CH500: Early Church History
INSTRUCTOR: Maria E. Doerfler
Summer 2010
E-MAIL: med33@duke.edu
PHONE/Text: (919) 627-1633; try e-mail first, and leave a message if you do call!
INSTANT MESSAGING: maria_doerfler (Yahoo & MSN); writingdemetrias (GChat)
OFFICE HOURS: Noon – 1:00PM, Mondays – Fridays @ Refectory + by appointment!
DESCRIPTION: This course provides an introduction to the historical and theological
developments of the church from the time of the Apostolic Fathers through the Augustinian era.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The history of the early church forms the foundation
for the ecclesial developments of subsequent centuries up to the present day. This course will
introduce students to the people, events, and discourses that shaped the essential theological
commitments of the church. By examining the processes through which the church came to
formulate her stance on, e.g., the Trinity, the person and saving function of Christ, and the
relationship between the church and the Roman Empire, students will come to understand their
own traditions’ doctrinal commitments against the backdrop of early catholic Christianity. A fuller
appreciation of the church’s earliest history will enable students to understand and embrace her
doctrines, faithfully hand on her traditions, thoughtfully assess her place in society, and diligently
attend to her interests and mission.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students who have successfully completed this course will (1)
have demonstrated familiarity with the historical background against which early catholic
Christianity developed during the first five centuries, with the development of essential doctrines
and practices of the church, and with the vocabulary of the early church’s theological debates,
particularly those surrounding the Trinitarian and Christological controversies; (2) will have
demonstrated insight into both the geographically specific distinctiveness and the overarching
unity of the early church; and (3) will have been able to locate their own traditions’ theological
and liturgical practices in the context of their late ancient origins; and (4) will have developed
basic skills in reading and critically examining primary source texts from this era, as
demonstrated in their fulfillment of the course requirements.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet daily for four-hour sessions (8:00AM – 11:50AM) for
two weeks. Students are expected to prepare for individual class sessions by completing
reading assignments that will form the basis of in-class discussions.
In practice, our time together will be organized as follows:




Lecture I (8:00 AM – 9:45 AM)
“Intermission” (9:45 AM – 10:15 AM)
Break (10:15 AM – 10:35 AM)
Lecture II (10:35 AM – 11:50 AM)
Much of this schedule should be fairly clear, with the likely exception of the “Intermission”
category. Simply put, this is a period every day during which we take a break from our regularly
scheduled lecture-format.
Twice each week, Tuesday and Thursdays, we will break up into discussion sections to
talk about the primary source readings that form the basis of your papers. These will allow you
to spend time discussing the readings with one another (and with me) in preparation for
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
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CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
reflecting on them in writing. Our Friday “Intermission” sessions are dedicated to a slightly
different task, namely reflecting on how the work of the preceding week can be applied in
meaningful ways to our respective ministries. In other words, while we will address ministry
issues at various points throughout the course, these periods will provide a designated space
for discussing how, e.g., the Trinitarian controversy may speak to a congregation, youth group,
non-profit organization, counseling scenario, etc. On Mondays and Wednesdays, we will use
this period for a variety of different tasks, all of which will give us a break from the regular
classroom format, and will hopefully make our time together more enjoyable.
REQUIRED READING:
Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. Rev. ed. London; New York: Penguin, 1993. 281
pages.1
Ehrman, Bart D., and Andrew S. Jacobs. Christianity in Late Antiquity, 300-450 A.D.: A
Reader. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Selections, ca. 150 pages.
ONE of the following two Books:2
Augustine of Hippo. Confessions. (Oxford World’s Classics.) Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2009. 304 pages.
Gregory of Nyssa. Ascetical Works. (Fathers of the Church.) Washington, DC: Catholic
University of America Press, 1999. 288 pages.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Primary Sources:
Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation: The Treatise De Incarnatione Verbi Dei.
Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1998.
Ehrman, Bart D. After the New Testament: A Reader in Early Christianity. New York:
Oxford University Press, 1999.
Gregory of Nazianzus. On God and Christ: the Five Theological Oratons and two Letters to
Cledonius. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2002.
Layton, Bentley. The Gnostic Scriptures: a new Translation with Annotations and
Introductions. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1987.
Origen of Alexandria, On First Principles, being Koetschau’s text of the De Principiis. New
York: Harper & Row, 1966.
