Old Catholic Institute Continuing Formation in the Old Catholic Tradition

THEO601: History of the Catholic Church

Instructor: Bishop Greer Godsey

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Course Content

Section 1

  • Syllabus file

Module 0: Course Orientation and Methodology

  • Course Orientation and Methodology text

Module 1: The Apostolic Church and Its World (c. 30-100 CE)

Overview

This module examines the emergence of the Christian community within its Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts, tracing the earliest communities in Acts and the Pauline letters, the transmission of apostolic tradition, and the world that shaped the first generation of believers.

Key Themes

Jewish matrix of early Christianity; Pauline mission and ecclesiology; the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15); persecution under Nero and Domitian; oral tradition and Gospel formation.

 

  • Open Yale RLST 152 - Lecture 1: Introduction video
  • Open Yale RLST 152 - Lecture 14: Paul's Letters and Communities video
  • Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) file
  • Clement of Rome - First Epistle to the Corinthians file
  • Josephus - Jewish Antiquities excerpts file
  • Pliny the Younger - Letter to Trajan on Christians c.112 CE file
  • Essay Assignment (1,500-2,000 words) assignment

Module 2: The Apostolic Fathers (c. 70-150 CE)

  • Open Yale RLST 152 - Lecture 25: Early Christian Diversity video
  • Ignatius of Antioch - Seven Epistles file
  • Polycarp - Epistle to the Philippians file
  • Shepherd of Hermas file
  • Epistle of Barnabas file
  • Martyrdom of Polycarp file
  • Essay Assignment (1,500-2,000 words) assignment

Module 3: The Apologists and the Church in the Roman Empire (c. 100-250 CE)

  • Open Yale HIST 210 - Lecture 2: Christianity and the Roman Empire video
  • Justin Martyr - Dialogue with Trypho file
  • Tertullian - Apologeticus file
  • Athenagoras - A Plea for the Christians file
  • Rescript of Decius 249 CE file
  • Justin Martyr - First Apology file
  • Essay Assignment (1,800-2,200 words) assignment

Module 4: Gnosticism, Heresy, and Canon Formation (c. 140-200 CE)

  • Open Yale RLST 152 - Lecture 24: Gospel of Thomas video
  • Open Yale RLST 152 - Lecture 26: Heresy and Orthodoxy video
  • Irenaeus - Against Heresies Book I file
  • Irenaeus - Against Heresies Book II file
  • Irenaeus - Against Heresies Book III file
  • Irenaeus - Against Heresies Book IV file
  • Irenaeus - Against Heresies Book V file
  • Gospel of Thomas Nag Hammadi file
  • Muratorian Fragment c.170 CE file
  • Essay Assignment (1,800-2,200 words) assignment

Module 5: The Alexandrian School - Clement and Origen (c. 185-254 CE)

  • Open Yale RLST 152 - Lecture 23: Origen and Allegory video
  • Origen - On First Principles De Principiis file
  • Clement of Alexandria - Stromata file
  • Clement of Alexandria - The Instructor Paedagogus file
  • Origen - Commentary on John Book I file
  • Eusebius - Church History Book VI on Origen file
  • Essay Assignment (1,800-2,200 words) assignment

Module 6: North Africa - Tertullian, Cyprian, and Donatism (c. 197-411 CE)

  • Open Yale HIST 210 - Lecture 4: Donatism and Augustine video
  • Tertullian - On the Prescription of Heretics file
  • Tertullian - Against Praxeas on the Trinity file
  • Cyprian - On the Unity of the Church file
  • Cyprian - On the Unity of the Church file
  • Augustine - On Baptism Against the Donatists file
  • Essay Assignment (1,800-2,200 words) assignment

Module 7: Constantine, Nicaea, and the Arian Controversy (313-381 CE)

  • Open Yale HIST 210 - Lecture 3: Constantine and the Early Church video
  • Canons of the Council of Nicaea 325 CE file
  • Arius - Letter to Alexander of Alexandria file
  • Athanasius - De Decretis Defence of the Nicene Definition file
  • Athanasius - Four Discourses Against the Arians file
  • Eusebius - Life of Constantine Book III on Nicaea file
  • Essay Assignment (2,000-2,500 words) assignment

Module 8: The Cappadocians and Constantinople I (381 CE)

