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

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

Overview

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

Course No. 6610

For nearly 2,000 years, the Christian faith has remained at or near the center of Western moral debate and conceptions of human identity, just action, and ultimate meaning. How did this happen? Find out in these 36 illuminating lectures that tell the phenomenal story of Christianity’s first 1,500 years, in all its remarkable diversity and complex dimension.

Course Content

The Foundations of Christianity

• The Historical Study of Christianity (31 min)
  • Contemplate the massive historical trajectory of Christianity and the value of historical study.

2. The First Cultural Context—Greece and Rome (28 min)
   • Investigate the Mediterranean world in which Christianity was born.

3. The First Cultural Context—Judaism (30 min)
   • Examine Jewish life in ancient Palestine and the Diaspora.

• The Jesus Movement and the Birth of Christianity (30 min)
  • Explore the resurrection as marking the birth of Christianity.

5. Paul and Christianity’s First Expansion (31 min)
   • Trace the rapid spread of Christianity and Paul’s pivotal role.

• The Diversity of Early Christianity (30 min)
  • Compare the distinct interpretations of Jesus in the four Gospels.

Persecution and Development

7. The Unpopular Cult—Persecution (30 min)
   • Study early Christian persecution by Jews and Romans.

• Forms of Witness—Martyrdom and Apologetic (29 min)
  • Investigate martyrdom and apologetic literature as responses to persecution.

• Extreme Christianity in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries (29 min)
  • Explore radical forms of Christianity, including asceticism and Gnosticism.

• The Shaping of Orthodoxy (30 min)
  • Learn how Irenaeus of Gaul established canonical scriptures and the rule of faith.

Institutional Growth and Imperial Influence

• Institutional Development before Constantine (29 min)
  • Trace Christianity’s geographic expansion and hierarchical structure.

12. The Beginnings of Christian Philosophy (30 min)
    • Study Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen.

• Imperial Politics and Religion (29 min)
  • Examine Diocletian’s reforms and Constantine’s embrace of Christianity.

• Constantine and the Established Church (28 min)
  • Follow the “conversion” of the empire under Constantine and Theodosius I.

15. The Extension of Christian Culture (30 min)
    • Explore how Christianity spread through architecture, art, and pilgrimage.

Monasticism and Theological Crises

• Monasticism as Radical Christianity (29 min)
  • Delve into the origins and principles of monastic life.

• The Emergence of Patriarchal Centers (30 min)
  • Study the rivalry between Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, and Alexandria.

• Theological Crisis and Council—The Trinity (29 min)
  • Analyze the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople.

• Theological Crisis and Council—Christology (29 min)
  • Explore the debate over Christ’s nature as human and divine.

20. The Distinctive Issues of the Latin West (30 min)
    • Investigate Donatism, Pelagianism, and figures like Augustine of Hippo.

Expansion and Schism

21. Expansion beyond the Boundaries of Empire (31 min)
    • Trace Christianity’s spread to Persia, Ethiopia, and the British Isles.

22. The Court of Justinian and Byzantine Christianity (29 min)
    • Evaluate Justinian’s legacy in law, art, and religious affairs.

• The Rise of Islam and the Threat of Iconoclasm (30 min)
  • Study the impact of Islam and the iconoclasm controversy.

24. Eastern Orthodoxy—Holy Tradition (30 min)
    • Discover Orthodox rituals, monasticism, and Hesychasm.

Medieval Christianity

25. From Roman Empire to Holy Roman Empire (30 min)
    • Follow the rise of the Franks and Charlemagne.

26. Benedictine Monasticism and Its Influence (28 min)
    • Examine Benedict of Nursia’s Rule for Monks.

27. Evangelization of Western Europe (29 min)
    • Learn about key missionaries and scholars like Bede and Alcuin.

• The Great Divorce between East and West (31 min)
  • Explore the 11th-century schism between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

29. Monastic Reform (30 min)
    • Study medieval monastic houses and their reforms.

• Cathedrals and Chapters (30 min)
  • Analyze Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals and their social roles.

31. The Crusades (30 min)
    • Grasp the religious and political dimensions of the Crusades.

32. Papal Revolution (29 min)
    • Assess the consolidation of papal authority under Gregory VII and Innocent III.

• Universities and Theology (31 min)
  • Trace the rise of universities and scholastic theology.

34. The Great Plague (29 min)
    • Study the Black Death’s impact on society and the church.

35. Corruption and the Beginnings of Reform (32 min)
    • Examine early reformers who anticipated the Protestant Reformation.

36. The Ever-Adapting Religion (33 min)
    • Reflect on Christianity’s cultural adaptations and modern challenges.