Secondary Sources:
Chadwick, Henry. The Church in Ancient Society: From Galilee to Gregory the Great. New
York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
There are many excellent “textbooks” for the study of Early Christianity. Chadwick is a staple, and an
extremely affordable option. I would be happy to recommend other and more recent textbooks as well,
however, and will place several options on Reserve. Particularly if you are contemplating spending more
than just the next few weeks with the Early Church, I can recommend additional options for your
continued reading pleasure.
1
2
For your final assignment, due September 3, you will choose between two sets of classic texts:
Augustine’s Confessions, and Gregory of Nyssa’s Life of Macrina, contained in a volume collecting
Gregory’s Ascetical Writings. The latter text will be supplemented with another piece by Gregory,
accessible via Moodle, namely Gregory’s treatise “On the Making of Man.” I will comment on both items
in class and will be happy to help you choose the option more valuable and interesting for you. To this
end, unless you are very sure that you want to read one or the other, I recommend that you do not
purchase either of these just yet but wait until our class is underway to make your choice.
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
2
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Clark, Elizabeth A. and Herbert Warren Richardson. Women and Religion: A Feminist
Sourcebook of Christian Thought. New York: Harper & Row, 1977.
Ferguson, Everett, Michael P. McHugh (et al). The Encyclopedia of Early Christianity. New
York: Garland Publishers, 1990.
Frend, W. H. C. The Early Church. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1982.
Harvey, Susan Ashbrook and David G. Hunter (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Early
Christian Studies. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
1. Three five-page papers analyzing select texts from late ancient Christianity, totaling
70% of the final grade. Students will choose between two primary source readings as
the basis for each of their papers.
 The first paper, weighted at 20%, will be due in class at 8:00 AM PST on August 20
and is based on either a.) The Martyrdom of Polycarp or b.) The Gospel of Thomas.
 The second paper, weighted at 25%, is due in class at 8:00 AM PST on August 27
and will cover either a.) Athanasius’ On the Incarnation or b.) the Preface and Book
IV of Origen’s On First Principles.
 The final paper, weighted at 25%, must be submitted electronically by 8:00 AM PST
on September 3 and will cover either a.) Augustine’s Confessions or b.) Gregory of
Nyssa’s Life of Macrina AND “On the Making of Man.”
2. A take-home final examination is weighted at 25% of the final grade. The final exam
will be distributed electronically at 8:00 AM PST on September 9, and will be due via email to the instructor at 8:00 AM PST on September 16.3 This exam will cover the
lectures, readings, and other aspects of the course, while encouraging integration of this
data into contemporary pastoral contexts. (I will both discuss the final exam and
distribute a separate hand-out on how to best prepare for it prior to the end of Week 1 of
the course.)
3. The remaining 5% of the course grade will be reserved for demonstrably diligent
preparation. This will entail the following:



Attendance & Participation.
Assigned Readings. To be completed as preparation for both lectures and in-class
discussions. Preparation for lectures is crucial to the student’s performance and to
the health of the class as a community of learners. Details of readings and lectures
are found below, on the Summer ’10 Assignment Schedule.
Contribution to the Class-Blog (http://ch500-summer2010.blogspot.com). Students
will sign up to post twice weekly to the blog, for a total of four blog-entries of 300
words or more, addressing one of the primary source readings due that day. Posting
access will be granted by the instructor on or before the first day of the course.
3
I do not intend for you to work on this exam non-stop for seven days and/or nights; the entire exam
could be completed very satisfactorily in a fraction of that period. In deference to work- and ministryschedules, I have nevertheless factored in extra time to allow you choice in when to work on this
assignment.
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
3
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Assignment Schedule
Monday, August (1st Session)
1. Introduction to the Course & Syllabus
2. “Doing History” – a Primer
Monday August (2nd Session)
1. From the Apostles to the Apostolic Fathers
2. Canon and Continuity in the early 2nd Century
Writings
Pre-Session Prep:
Read through the Syllabus
Fill out “Getting to Know You” Survey
Intermission:
Reading Texts Historically
Pre-Session Prep:
The Didache (Moodle)
Ignatius’ Letter to the Ephesians (Moodle)
Tuesday, August (1st Session)
1. “The blood of martyrs is seed” – Martyrdom
and Persecution from Nero to Diocletian
Tuesday, August (2nd Session)
1. Athens & Jerusalem -- the Apologists
(Justin, Athenagoras & Co.)