  • Basil of Caesarea - On the Holy Spirit file
  • Gregory of Nazianzus - Theological Orations 27-31 file
  • Gregory of Nyssa - On the Holy Trinity file
  • Canons of Constantinople I 381 CE file
  • Apollinaris - Fragments on Christology file
  • Seven Ecumenical Councils file
  • Essay Assignment (2,000-2,500 words) assignment

Module 9: The Council of Ephesus and the Nestorian Controversy (431 CE)

  • Cyril of Alexandria - Third Letter to Nestorius with 12 Anathemas file
  • Nestorius - First Sermon on Mary as Theotokos file
  • Council of Ephesus Acts and Canons file
  • Cyril of Alexandria - On the Unity of Christ file
  • Proclus of Constantinople - Homily on the Theotokos file
  • Essay Assignment (2,000-2,500 words) assignment

Module 10: The Council of Chalcedon and Two Natures (451 CE)

  • Open Yale HIST 210 - Lecture 5: Chalcedon and the Divided Church video
  • Definition of the Council of Chalcedon file
  • Leo the Great - Tome Letter 28 to Flavian file
  • Canons of Chalcedon all 30 canons file
  • Flavian of Constantinople - Letter to Pope Leo on Eutyches file
  • The Robber Council of Ephesus 449 CE file
  • Essay Assignment (2,000-2,500 words) assignment

Module 11: Augustine of Hippo and Western Theology (354-430 CE)

  • Open Yale HIST 210 - Lecture 4: Augustine and the Christian Roman Empire video
  • Augustine - Confessions complete file
  • Augustine - City of God Books I XIV XIX file
  • Augustine - On the Spirit and the Letter anti-Pelagian file
  • Pelagius - Letter to Demetrias file
  • Augustine - Enchiridion Faith Hope and Love file
  • Essay Assignment (2,000-2,500 words) assignment

Module 12: Desert Fathers and Monasticism (c. 250-600 CE)

  • Open Yale HIST 210 - Lecture 9: Monasticism video
  • Athanasius - Life of Antony file
  • Sayings of the Desert Fathers - Apophthegmata Patrum file
  • John Cassian - Conferences selections file
  • Benedict of Nursia - Rule of Saint Benedict file
  • Palladius - Lausiac History file
  • Essay Assignment (1,800-2,200 words) assignment

Module 13: Rome, the Papacy, and Primacy (c. 250-750 CE)

  • Open Yale HIST 210 - Lecture 6: Gregory the Great and the Papacy video
  • Leo the Great - Sermons on Saints Peter and Paul file
  • Leo the Great - Letter 14 Epistola Decretal file
  • Gregory the Great - Pastoral Rule file
  • Gregory the Great - Selected Letters file
  • Gelasius I - Letter to Emperor Anastasius 494 CE Two Powers file
  • Essay Assignment (2,000-2,500 words) assignment

Module 14: The Great Schism of 1054 - East and West Divide

  • The Great Schism Lecture video
  • Photius - Encyclical Letter 867 CE on filioque file
  • Humbert of Silva Candida - Bull of Excommunication 1054 file
  • Leo of Ochrid - Letter to John of Trani on the Azymes (1053) file
  • Decree of Union - Council of Florence - 1439 file
  • Wikipedia - First Seven Ecumenical Councils (schism timeline) file
  • Essay Assignment (2,000-2,500 words) assignment

Module 15: The Medieval Church - Reform, Crusade, and Scholasticism (c. 1000-1300 CE)

  • The Fourth Lateran Council video
  • Anselm of Canterbury - Cur Deus Homo Why God Became Man file
  • Thomas Aquinas - Summa Theologica Prima Pars Q 1-3 file
  • Pope Gregory VII - Dictatus Papae 1075 file
  • Bernard of Clairvaux - On Consideration file
  • Francis of Assisi - Rule of 1221 and Canticle of the Sun file
  • Essay Assignment (2,000-2,500 words) assignment

Module 16: Conciliarism, Crisis, and the Eve of Reformation (c. 1300-1517 CE)

  • Haec Sancta Synodus Constance Decree 1415 file
  • Council of Constance - Decree Frequens 1417 file
  • Marsilius of Padua - Defensor Pacis excerpts file
  • Declaration of Utrecht 1889 file
  • John Hus - On the Church De Ecclesia excerpts file
  • Essay Assignment (2,500-3,500 words) assignment