History is always in dialogue with the contemporary world. For communities as well as for individuals, memory is the foundation for making meaning in the present, and for shaping the future. This unit explores dangerous and creative memories within the Christian community. It equips you with skills, approaches and new perspectives so as to tell more nuanced and interesting stories that go beyond media stereotypes. Using historical case studies that still resonate today, we will explore how and why some assumptions about the church and people of faith proved widely popular, while other Christian histories have been forgotten, neglected or distorted. We will focus in particular on disagreement and divergence of opinion in order to understand the impact of particular kinds of source material and how historical tradition can serve particular purposes. We will explore how memories of people and events have been shaped and show how new work drawing on different sources and asking new questions can enrich, enliven and challenge understandings of the past. Within a timeline of 2000 years, case studies will explore issues such as nationalism, gender and the body, economics, and cross-cultural contact.
Unit code: CH1020P
Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1
Unit discipline: Church History
Delivery Mode: Blended
Proposing College: Pilgrim Theological College
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Outline a chronology of key events in the history of the Christian community from the Jesus movement to the present; |
| 2. | Analyse the reasons for differing interpretations or neglect of issues in the history of the Christian community; |
| 3. | Articulate key principles of interpretation of a range of historical evidence (including varieties of documents, artefacts, music and art); |
| 4. | Demonstrate the ability to interpret a range of historical sources; |
| 5. | Discuss the implications of historical understanding for ministry in the contemporary Christian church. |
An introductory unit in CH (also available as AH) providing a methodological foundation and introduction to content areas to inform later units.
guided seminar reading and discussion, lecture input, student research and reflection on source material
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document Study | Study of a historical source relating to a key controversy, forgotten question or new interpretation in the history of the Christian community |
750 | 20.0 |
| Annotated Bibliography | Annotated bibliography of the literature relating to a key controversy, forgotten question or new interpretation in the history of the Christian community. |
750 | 20.0 |
| Essay | Essay demonstrating an understanding of reasons for change over time in interpretation of a key controversy, forgotten question or new area in history of the Christian community |
1500 | 50.0 |
| Interview | Respond to questions and discussion on the significance of a key controversy, forgotten question or new interpretation in the history of the Christian community |
500 | 10.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 8 Aug, 2023
Unit record last updated: 2023-08-08 11:27:52 +1000