This module offers a concise, yet in-depth, introduction to the history of the Early Church. It reflects on historical principle, studies the cultural and historical context in which Christianity emerged, looks at early Christianity as an ancient religion, its rejection by contemporary culture and society, its inner fragmentation, its attempts to create order and a way of life, find an ideology and align itself to the ruling powers. The module concludes with an attempt to evaluate that process in the light of the lives of some prominent members of the Early Church. Two hour exam at the end of the Spring semester (75% of the final mark) and coursework comprising of two essays and a seminar paper (worth 25%).

Knowledge and Understanding:

• demonstrate knowledge of the religious traditions studied in their varied and central forms
• describe in broad terms social, textual, intellectual, historical, theological, ritual, ethical, institutions and aesthetic expressions of the religious traditions studied in this course
• describe where appropriate the religions’ classical sources and their subsequent articulations by some interpreters of the traditions in different historical periods, and in different social or geographical settings
• summarise, represent and interpret a range of both primary and secondary sources including materials from different disciplines
• demonstrate an awareness of key themes, debates, and methods of the discipline and, where appropriate, related disciplines from, for example, the Humanities or the Social Sciences

Teaching:

• Lectures, to give necessary input in class setting
• Seminars, to allow for text based study, group discussion, and additional feedback
• Fieldtrips, to familiarise students with research facilities (e. g. Library) different methods and research techniques (e. g. in the area of archaeology, philology and epigraphy) (optional)

 Learning:

• Participating actively in lectures, including by making notes
• Readingset literature and making additional notes
• Conducting additional research in the library and online
• Participating actively in seminars and discussions
• Communicating electronically (including on Blackboard)
• Writing short pieces and using them for seminar presentations
• Developing and completing essay projects
• Preparing exams

Discipline Specific and Intellectual Skills:

• represent views other than the student’s own sensitively and intelligently with fairness and integrity, while as appropriate expressing their own identity without denigration of others, through critical engagement in a spirit of generosity, openness and empathy
• demonstrate ability to think critically and question existing orthodoxies and prejudices
• demonstrate with sensitivity awareness of the passion and claims to certainty that may arise in religious traditions, with their positive and negative effects
• demonstrate awareness and growing sophisticated understanding of the multifaceted complexity of religions, for example in the relationship between specifically religious beliefs, texts, practices and institutions, and wider social and cultural structures, norms, aesthetics and inspirations
• demonstrate intellectual flexibility through the practice of a variety of complementary methods of study, for example, philosophical, historical, systematic, dogmatic, phenomenological, linguistic, hermeneutical, empirical, speculative, social scientific, archaeological
• demonstrate awareness of and critical assessment of religious contributions to debate in the public arena about, for example, values, truth, beauty, identity, health, peace and justice
• demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of how personal and communal identities and motivations are shaped by religion, how this has both constructive and destructive effects and how important such identities are

Key Skills (transferable Skills):

• communicate information, ideas, principles and theories by appropriate written, oral, and visual means and develop an argument by a variety of means, for example in essays of various lengths and dissertations which are clearly and effectively organised and presented
• identify, gather, analyse and discuss primary data and source material, whether through textual studies or fieldwork
• to attend to, reproduce accurately, and reflect on the ideas and arguments of others
• engage with empathy, integrity and critical reflection with the convictions and behaviours of others
• work collaboratively as a member of a team or group in a way that allows each individual’s talents to be utilised effectively
• undertake independent study (including time management) and reflect on one’s strength and weaknesses as a learner
• use library resources to identify source material, compile bibliographies, inform research and enhance presentations
• use IT and computer skills for data capture, to identify source material and support research and presentations
• show independence in thought and critical self-awareness about one’s own beliefs, commitments, and prejudices

• The assessment consists of one 1.5 hour examination at the end of the year (50%), one 2,000 word essay (40%) and one oral presentation (10%).
• The assessment process therefore stretches over the whole period of the module.
• What is assessed is not only the final outcome of the module as a punctual achievement at a particular moment in time (i. e. the exam date), but the whole learning process and especially the progress made over the course of the module.
• The students will be able to demonstrate achievement at different levels at any stage in the course ranging from an initial, or early stage, experience of learning and understanding to a comparatively high level of achievement at the end of the module, especially during the exam period.

The assessment is geared towards the expected learning outcomes, acquisition of the required knowledge and techniques of handling it, especially in oral, written, and e-communication, and in scholarly writing

1. Methodological considerations
2. Historical context and spread of early Christianity
3. Christianity as one religion among many in the (early post-) Hellenistic world
4. The rejection of Christianity by the (early post-) Hellenistic world
5. Christianity divided from the outset (Heresies)
6. Christianity discovered by the Roman emperors (Constantine)
7. Dominant Christianity persecuting other religions
8. Early Christian doctrine
9. Early Christian church order
10. The Councils
11. Some prominent early Christians

General Reference:

Doepp, S., Geerlings, W. (eds.) 2000. The Dictionary of Early Christian Literature. New York: Herder and Herder

Ferguson, E, McHugh, M. P., Norris, F. W. (eds.) 1997.1998. Encyclopedia of Early Christianity 1-2. New York: Garland

Cross, F. L., Livingstone, E. A. (eds.) 1997. OxfordDictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford: Oxford University Press

General Introduction:

Esler, P. F. (ed.) 2000. The Early Christian World 1-2. London: Routledge

Frend, W. H. C. 1991. The Early Church. London: SCM Press

Brown, P. 1989. The World of Late Antiquity. New York: Thames and Hudson

Chadwick, H. 2006. The Early Church. London: Penguin

Humphries, M. 2007. Early Christianity. London: Routledge

Unit One:

Humphries 2007:1-96

 Unit Two:

Assman, J. 2007. Religion and Cultural Memory. Stanford: Stanford University Press

 Unit Three:

Markschies, Ch.1999. Between Two Worlds. Structures of Early Christianity. London: SCM Press

Unit Four:

Ferguson, E. 1993. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans

Unit Five:

Ehrman, B.D. 2006. The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Unit Six:

Brown, P. 1992. Power and Persuasion in Late Antiquity. University of Wisconsin Press

Unit Seven:

Jacobs, A. S. 2003. Remains of the Jews. The Holy Land and Christian Empire in Late Antiquity. Stanford University Press

Unit Eight:

Athanassiadi, P., Frede, M. (eds.) 1999. Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Unit Nine:

Eisen, U. E. 2000. Women Officeholders in Early Christianity. Collegeville: Liturgical Press

Schatz, K. 1996. Papal Primacy. From Beginning to Present. Wilmington: Glazier

Unit Ten:

Tanner, N. 2001. The Councils of the Church. New York: Crossroad

Unit Eleven:

Bonner, G. 2002. St. Augustineof Hippo. Norwich: Canterbury Press

Not applicable