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Martyrdom of Polycarp (course reader)
Review Prompt for Paper I, Option I (Polycarp)
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Athenagoras’ A Plea for the Christians
(Moodle)
Seminar Session:
The Martyrdom of Polycarp
Wednesday, August (1st Session)
1. Anti-Gnosticism: Irenaeus, Epiphanius &
Co. …
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Irenaeus’ Against Heresies (selections;
Moodle)
Intermission:
Clip: From Jesus to Christ
Thursday, August (1st Session)
1. The Parting of the Ways: Christians & Jews
in the early centuries of the Church
2. “Jewish Christians”? “Christian Jews”?
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho
(excerpts; Moodle)
 Review Prompt for Paper I, Option
II (“Gospel of Thomas”)
Seminar Session:
The Gospel of Thomas
Friday, August (1st Session)
1. The Third Century: Christian Expansion
2. Origen of Alexandria
Wednesday, August (2nd Session)
1. … and Gnosticism/ “Gnosticism.”
Pre-Session Prep:
Read The Gospel of Thomas (Course Reader)
Thursday, August (2nd Session)
1. Ministry & Liturgy in the Early Church
2. The development of the Sacraments
Pre-Session Prep:
Read the Diary of Egeria (Ehrman/Jacobs)
Read selection from the Didascalia Apostolorum
(Moodle)
Friday, August (2nd Session)
1. Origen of Alexandria (cont.)
2. “Alexandrian” and “Antiochene” Biblical
Interpretation
Submit your first paper by 8:00 AM!
Intermission:
This Week in Review: Relevance for Ministry
Pre-Session Prep:
Begin reading Origen, On First Principles.
(Moodle)
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
4
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Week 2:
Monday, August (1st Session)
1. Constantine and the Beginnings of a Christian
Empire
2. Eusebius & the History of Christianity
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Eusebius’ Life of Constantine
(Ehrman/Jacobs)
Intermission:
Searching the Scriptures: God & Christ
Tuesday, August (1st Session)
1. The Aftermath of Nicaea: The Trinitarian
Controversy
2. 4th Century Christologies
Monday August (2nd Session)
1. Alexander, Arius & Athanasius
2. The Nicene Council
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Arius’ letter to Alexander (Moodle)
Tuesday, August (2nd Session)
1. The Cappadocians
2. The Holy Spirit within the Trinitarian
Controversy
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Athanasius’ On the Incarnation
(Ehrman/Jacobs)
Review Prompt for Paper I, Option I (Origen’s
“On First Principles”)
Seminar Session:
Origen, On First Principles (Course Reader)
Wednesday, August (1st Session)
1. Asceticism & Monasticism in the Early
Church
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Nazianzen’s Fifth Theological Oration
(Course Reader)
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Jerome’s Life of Malchus (Moodle)
Pre-Session Prep:
 Read Jerome’s Letter to
Eustochium (Ehrman/Jacobs).
Intermission:
Early Christianity Jeopardy!
Thursday, August (1st Session)
1. The Christological Controversy
Intermission: Seminar Session
 Athanasius’s On the Incarnation
Pre-Session Prep:
 Review Prompt for Paper 2, Option
II (“On the Incarnation”)
Friday, August (1st Session)
1. Augustine of Hippo (Pt. 1)
2. North African Christianity: The Donatist
Controversy
Wednesday, August (2nd Session)
1. Women in the Early Church: Virgins,
Widows, Sponsors, Martyrs.
Thursday, August (2nd Session)
1. “Other Christianities:” Pushing the boundaries
of the Roman Empire
2. Final Reflections.
Pre-Session Prep:
Read “The Teaching of Addai” (Moodle)
Friday, August (2nd Session)
1. Augustine of Hippo (Pt. 2)
2. Augustine, Pelagius and the Freedom of the
Will
3. The Fall of Rome & The City of God
Submit your 2nd paper by 8:00 AM!
