Core 4 Lecture and Reading Schedule
Unit 1: The Origins and Development of Christianity
Date
Lecture
Reading
1/12
Michael Nichols
Your Journey Continues:
Welcome to Core Four
None
1/14
Fr. Tim McFarland
Understanding Christian Scriptures
The Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 1-12;
Lewis, WCIV, pgs. 122-127
1/19
Angela Elrod-Sadler
An Interpretation of the Gospel of
Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew, Chapters, 17-28
1/21
Mark Seely
The Psychology and Sociology of
Religious Belief
Acts of the Apostles, Chapters 1-10, 15
1/26
Fr. Tim McFarland
The Early Christian Community
Rodney Stark, Epidemics, Networks, and
Conversion (Syllabus, pgs. 13-25)
1/28
Tony Butler
The Apostle Paul
1 Corinthians, Chapters 1-7;
Lewis, WCIV, pgs. 127-134
2/2
Michael Nichols
Women in Early Christianity
1 Corinthians, Chapters 8-16;
Rodney Stark, The Role of Women in
Christian Growth (Syllabus, pgs. 26-37)
2/4
Rob Reuter
Christian Monasticism
Lewis, WCIV, pgs. 134-147;
Excerpt from the Rule of St. Benedict
(Syllabus, pgs. 38-43)
9
Unit 2: The Early Medieval Period
Date
Lecture
Reading
2/9
Chad Turner
Civilization in the Medieval Period
Lewis, WCIV, Chapters 10 and 11
2/11
Heidi Rahe
Beowulf and Germanic Culture
Lewis, WCIV, pgs. 150-155;
Beowulf, pgs. 3-103 (lines 1-1496)
2/16
Michael Nichols
Heroes and Monsters
Beowulf, pgs. 105-213 (lines 1497-3182)
2/18
Michael Nichols
Islam and the Western World
Lewis, WCIV, pgs. 159-163
2/23
Peter Watkins
The Crusades
Lewis, WCIV, pgs. 212-219;
Pope Urban II’s address at the Council of
Clermont (Syllabus, pgs. 44-46)
2/25
Jonathan Nichols
Arthurian Romantic Literature
Marie de France, “Bisclavret” and “Lanval”
(Syllabus, pgs. 47-73)
3/1
Fr. Tim McFarland
An Overview of Natural Law
Steven Wilkens, “Doing What Comes
Naturally,” (Syllabus, pgs. 74-79); Thomas
Aquinas on Lying (Syllabus, pgs. 80-83)
3/3
Alumni Panel
Moral Reasoning in Everyday Life
None
Spring Break
10
Unit 3: The Late Medieval Period
Date
3/15
Lecture
Reading
Michael Nichols
A Guided Tour Through Hell(s)
Dante’s Inferno, Cantos 1-7
3/17
Michael Malone
Lessons from Hell, part I
Dante’s Inferno, Cantos 8-13, 18-19, 26-28
Michael Malone
Lessons from Hell, part II
Dante’s Inferno, Cantos 29-34
3/22
Fr. William Stang
The Black Death
Boccaccio, The Decameron, “Introduction”
(Syllabus, pgs. 84-88);
“The History of Plagues, Pandemics, and
Ebola” (Syllabus, pgs. 89-92)
Heidi Rahe
Good Stories Told Well: The
Canterbury Tales
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, “General
Prologue,” “Pardoner’s Prologue.” and
“Pardoner’s Tale”
Jody Taylor-Watkins
The Wife of Bath
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, “Miller’s Tale,”
“Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale”
3/24
3/29
3/31
11
Unit 4: The Renaissance and the Reformation
Date
Lecture
Reading
4/5
John Rahe
Renaissance Humanism
Lewis, WCIV, Chapter 16;
Excerpt from Machiavelli’s The Prince
(Syllabus pgs. 93-94)
4/7
Paul Geraci
Music from the Ancient World to the
Renaissance
None
4/12
Video: Martin Luther
Lewis, WCIV, pgs. 308-316
Erasmus, “Julius Excluded from Heaven”,
(available via emailed link).
4/14
Fr. Tim McFarland
The Counter-Reformation
Lewis, WCIV, pgs. 316-329
4/19
Peter Watkins
Introduction to Shakespeare
Othello, Acts 1 and 2
4/21
Video: Selections from Othello
(1996)
Othello, Act 3
4/26
April Toadvine
An Analysis of Othello
Othello, Acts 4 and 5
4/28
Core 4 Honors
Wrapping up Core 4
None
12