Mobile Ed: CH201 Historical Theology: The Patristic Period (11 hour course - audio)

by George Kalantzis

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2018

Overview

In Historical Theology: The Patristic Period (CH201) Dr. George Kalantzis provides an in-depth study of the theological developments of the early church during the patristic era. Beginning with the world of early Christianity, you will grasp the major historical events, the philosophical ideas, and the pagan religions that shaped the world into which the New Testament church was born. The course covers topics such as persecution and martyrdom, apologetics, Gnosticism, ecclesiology, Christology, and the Trinity in the context of the Roman Empire. Lastly, you will learn what religious, historical, and political influences gave rise to the ecumenical councils that produced the foundational summaries of the Christian faith.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion you should be able to:

• Summarize the key historical events of the Mediterranean world from the sixth century BC to the fifth century AD
• Describe the political, social, and religious context of the Graeco-Roman world
• Identify and explain key philosophical movements that influenced the early church
• Comment on the effects Hellenization had on Judaism, as well as Christianity’s relationship with and break from Judaism
• Discuss the ebb and flow of Christian persecution through the history of the Roman Empire
• Articulate why and how early Christian apologetics developed, and identify the key apologists
• Define Gnosticism, and explain the influence it had on the early church
• Detail the main heresies that were condemned by the early church
• Explain what each ecumenical council of the early church contributed to the development of Christological and Trinitarian language
• Speak accurately about the triune God

Course Outline

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: The World of Early Christianity

• Why Study History & Key Developments of the First Six Centuries
• The Unification of the Mediterranean World
• The Maccabean Interlude
• History of the Roman Empire
• Geography of the Roman Empire
• Social Organization in the Roman Empire: Part One
• Social Organization in the Roman Empire: Part Two
• Slavery in the Ancient World
• Virtue and Humility
• Platonic Thought
• Mystical Theology and Aristotelian Thought
• Roman Religion
• Religion and the Imperial Cult
• Graeco-Roman Attitudes toward Jews
• Graeco-Roman Attitudes toward Christians

Unit 2: Persecution and Martyrdom

• Causes of Christian Persecution
• The First Persecutions under Nero and the First Jewish Revolt
• The Second Persecutions under Domitian
• The Church under the Antonines: Part One
• The Church under the Antonines: Part Two
• Ignatius of Antioch
• The Martyrdom of Polycarp
• The Martyrs of Lyons and Vienne
• The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas

Unit 3: Apologetics

• Christian Apologetics
• Justin Martyr
• Christianization of Hellenism and Christian Defenses against Civil Charges and Mystery Religions
• Christian Response to Non-Christian Myths and Philosophy
• Marcus Aurelius and Celsus on Christianity
• Two Kinds of Reason

Unit 4: Gnosticism

• Origins of Gnosticism
• Gnostic Basis on the Bible
• Fundamental Tenets of Gnosticism
• Gnostic Movements and Motifs of “Christian Gnosticism”
• Marcion and Christian Gnosticism
• Irenaeus and Gnosticism
• The Self-Defining of the Early Church
• The Rule of Faith

Unit 5: Monarchianism

• Introduction to Monarchianism
• Tertullian and Against Praxeas
• The Self-Revelation of the Triune God

Unit 6: Ecclesiology and Church Order

• The State of the Roman Empire
• Emperor Decius’ Edict
• Those Who Denied the Faith
• Ecclesiology and the Doctrine of Penance
• Sacramental Theology

Unit 7: Conversion of the Empire

• An Imperial Chronology
• The Great Persecution
• Constantine’s Consolidation of the West
• The End of the Great Persecution
• Constantine and the Christological Controversies
• Origen on the Trinity
• The Arian Controversy
• The Council of Nicaea
• From Constantine to Theodosius

Unit 8: Christology and Trinity

• Christological Formulas, Confessions, and Creeds
• The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed
• Christological Language: Part One
• Christological Language: Part Two
• Arianism after Nicaea
• The Cappadocian Fathers: Basil the Great
• The Cappadocian Fathers: Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa
• Trinitarian Language
• Nestorius and Cyril: Part One
• Nestorius and Cyril: Part Two
• Eutyches and the Council of Chalcedon

Conclusion

• Conclusion to the Course

Product Details

• Title: CH201 Historical Theology: The Patristic Period (audio)
• Instructor: George Kalantzis
• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Publication Date: 2019
• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education
• Resource Type: Audio
• Length: 11 hours

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About George Kalantzis

George Kalantzis (Ph.D., Northwestern University) is associate professor of theology and director of The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. His research and writing interests focus on the dynamic relationship between the written documents and their interpretation in early Christianity, paying particular attention to the development of christological and trinitarian thought, as well as the interplay of classical Greco-Roman and early Christian philosophical understandings of anthropology and biblical hermeneutics. He is the author of Caesar and the Lamb: Early Christian Attitudes on War and Military Service, Theodore of Mopsuestia: Commentary on the Gospel of John, coeditor with Andrew Tooley of Evangelicals and the Early Church: Recovery, Reform, Renewal, with Jeffrey P. Greenman of Life in the Spirit: Spiritual Formation in Theological Perspective and with D. Stephen Long of The Sovereignty of God Debate, as well a numerous articles and essays on Patristic thought. He is currently completing a project on wealth and poverty titled Crumbs From the Table: The Eucharist in the Life of the Church. Before coming to Wheaton College, Kalantzis taught seminary and doctoral students as they were preparing to engage the world and the church. He and his wife share this goal and vision with their Chicago area congregation where they serve in missions, the worship arts programs, and in adult and children's education.