Intermission: This Week in Review: Relevance for
Ministry
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Augustine’s Sermon against the Donatists
(Ehrman/Jacobs)
Pre-Session Prep:
Read Augustine’s The City of God (excerpt)
(Moodle)
Read Pelagius’s Letter to Demetrias (Moodle)
Preliminary Comments on Papers I-III
(a.k.a. “Read This First”)
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
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5
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
6
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Paper I (a): The Martyrdom of Polycarp
Texts:
The Martyrdom of Polycarp (Course Reader/Moodle)
The Gospel of John, ch. 19; The Gospel of Matthew 26-27; The Gospel of Luke
22-23.
(Most bible translations will do, although your best bets will likely be the NRSV, New
Jerusalem Bible, NIV or NASB. The NRSV can be found online at
http://www.godweb.org/nrsv.html ; most other versions can be found at BibleGateway
(http://www.biblegateway.com).
The Martyrdom of Polycarp (MoP) tells the story of the death of Polycarp, bishop of
Smyrna (in modern-day Turkey) during the first half of the second century C.E. We have an
impressive – for its time – amount of evidence for Polycarp’s existence: Ignatius addresses a
letter to him, and a letter from Polycarp himself to the Philippian community is also preserved.
The text you will be reading is the Church’s first so-called “martyract,” the story of the violent
death, frequently accompanied by miracles, for a Christian in confrontation with non-Christian
authorities.
As you read the MoP, you will notice that the text has a number of parallels with the
passion narratives of the four canonical gospels. (I’ve listed some of the relevant chapters in
your assignment prompt to refresh your memory.) Your first task for this paper is to analyze the
MoP to discern what those parallels are; in your paper, this section should take up around 1.5
pages or so.
Secondly, and more importantly, consider what those parallels mean and why the
anonymous author of the MoP might have included them in her/his work. It is of course possible
that this is simply the way things happened, and that the author is merely reporting what
occurred. If we want to take the MoP seriously as a theological and literary, as well as a
historical text, however, we need to consider the possibility that the author may have made
certain adjustments to bring the gospels and the MoP into closer conformity.
In your paper, address what might motivate an author to do so, and what the effect on
the author’s community might be. What do the similarities between the MoP and the gospels
say about the person of Polycarp? How does the text’s emulation of the gospels encourage its
readers to think about martyrdom? We obviously cannot divine the author’s intention the
community’s response, but we do know that this text is amongst the earliest preserved writings
and became very influential in the way the Early Church wrote and thought about martyrdom.
This section should take up the majority of your paper.
Finally, briefly consider the following hypothetical scenario: Excavations in Izmir,
Turkey, lead a team of archeologists to uncover a cache of government records. Amongst
these is a register of public executions for late ancient Smyrna. One entry – that of a
“Christianos” named Polycarp – from around 155 C.E. draws scholarly attention. The register
notes that this execution took place by action of the chief of police, named Severus some time
in September for inciting public unrest. The record does not show anything unusual about the
execution.
If this record were to refer to the Polycarp who is the subject of the MoP, how (if at all)
would it change our use of the MoP as a historical document for understanding the Early
Church? How (if at all) would this “find” change our theological reading the Polycarp’s
martyrdom?
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
7
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Paper I (b): The Gospel of Thomas
Texts:
The Gospel of Thomas (Course Reader/Moodle)
Canonical Gospel parallels for select passages, as listed on the next page.
(Most bible translations will do, although your best bets will likely be the NRSV, New
Jerusalem Bible, NIV or NASB. The NRSV can be found online at
http://www.godweb.org/nrsv.html ; most other versions can be found at BibleGateway
(http://www.biblegateway.com).
A word of Caution:
While no pre-requisites exist for this course (or this paper), students who
have already taken NT1 (Gospels) or an equivalent class may have an easier time with this paper.
The Gospel of Thomas (GThomas) has attracted a lot of attention from scholars and the
media in the recent past. It is a so-called “Gnostic Gospel” (but cf. our in-class conversation
about whether that is indeed a helpful label). Moreover, its format is that of a “sayings source,”
meaning that it records sayings by Jesus without including them in a narrative structure. You
will note, for example, that GThomas lacks an infancy narrative or a passion narrative.4
Yet another reason that many people find GThomas interesting has to do with how much
the material contained therein looks like that from the so-called Synoptic Gospels, Matthew,
Mark and Luke. There aren’t any references to the kind of “Pleroma” that Irenaeus discusses or
that we see mentioned in other Gnostic texts. As such, GThomas may strike you – at least for
the most part – as “less esoteric” and “more familiar” than some of the other texts we have
considered in class.
