History 3344 001:
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY
32468
Fall 2021, Holden Hall
130
MWF 9:00-9:50 am
TEACHER
John Howe , Professor of History, Advisor for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Texas Tech
Office Hours: MWF 12:00 - 12:30 am, Tu 9:30-10:30 am
Office: 143 Holden Hall
Telephone: 834-7544
E‑Mail: john.howe @ttu.edu
Web: http://myweb.ttu.edu/jhowe (the best way to access this syllabus)
PURPOSES OF THE COURSE
To survey the history of
Christianity from the early Church until the present. To examine certain
themes of this history: how Christians have a knowledge of God; how
individual believers experience God as seen in Christian literature; how
Christian communities are organized; and how these organizations relate to
secular governments. To see how these themes have been treated in diverse
Christian (auto)biographical materials.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of
this class, students will be able to:
1. Describe major events
and individuals associated with the development of Christianity;
2. Recognize common
features and themes in distinctive Christian communities throughout history;
3. Appreciate the diverse
documentation upon which the history of Christianity is based;
4. Understand human
behavior and ideas in greater depth by critically analyzing theoretical and
ideological positions adopted by Christian communities; and
5. Achieve greater proficiency in the following genres of historical
writing: essay examination and research paper.
Methods for Assessing the Expected Learning Outcomes
The Expected Learning Outcomes of the course will be assessed through a research
paper, formal examinations, class discussions, and miscellaneous classroom
assessment activities.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Required Texts
The Confessions of Saint Augustine. Translated
Rex Warner. Baltimore: Penguin, 1961. Or any other edition approved by
the instructor.
Justo L. González, The Story of Christianity, 2 vols. New York: Harper Collins, 2010.
The Book of Margery Kempe. Translated and
edited by Lynn Staley. New York: Norton, 2001. Or any other edition
approved by the instructor.
John Bunyan. The Pilgrim's Progress.
Edited by Roger Pooley. Baltimore: Penguin, 2008. Or any other
edition approved by the instructor.
Class Attendance
Successful completion of this
course requires regular attendance. Difficult reading assignments are
interpreted and contextualized in class; additional subject matter is
introduced. If you cannot attend 80% or more of the scheduled classes, you
should not be enrolled.
Required Reading
Specific reading assignments for
each class are listed in the READING AND LECTURE SCHEDULE ,just above
and to the right of the lecture date by which they should be completed.
Each assignment is the subject of the following class. Read so that
you arrive in class prepared to explain, praise, criticize, and question.
If read on schedule, the assignments are manageable; if neglected, they quickly
become overwhelming.
Examinations
Midterm tests are scheduled for Wednesday September 22, Wednesday October 6, and Wednesday November 3. Each will
include multiple-choice
questions, identification
questions, a single essay
(from two or more choices), and perhaps map work. Students receiving a
grade below "C" on a midterm should meet with the teacher to discuss it (this is
part of the class participation grade). An opportunity for a make-up
examination, for a midterm missed for good reason, is provided on Monday,
Noember 29, at 3:30-4:30.
The final examination, scheduled
for Monday December 6 at 7:30-10:00 am, will feature
multiple-choice and
identification questions on the material covered since the third midterm,
and several comprehensive essay
questions (to be chosen out of many more).
Short Research Paper and Class Report
Each
student will choose a contemporary Christian group (that is, a church still
existing today), and, using at least
four primary and six
secondary sources, will describe it in a 12‑15 page, double-spaced, typed
paper (ca. 4000 words). The paper should introduce the group in question, and examine its
attitudes towards the course's major themes (how individual
believers know and experience God; how the community is organized; and how ecclesiastical organization relates to secular government). Sources can be found
not only in the Texas Tech Library,
but also at local libraries
(public libraries, although smaller than the University Library, may acquire
local histories and works on local church communities that are not found
elsewhere), and on the Web. Avoid plagiarism.
Various style sheets and
citation systems are possible, but you need to be consistent throughout.
