Welcome to our Church History course 2009 - 2010!
We begin the year with a brief review of last year's course in Christian
Scriptures. This is so because you have already learned much of the history
of the early Church in that course. Come prepared to share your recollections
of Pentecost, St. Peter, St. Paul, the Council of Jerusalem, St. Stephen,and
other early events and people following Jesus' resurrection. This course
extends from September to January.
You need a notebook for this course, a folder for handouts, worksheets, and
tests. Your textbook must be covered. If you use a book sock, be sure to
reinforce the paper cover with cardboard.
Be sure you have a notebook for class journal writing. Journal writing is
part of the overall Religious Studies program at MSDA. As spoken about in
class, the focus of journaling is theological reflection on Scripture. Each
day class begins with Scripture, each day your journal writing should focus on
the passage and its meaning for you. Your Journal is not a diary or a sketch
book. Please be aware that Journals can be collected at any time at the
discretion of your religion instructor.
Week of September 14
Class 1: Introduction to course; expectations using Student Handbook. Students
will receive textbook which must be covered by the next meeting.
Class 2: Books must be covered. Review of early Church History. A handout
will be given in class.
Class 3: Complete Review in class.
Homework: (September 17)
Read Chapter 1 up to and including p. 15. Answer the following questions
which will be collected. Homework must be typed - see Student Handbook for
format.
1. Based on the reading, why is knowledge of one's past important to personal
identity?
2. How has your sense of identity been formed by knowledge of family
heritage and/or stories of the past?
3. Why is it valuable for Catholics to know the history of the Church?
4. Why is it valuable for non-Catholics to know the history of the Catholic
church?
5. List three or four events/time periods in the history of the Catholic
Church which you are interested in learning more about.
Class 4: Review of early Christian Church history.
Week of September 21
Class 5
Test 1: September 24 based on worksheet completed and discussed in
class,homework and Power Point notes. (40 - 50 points)
Homework: Read Chapter 4; pp. 56 - 60. Answer the following questions. This
assignment will be collected. (12 points)
1. By the end of the 1st century what was the relationship between
Christianity and Judaism?
2. Describe the experience of Christianity in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
3. Tell the story of Blandina. Be sure to include when she lived and died,
where she lived and why she was executed. How did Blandina die; who handed on
her story? What was the impact of her death on Christianity?
4. What do you think is the meaning of the sentence,"The blood of the martyrs
became the seed of Christianity."
5. List reasons for the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire.
6. Who was Ignatius of Antioch? Tell his story using the questions in #3
above.
Class 6: Discuss homework. Make additions and corrections on your typed
homework page. Additions should be made particularly to the reasons for
persecution we will discuss in class. Also, be sure you take notes about the
topic of pacifism as a reason for persecution.
Read pp. 61; 64 - 65. Discuss origins of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as it
relates to the issue of apostasy.
Class 7: Pacifism in modern Christianity. Origins, Society of Friends
(Quakers),Martin Luther King, Gandhi,Dorothy Day, Daniel Berrigan, Pax
Christi. Packet will be given out in class with instructions for the
assignment.
Class 8: Test on Review of early Church history.
Week of September 28
Class 9: Test returned/corrections added in class.Class time provided to work
on response paper.
Class 10: Oral class presentation on early Church martyr will be discussed and
assigned. Requirements will be distributed. Test on Review returned.
Class 11: Library Research time provided for presentation on Church martyr.
Class 12: Library research time provided.
Week of October 5:
Class 13:Response paper due.(Section 4)Library: Section 1
Class 14: Continue Chapter 4. (Section 4)Read pp. 65 - 67.
Answer the following in your NOTEBOOK.(not collected)You may have an open
notebook quiz on this material.
1. Describe Constantine's vision. What did it signify for him? Was he a
Christian; when/how did he convert?
2. Who was Helena? RESEARCH why she is especially important in Church
history.
3. What was the Edict of Milan? When was it issued? What was its impact on
Christianity?
4. Why was a new center of the Roman Empire created? What was its old name?
The name it received under Constantine? Its name today? In what modern nation
is it located?
5. When did Christianity become the official religion of the Roman Empire?
Who was responsible for this declaration? What impact did this have on the
Church?
Class 15: Oral presentations(Sections 1 & 4)Response paper due: Section 1
Class 16: Oral presentations : (Sections 1 & 4) Section 1: See assignment
above. Read pp. 65 - 67. Complete questions for homework. Due Thursday,
October 15.
Week of October 11: No school October 12; no classes October 14.
Class 17: October 13 (Section 4) Above assignment is due.
Read pp. 67 -70. Fill out the chart for the heresies of Gnosticism, Arianism.
Complete for homework.
