David Panisnick
Professor: Religion and Philosophy
Bldg. 7- 623
845-9423
davepani@hcc.hawaii.edu

Course Description: History of ideas concentrating on those events, persons, and issues which have had the greatest impact on the evolution of Christianity. (3 credits)

Recommended Preparation: Placement in ENG 22/60.

Student Objectives and Competencies:

1. To explore the origins of the Christian religion and how it operates in human society.

 
2. To learn the basic facts about the beginnings, history, teachings, practices, and present day status of the Christian religion.

 
3. To develop an appreciative understanding of the Christian tradition as a formative influence in Western civilization.

 
4. To intellectually confront the central questions of human existence raised by the Christian religion.

 
5. To recognize the essential characteristics which distinguish the sectarian traditions of Christianity.

 
6. To demonstrate knowledge of the basic components of the Christian tradition, such as its concept of the divine, moral code, value system, rituals, and artistic expression.

 
7. To express ideas and opinions clearly.

    1. Introduction: Methods and Definitions

        a. What is History?
        b. The Importance of Perspective.
        c. The Importance of Context.

    2. The Foundations: Judaism and Jesus of Nazareth

        a. Jewish Apocalypticism.
        b. Historical Jesus.

    3. Early Interpretations: Christ of Faith

        a. James and John: Jewish-Palestinian Christianity.
        b. Paul: Hellenistic Christianity.
        c. Anthropology and Christology.

    4. Proto-Institutionalization

        a. Rome.
        b. The Mystery Religions.
        c. Hierarchical Structure.

    5. The Patristic Period: (100 - 400 a.d.)

        a. Persecutions: Apocalypse or Apology.
        b. Constantine and the Imperial Church.
        c. From Nicaea to Chalcedon.
        d. The Monastic Reaction.

    6. Augustine

        a. The Confessions
        b. The Donatists.
        c. Pelagius.

    7. The Rise of the Papacy

        a. The Gothic Wars.
        b. From Leo to Gregory.
        c. Charlemagne and the Germanic Influence.

    8. The Protestant Reformation

        a. Proto-Protestant Movements.
        b. Martin Luther.
        c. Zwingli and Calvin.

    9. The Enlightenment

        a. Conflicting Cosmologies.
        b. Rational Religion and Deism.
        c. The Rise of Biblical Criticism.

II. THEMES

    1. Church and State

        a. Augustine's City of God.
        b. Latin-Germanic West.
        c. Politics and the Reformation.
        d. Democracy.
        e. Politics and Religion in the United States.

    2. Heresy

        a. Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy.
        b. Recalling the Spirit.
        c. The Inquisition and Witchcraft.
        d. Pluralism and the End of Heresy.

    3. Christianity in the United States

        a. The Puritan Heritage.
        b. An Age of Anxiety.
        c. Fundamentalism and the Protest Against Modernity.
        d. Liberal Mainline Christianity

    4. Christianity and Science

        a. The Ultimate Heresy.
        b. The End of Magic.
        c. Evolution.
        d. The Principle of Uncertainty.

    5. Conclusion: The Future of Christianity?
 

TEXT: Marianne Ferguson, Christian Thought: An Introduction.

GRADING: There will be two exams. The exams will be of equal worth and each will cover approximately one-half of the class each. Class lecture and discussion will be the primary basis for the exams, although the class text will also be important.