Students
will present their results to the class during the final class meetings. A
subject must be tentatively chosen by Wednesday September 22. A draft is due
at 9:00 am on Friday November 12 (students must turn in something by this
deadline, even if the draft is still rudimentary—if there is no preliminary
draft by this date, the whole written paper assignment will receive a failing
grade). Papers will be returned with corrections no later than Wednesday
November 18. Students may keep the initial grade earned or rewrite the
paper for a higher grade, but no rewritten papers will be accepted later than 9:00am on Wednesday December 8
GRADING
The course
grade will be computed as follows: 30% from the three midterm tests (that is,
10% from each) 30% from the paper (25% for the paper itself; 5% of `A' credit for a
satisfactory class presentation); 10% from class participation; and 30% from the
final.
The class
participation grade is determined at the end of the semester by dividing
students into three groups on the basis of attendance, class preparation, and
class contributions: 1) individuals who were outstanding; 2) individuals
who were average; and 3) individuals who were well below average. The
first group gets the class participation component credited as an `A'; the
second group has these points neutralized (so they neither help nor hurt); and
the third group has them credited as an `F'.
UNIVERSITY NOTICES
Covid-19 Campus Protocols: As of May 19, 2021, face coverings are now optional in TTU facilities and classrooms, and all other COVID-19 campus protocols have been lifted. It is highly recommended that those who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19 wear face coverings to help prevent the spread of the virus.The University will follow CDC, State, and TTU System guidelines in continuing to manage the campus implications of COVID-19. Any changes affecting class policies or delivery modality will be in accordance with those guidelines and announced as soon as possible.
Accommodations for Holy Days: "Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Texas Tax Code §11.20. A student who intends to observe a religious holy day should make that intention known in writing to the instructor prior to the absence. A student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence. A student who is excused under this provision may not be penalized for the absence; however, the instructor may respond appropriately if the student fails to complete the assignment satisfactorily.
Accommodations for Certified Disabilities Any student who, because of a disability, may require special arrangements in order to meet the course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make any necessary arrangements. Students should present appropriate verification from Student Disability Services during the instructor’s office hours. Please note: instructors are not allowed to provide classroom accommodations to a student until appropriate verification from Student Disability Services has been provided. For additional information, please contact Student Disability Services in Weeks Hall or call 806-742-2405.
TTU Statement on Academic Integrity Academic integrity is taking responsibility for one’s own work, being individually accountable, and demonstrating intellectual honesty and ethical behavior. Academic integrity is a personal choice to abide by the standards of intellectual honesty and responsibility. Because education is a shared effort to achieve learning through the exchange of ideas, students, faculty, and staff have the collective responsibility to build mutual trust and respect. Ethical behavior and independent thought are essential for the highest level of academic achievement, which then must be measured. Academic achievement includes scholarship, teaching and learning, all of which are shared endeavors. Grades are a device used to quantify the successful accumulation of knowledge through learning. Adhering to the standards of academic integrity ensures that grades are earned honestly and gives added value to the entire educational process. Academic integrity is the foundation upon which students, faculty, and staff build their educational and professional careers. Students are responsible for understanding the principles and policies regarding academic integrity at Texas Tech University, and abide by them in all class and/or course work at the University. Academic misconduct violations are outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. The University policies and procedures regarding academic integrity can be found in the Student Handbook. The Student Handbook and the Code of Student Conduct can be found online at www.ttu.edu/studenthandbook. It is the aim of the faculty of Texas Tech University to foster a spirit of complete honesty and high standard of integrity. The attempt of students to present as their own any work not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a most serious offence and renders the offenders liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension. Academic or “Scholastic” dishonesty includes, but it not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, misrepresenting facts, and any act designed to give unfair academic advantage to the student (such as, but not limited to, submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor) or the attempt to commit such an act.
History Department Statement on Academic Integrity The Department of History adheres to Texas Tech University’s statement and related policies on issues of academic integrity as detailed in OP 34.12 (see above). Any student found to be in violation of these policies will be subject to disciplinary action at both the departmental and university levels. At the departmental level, such action may include one or more of the following: a failing grade (F) for the assignment in question; a failing grade (F) for the course; a written reprimand; disqualification from scholarships and/or funding. Graduate students violating academic integrity policies may also be subject to removal from the program. (See the department’s Graduate Program Handbook for more information.)