Class 18: October 15 (Section 4)
Martyr reflection paper is due: three paragraphs based on the notes you took
during the class presentations.
(Section 4): Continue discussion of heresies of early Christianity
(Section 1): Review Chapter 4 (see "Handouts" on Teacherweb) Read pp. 65 -
67. Complete questions above in notebook.
Martyr reflection paper due. (see above)
Class 19: (Section 1) Discuss pp. 65 - 67. Begin heresies.
Chapter 4 Test: Section 1: October 22 (Thursday)
Section 4: October 26 (Monday)
Class 20: Continue heresies of the early Church. Review for Test (Section 1)
Thursday, October 22: Chapter 4 Test (Section 4)
Introduce Modern Monasticism group project.
Complete heresies(Section 1)
Friday, October 23: Review for Chapter 4 Test (Section 1)
Week of October 26
Monday, October 26 ;(Section 4): Discuss homework due today: Chapter 5
Worksheet.
Assign: Modern monasticism project
(Section 1) Test; Chapter 4
Homework: Complete Chapter 5 Worksheet
Tuesday, October 27: Library Research (Section 4)
Wednesday, October 28: Library Research (Section 4)
Discuss Homework: (Section 1)
Assign: Modern Monasticism Project
Thursday, October 29: Project (Section 4)
Library Research (Section 1)
Friday, October 30: No Classes
Week of November 1
Monday, November 2 (Section 1): Discuss Chapter 5 Reading Guide.
(Section 4): Discuss Chapter 5 Reading Guide
Tuesday, November 3 (Section 4): Complete Chapter 5 Reading Guide discussion.
Begin reading pp.86 - 88 (stop at "Leo and church controversies") Take notes
on these topics:
How did Leo influence the role of the pope?
Contrast the two titles "Pontifex Maximus" and "pope" - what is the meaning of
each and what does each title reflect about the role of the highest Catholic
bishop?
How did Leo influence the Roman Empire?
Complete for homework - you could have an open notebook quiz on this material,
as announced in class today.
Wednesday, November 4(Section 1): Complete Reading Guide discussion. Assign
monasticism project.
(Section 4): Complete Power Point.
Thursday, November 5: St. Augustine Essay due Sections 1 and 4.
(Sections 1 & 4): Library Research
Week of November 8
Monday, November 9 (Section 1 & 4: Library Research
Tuesday, November 10
(Section 4):Review for Test on Chapter 5
Wednesday, November 11 (Section 4) : Monasticism presentations
(Section 1) Library Research
Thursday, November 12(Section 4): Monasticism presentations
(Section 1): Library Research
Friday, November 13: Chapter 5; Pope Leo the Great
Week of November 15
Monday, November 16: (Section 4):Chapter 5 Test Review
Tuesday, November 17: (Section 4) Chapter 5 Test
Wednesday, November 18: Culture Day - no classes
Thursday, November 19: (Section 4): Begin Chapter 6; complete handout
questions in notebook
(Section 1): Monasticism presentations
Friday, November 20: (Section 1): Monasticism presentations
Week of November 22:
Monday, November 23 (C Day schedule) (Section 1): Chapter 5 Test
Homework: Complete Chapter 6 handout
(Section 4):Discuss Chapter 6 handout;Chapter 6 Power Point
Tuesday, November 24 (E Day schedule)(Section 1): Discuss Chapter 6 handout
Week of November 29
Monday, November 30: (Section 4): Chapter 6 Power Point notes: "The Political
Scene" pp.95 - 100.
Homework:
Read pp. 100 - 105. Stop at "Gregory the Great" Complete Reading Guide
handout. There will be an open notebook test on this material this week.
(Section 1): Discuss notes on pp. 92 - 95. Power Point on "The Political
Scene" pp.95 - 100.
Homework: read pp. 100 - 105. Stop at "Gregory the Great".Complete the Reading
Guide handout.
Tuesday, December 1(Section 4): Discuss handout pp. 100 - 105. Power Point on
Gregory the Great and Islam; pp. 105 - 110.
Wednesday, December 2:(Section 4) Open notebook test; Chapter 6
(Section 1):Discuss Reading Guide handout pp. 100 - 105. Power Point on
Gregory the Great and Islam.
Thursday, December 3 (Section 4): Open notebook test; Chapter 6.
(Section 4):Read Chapter 7; pp. 112 - 117. Complete Reading Guide handout:
Stop at the "Donation of Pepin". Discuss in class.
Homework: Read pp. 117 - 123. Stop at "Other People Turn Christian". Complete
the Reading Guide handout.
Homework:(Section1 1) : Read Chapter 7; pp. 112 - 117. Stop at the "Donation
of Pepin". Complete Reading Guide handout; pp. 112 - 117.