Your paper involves three tasks: First, read the gospel with an eye towards the larger
picture, asking questions like the following: What strikes you as the central theme(s) of the
document? How does its focus on “sayings” rather than larger narrative shape a reader’s
perception? What kind of use do you envision for it within an early Christian community? Etc.
List specific examples wherever possible, but keep this section relatively brief -- it should not
take more than 1-1.5 pages.
The second task will take up the majority of your paper. On the next page, you will find a
list of ten “Sayings” from GThomas, each with parallels from the canonical gospels. Choose
three of these for closer analysis, comparing the text of GThomas with its parallels in Matthew,
Mark, Luke and/or John. Note similarities and differences, but be sure to also speak to the
question of what difference these make to your reading of the different texts. In other words,
how and why does the version of a saying in GThomas change, preserve or intensify the
emphasis of a parallel saying in the canon?
Finally, conclude your paper by assessing the value of GThomas for either a.) pastoral
ministry, or b.) the study of the Early Church. Your choice of either option should be guided by
your sense of calling and professional aspirations: If you plan on ministering (or already
minister) in a parish context, you may find that many of your parishioners are quite informed (or
misinformed) about the various non-canonical gospels like GThomas, GJudas, etc. Your
response here should demonstrate your active intellectual engagement as a Christian minister
and/or historian to questions GThomas raises about issues of Jesus’ life and teaching, the
canon, etc.
Incidentally, those familiar with the “two-source theory” for the writing of the synoptic gospels will note that GThomas
looks a lot like the hypothetical Q document might. If the preceding sentence made no sense to you whatsoever,
don’t worry about it – it’s not really relevant to this assignment.
4
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
8
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Paper I (b): The Gospel of Thomas
Gospel Parallels
Note: While I have listed verse-parallels, one of the difference between GThomas and
the canonical gospels is that the latter have these sayings in some king of narrative context. On
the other hand, sometimes GThomas combines two sayings that show up in different parts of
one of the other gospels into one saying. Be sure to take notice of that context in your
discussion: How is the understanding of a saying affected by it being a.) stand-alone or b.)
part of a narrative/connected with other similar sayings? How does the juxtaposition of two
sayings that are not listed together in the canonical gospels change your reading of them?
Notice also that this list of parallels is not exhaustive. If another parallel to a saying
comes to mind, feel free to mention it, but be sure to explain why you think it does pose a
parallel.
1.
Saying 3
Luke 17:21
2.
Saying 21
Matthew 24:43; Luke 12:39; Mark 4:26
3.
Saying 48
Matthew 18:19f, Matthew 17:20, Mark 11:23, Thomas 106
4.
Saying 59
John 7:34, John 13:33
5.
Saying 62
Matthew 6:3-4, Matthew 13:11, Mark 4:11, Luke 8:10
6.
Saying 71
Mark 14:58
7.
Saying 91
John 9:36, Luke 12:54
8.
Saying 101
Matthew 10:37, Luke 14:26 (also: Thomas 55)
9.
Saying 109
Matthew 13:44
10.
Saying 114
Thomas 22, etc.
(Saying 114 is a saying that has no parallels in the canonical
gospels. I have included it because it is one of the most famous
sayings of the Gospel of Thomas and one that has generated the
most conversation. If you wish to talk about this saying, be
very careful to read the rest of GThomas with an eye
towards male/female language and ask yourself what that
language means [hint: in Gnostic texts, male/female usually
does not refer to actual men and women], as well as
appearances from women in these conversations.)
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
9
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Paper II (a): Origen’s On First Principles
Texts:
Origen, On First Principles (Preface; Book IV)
(Course Reader/Moodle)
Origen of Alexandria was one of the most influential theologians and exegetes of the
Christian tradition. While aspects of his theology were rejected by later generations of
Christians, as we’ve discussed in lecture, his writings on exegetical method have directly or
indirectly shaped the work of most Christian writers in the fourth century and beyond. The list of
his “disciples” includes Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, Evagrius of Pontus, Jerome and
Rufinus, Ambrose of Milan, and many others. As late as the sixth century and as far from
Alexandria as Gaul, one finds entire homilies of Origen’s copied nearly word-for-word in the
writings of Caesarius of Arles.
