The History of Christianity: From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation

Course Overview

Discover the phenomenal story of Christianity’s first 1,500 years, examining its remarkable diversity and complex dimensions, as one of the most popular Great Courses professors examines its origins, rise, and civilization-shaping impact.

For nearly 2,000 years, the Christian faith has been central to Western moral debates and conceptions of human identity, justice, and ultimate meaning. This 36-lecture series provides a compelling narrative of Christianity’s evolution, guiding you from its beginnings as a “cult of Jesus” to its rise as a global religion.

Professor Johnson brings historical context to key events, emphasizing the individuals and movements that shaped Christianity. Through engaging narratives and scholarly analysis, you’ll uncover misconceptions, explore faith’s relationship to culture and politics, and appreciate the Bible’s ongoing influence on societies worldwide.

Video Lecture List

1. The Historical Study of Christianity

• 31 min
• Contemplate the massive historical trajectory of Christianity and the methods historians use.

1. The First Cultural Context-Greece and Rome

• 28 min
• Investigate the cultural context of the Mediterranean world during the birth of Christianity.

1. The First Cultural Context-Judaism

• 30 min
• Explore the complex circumstances of Jewish life in ancient Palestine and the Diaspora.

1. The Jesus Movement and the Birth of Christianity

• 30 min
• Analyze the resurrection’s role in the birth of Christianity and the claims of the first believers.

1. Paul and Christianity’s First Expansion

• 31 min
• Learn how Christianity rapidly spread following Jesus’s death, focusing on Paul’s contributions.

1. The Diversity of Early Christianity

• 30 min
• Examine the differing beliefs from the four Gospels and their portrayal of Jesus’s role.

1. The Unpopular Cult-Persecution

• 30 min
• Trace the history of early Christian persecution and its implications for the faith.

1. Forms of Witness-Martyrdom and Apologetic

• 29 min
• Explore martyrdom and apologetic literature’s role in responding to early Christian persecution.

1. Extreme Christianity in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries

• 29 min
• Investigate radical expressions of early Christianity and their associated controversies.

1. The Shaping of Orthodoxy

• 30 min
• Identify factors that established Christian orthodoxy and the role of early church leaders.

(…Continued through all 36 lectures)