox and "Western" scholars. Recent Oriental-Byzantine Orthodox interaction. Prerequisite: TRH2401H.

The fourth century marks the period when, with Constantine’s building on the holy places, Christianity has for the first time its foot prints in the holy land.  It is the triumphant religion as Judaism is shrinking to fewer settlements than before. This century, thus, marks the summit of collision between the two religions. Although Judaism is still dominant in some parts of the country such as southern Judah and the Galilee, still, with the intervention of the imperial institutions restrictions on the Jews, which resulted in revolt, serious earthquake all this will be dealt with in the course. Synagogues and church were constructed then and these will also be described.  Lectures, Discussions, one essay.  One essay (70%) and participation  in class (30%)

In the period between 200 AD and the end of the sixth century, Christian art emerged and evolved as a particular manifestation of the mystery of Christian faith. Sacred (but also secular) architecture witnesses this new cultural phenomenon. Churches following various patterns, baptisteries, and monasteries alongside wall paintings and mosaics, sarcophagi and small-scale pieces of art reveal and interact with a particular comprehension of the mystery of Christ and the Church. In this course, early Christian art is set against its theological, cultural, socio-economical, and political background. Discussions, presentations. One essay.  One research essay (60%) and participation in class (40%).

Jerusalem was the target of the Crusades (1099-1291). It also served as the capital of the kingdom and principalities that the Crusaders established in the Middle East. The course will describe Jerusalem as fulfilling the function of a capital and the religious center of the kingdom. The description of  the topography of the city will be the main feature in the course, and through this medium, all the social, ethnic components of the city will be described.  Lectures, Discussions, One essay.  One essay (70%) and participation in class (30%).

This seminar examines the scholastic approach to the history of philosophy exemplified by Etienne Gilson against the background of its foundation in the thought of Aristotle as it was appropriated by Thomas Aquinas in the thirteenth century.  It examines the role that philosophy or theology’s history plays in the conceptual constructions of scholastic thinkers, and what they think is truly first and deepest in the history they so study.

Is beauty simply “in the eye of the beholder” or is it something more? Is it a way to God, a moral precept, or the specific locus for a unique kind of pleasure? This course examines a variety of subjective and objective views of beauty in the history of Western philosophy and theology from antiquity to the present (e.g. in the thought of Plato, Augustine, Aquinas, Kant, Weil, Barth, and Balthasar). It will also consider the implications of these views of beauty for the production of the visual arts, music, and literary culture in Western religion and society.

Studies in the theory of history and methods of historical study and writing, related mainly to Christianity. Required of all AD students in the History Dept. Discussions in class (10%) and on-line (30%) of select historical works representing diverse approaches and interests; two short class presentations; two mid-length papers (30% each).

In the dramatic half century that followed the council of Nicaea in the fourth century, Athanasius rallied the theologians that sought a creative adhesion to the Nicene Creed. In doing this, he delved into the mystery of the Incarnation of the Lord and later on of the divinity of the Holy Spirit. In addition to this, he was instrumental in canalizing the momentum of monastic emergence into the Church, mainly through his "Life of Anthony." The course will engage in a detailed and contextualized reading of his main works and their relevance for the theological enterprise. Discussions, presentations. One essay.

The fourth century marks the period when, with Constaine's building on the holy places, Christiainity has for the first time its foot prints in the holy land.  It is the triumphant religion as Judaism is shrinking to fewer settlements than before.  This century, thus, marks the summit of collision between the two religions. Although Judaism is still dominant in some parts of the country such as southern Judah and the Galilee, still, with the intervention of the imperial institutions restrictions on the Jews, which resulted in revolt, serious earthquake all this will be dealt with in the course.  Synagogues and church were constructed then and these will also be described.  Lectures, Discussions, one essay.  One essay (70%) and participation in class (30%)

In the period between 200 AD and the end of the sixth century, Christian art emerged and evolved as a particular manifestation of the mystery of Christian faith. Sacred (but also secular) architecture witnesses this new cultural phenomenon. Churches following various patterns, baptisteries, and monasteries alongside wall paintings and mosaics, sarcophagi and small-scale pieces of art reveal and interact with a particular comprehension of the mystery of Christ and the Church. In this course, early Christian art is set against its theological, cultural, socio-economical, and political background. Discussions, presentations. One essay.  One research essay (60%) and participation in class (40%).

Jerusalem was the target of the Crusades (1099-1291). It also served as the capital of the kingdom and principalities that the Crusaders established in the Middle East. The course will describe Jerusalem as fulfilling the function of a capital and the religious center of the kingdom. The description of  the topography of the city will be the main feature in the course, and through this medium, all the social, ethnic components of the city will be described.  Lectures, Discussions, One essay.  One essay (70%) and participation in class (30%).

This seminar examines the scholastic approach to the history of philosophy exemplified by Etienne Gilson against the background of its foundation in the thought of Aristotle as it was appropriated by Thomas Aquinas in the thirteenth century.  It examines the role that philosophy or theology’s history plays in the conceptual constructions of scholastic thinkers, and what they think is truly first and deepest in the history they so study.

Is beauty simply “in the eye of the beholder” or is it something more? Is it a way to God, a moral precept, or the specific locus for a unique kind of pleasure? This course examines a variety of subjective and objective views of beauty in the history of Western philosophy and theology from antiquity to the present (e.g. in the thought of Plato, Augustine, Aquinas, Kant, Weil, Barth, and Balthasar). It will also consider the implications of these views of beauty for the production of the visual arts, music, and literary culture in Western religion and society.

A comprehensive synthesis of primarily the Byzantine Orthodox doctrinal tradition. Themes include: the sources of Tradition, creation, eschatology, anthropology, soteriology, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, liturgy and sacraments, ecclesiology and East-West ecumenism. Lectures, seminars, short papers, research paper. Prerequisite: Three courses from the Theological or Historical departments.

Studies the documents and teachings of Vatican II. Brief overview of the historical background to the Council and to Councils in the life of the church. Seminars guide discussions based on close readings of the 16 documents with emphasis on the historical context and ecclesiological significance of each document. Seminar presentations; participation in analysis of the documents; integration paper.

Studies the documents and teachings of Vatican II. Brief overview of the historical background to the Council and to Councils in the life of the church. Seminars guide discussions based on close readings of the 16 documents with emphasis on the historical context and ecclesiological significance of each document. Seminar presentations; participation in analysis of the documents; integration paper.