READING AND LECTURE SCHEDULE
M Aug 23 Introduction
Gonzalez I 1-5, 13-23
W Aug 25
Ancient Israel
[Th Aug 26 Last day for students to add a course]
F Aug
27 The Historical Sources for the Ministry of Christ
Gonzales I 25-30
M Aug
30 The Jerusalem Church
Gonzalez I 31-39
W Sept 1 The Mission to the Gentiles
Gonzales I 41-58; ;Christian Beginnings ; Letters of Pliny the Younger and the Emperor Trajan
F Sept
43 First Conflicts with the State
Gonzales I 59-96
[M
Sept 6 Labor Day Holiday]
[W Sept 8 Last Day to Drop a Course without Penalty]
W Sept 8 Canon, Creed, & Apostolic Succession
Gonzalez I 97-127; Augustine xix-xxv, 1-37 [Books I-II]
F Sept
10 Persecution & Growth
Gonzales I 131-55 ; Augustine Confessions 38‑123 [Books III‑VI]
M Sept
13 Constantine's Empire / Young Augustine
Gonzalez I 157-97; Augustine
Confessions 124‑209 [Books VII‑X vii]
W
Sept 15 Reactions to The Christian Victory /Augustine's Conversion(s)
Gonzalez I 199-246
F Sept
17 Fathers of the Church / A ugustine's Confessions / The Christian
Empire: West & EAst
Gonzalez I 246- 62
M Sept
20 Augustine
W Sept
22 Midterm # 1
Gonzalez I 269-89 Bede's
Ecclesiastical
History; Patrick's
Confession
F Sept
24 The Post -Roman Kingdoms and Conversion
Gonzalez I 315-325
Saxon
Capitularies
M Sept
27 Rise of the Carolingians
Gonzales 327-44
W Sept 29 Movements of Renewal
Cluny's
Charter; ; "The Nobility's Reform of the Medieval Church." American Historical Review 93 (1988): 317-39.
F Oct 1 Chaos and Reform
M Oct 4 Golden Age of Medieval Christianity
Study
W Oct 6 Midterm No. 2
Gonzalez I 387-406
F Oct 8 The Collapse
Gonzalez 409-31 Margery Kempe vii-xix, 3-60 [Book I i-xi];
glance over
Mapping Margery Kempe
M Oct
11 New Devotions
Gonzalez I 433-46 ; Margery Kempe 61-125
[Book I xi-xxxiv]; Francis: The Authoritative Life;
W Oct 13
The Popular Church
Margery Kempe 126- 205 and 257-61 [Book I xxxiv-lxvii and lxxxviii-lxxxix
(end of Book I)]
F
Oct 15 Margery Kempe
Gonzalez I 449-91
M Oct
18 Missionary Outreach
Gonzalez II 7-56 ; 95
Theses ; Luther On
Christian Liberty
"A Mighty Fortress";
Reformation
Pamphlets
W Oct 20 Martin Luther
Gonzalez II 57-76
F Oct
22 Spread of the Reformation
Gonzalez II 77-86
On Predestination ;
On Civil
Government
M Oct 25 Calvin and Geneva
Gonzalez II 87-104 Act
of Supremacy 1534;
39 Articles
W Oct
27 Reformation in England
F Oct 29
The "Wars of Religion"
Gonzalez II 135-60
M Nov 1 The Catholic Reformation
Study
W Nov 3 Midterm No. 3
Gonzalez II 175-209 ; Bunyan xiii-xxv
and 1-15 [brginning of Part I]
F Nov 5 The Church(es) in England
Gonzalez II 229-35; Bunyan 16-90
M Nov 8 Civil Wars / Puritan
Spirituality
Bunyan 91-165 [end of Part I]
W Nov
10 The Pilgrim’s Progress
Gonzalez II 237-;73; finish first draft of research paper
F
Nov 12 Pietism and Revival and Enlightenment
Gonzalez II 275-91319-45
M Nov
15 Christianity in English North America and in the Early U.S.A
Gonzalez 473-530
W Nov
17 Twentieth-Century Christianity
Prepare Presentations / Rewrite Paper
F Nov 19
Student Reports
Prepare Presentations / Rewrite Paper
M Nov 22
Student Reports
Prepare Presentations / Rewrite Paper
[Nov 245‑26 Thanksgiving Holiday]
Prepare Presentations / Rewrite Paper
M Nov 29 Student Reports
[M Nov 29 Make‑Up Examinations at 2:00]
Prepare Presentations / Rewrite Papers
W Dec 1 Student
Reports
Mon Dec 6 at 7:30-10:00 Final Examination
W Dec 8 at 9:00am Deadline for submitting submit rewritten papers