Content

This unit will introduce students to the main features of the development of Western Christianity from the late Middle Ages to the present. Topics will include 16th century Reformation movements, 17th century Puritanism and Pietism, the impact of the evangelical revivals, the Enlightenment, industrialization and revolution upon the church, the development of Christianity in North America and Australia, the rise of the modern missionary and ecumenical movements, and the emergence of Pentecostalism.

Unit code: CH8012W

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Church History

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Whitley College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Outline some key aspects of the Christian story in the West from the 16th century to the present day;

2.

Identify some of the social, political, and cultural factors influencing the development of Christianity

3.

Demonstrate basic skills in interpreting selected historical documents

4.

Assess the significance of selected movements and personalities for the church’s history

5.

Describe the contribution of the study of church history to the development of Christian identity

6.

Critically evaluate historical evidence and the construction of historical accounts

Pedagogy

Lectures, tutorials, DVD and youtube clips, online forum posts

Indicative Bibliography

  • Bettenson, Henry (ed.). Documents of the Christian Church. London: Oxford University Press, 1999
  • Blainey, Geoffrey. *A Short History of Christianity. Camberwell: Viking, 2011.
  • Chadwick, Owen. The Christian Church in the Cold War. London: Penguin, 1992
  • Chidester, David. Christianity: a global history. London: Penguin, 2001.
  • Hastings, Adrian (ed.). A World History of Christianity. London, Cassell, 1999
  • Jensen, De Lamar. Reformation Europe: Age of Reform and Revolution. 2nd edn. Lexington: D C Heath & Co, 1992
  • Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume 2. Rev edn. New York: HarperOne, 2010. (recommended for purchase)
  • McGrath, Alister. Christian History: An Introduction. New York: Wiley, 2012.
  • MacCulloch, D. A History of Christianity. London: Penguin, 2010
  • Matheson, Peter (ed.) Reformation History (A People’s History of Christianity, Volume 5) Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2007.
  • Noll, Mark A. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. 3rd edn. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2012.
  • Noll, Mark A. The New Shape of World Christianity. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2009
  • Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language. 4th edn. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2013.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Forum

200-word forum post

200 3.0
Forum

200-word forum post

200 3.0
Forum

200-word forum post

200 3.0
Forum

200-word forum post

200 3.0
Forum

200-word forum post

200 3.0
Document Study

Document study of 1,000 words

1000 15.0
Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper

Tutorial paper of 1,500 words

1500 20.0
Essay

Essay of 2,500 words

2500 50.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 19 Oct, 2017

Unit record last updated: 2020-10-09 14:11:42 +1100