Your task in this paper is to analyze a section of Origen’s most debated work, titled On
First Principles (Latin: De Principiis; Greek: Peri Archon). The introduction will give you an idea
of why Origen is writing and what project he has in mind for this (quite long) work. In Book IV,
he launches into his discussion of the nature of Scripture and its proper interpretation (chs. 1-3),
before offering a kind of re-cap of his essential doctrine of God in ch. 4. In your paper, you will
be addressing three questions:
(1) Why does Origen consider his exegetical approach to Scripture to be both correct
and necessary? (Note that Origen lists a number of reasons, all of which should be addressed
by you. Seek to also comment on how Origen’s exegesis relates first to his project in writing the
On first Principles in the first place, and to his larger theological understanding of God’s nature
and work in the world.)
(2) What does Origen regard as the potential dangers of his exegetical approach, and
what factors mitigate these threats? (Note that Origen says less about this subject than about
the previous ones. He nevertheless provides us with clues by what potential problems he
addresses, both explicitly and implicitly.)
Your paper should (3) conclude with an independent assessment of Origen’s exegetical
method (ca. 1 page). What do you see as the main advantages and the main problems of
approaching Scripture the way Origen urges his reader to do? (In fact, you may have either
heard a sermon preached or preached a sermon yourself that used some form of Origenist
exegesis – a practice particularly common with regard to the Song of Songs. If so, feel free to
make a note of what “worked” and what didn’t about the sermon in question.)
As always, you should read Origen sympathetically to gain a close understanding of his
motivations; that doesn’t mean that you need to sympathize with him all the way to the pulpit –
although many exegetes have. In your personal critique of Origen, keep in mind, too, that you
need not give a whole-sale “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” to his exegesis; feel free to propose
modifications, if you think they would be helpful.
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
10
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Paper II (b): The Early 4th Century Debates on the Incarnation
Texts:
Athanasius, On the Incarnation of the Word
(Ehrman/Jacobs, pp. 190-200)
Arius’ Letter to Alexander
(Moodle)
Athanasius, as we have discussed in lecture, was one of the most influential theological
thinkers of the fourth century. His name is frequently associated with the beginning of the Arian
controversy, and his stance “contra mundum” at the council of Nicaea. The treatise On the
Incarnation of the Word is another important aspect of his legacy. In it, Athanasius seeks to
explain why the Incarnation was necessary in the first place, and why it had to occur precisely
the way it did. As you will see, Athanasius also addresses arguments he anticipates from two
groups – the “Jews,” and the “Gentiles,” likely a reference to the apostle Paul’s statement that
the crucified Christ was “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,” (1 Cor 23,
NRSV).
Your task in this paper is two-fold: First, you should discuss why, for Athanasius, the
Incarnation was necessary. Some sub-questions you should address here might be: Would it
have been enough if humanity had spontaneously repented and ceased to sin? In what ways
(plural!) does Christ work to restore human nature? Finally, what purpose does Christ’s nature
as the God-man serve in this process? (This question should take up the majority of your paper
– 3.5-4 pages.)
The last of these questions will get you quite close to your second task for this paper:
You will have read the Alexandrian presbyter Arius’ letter to Alexander, his bishop. Arius was,
as we discussed in lecture, Athanasius’ chief opponent on the question of the consubstantiality
of Father and Son. Having now also read On the Incarnation, you should have a better idea of
why Arius’ understanding of the nature of Christ is problematic for Athanasius. In this final
portion of your paper, set out (a) what Arius’ views on Christ’s nature are, and (b) how Arius’
understanding does or does not make sense of the Incarnation, according to Athanasius’ model
in On the Incarnation. (This question should take no more than roughly 1.5 pages of your
paper.)
Both Athanasius’ treatise and Arius’ letter are quite sophisticated theological statements.
It will make your work much easier, if you begin each section by providing a clear exposition in
your own words of each theologian’s views. As usual, use specific examples, and provide
citations to the passages that support your ideas.
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
11
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Paper III (a): Gregory of Nyssa on the Soul
Texts:
Gregory of Nyssa, The Life of Macrina
(Ascetical Works, pp. 161-191)
Gregory of Nyssa, On the Making of Man
(Moodle)
The Life of Macrina (LMacrina) falls into the literary category of “vitae” (“lives”) –
biographies of (usually) holy or distinguished individuals, particularly saints, martyrs and spiritual
leaders. Macrina is not the only woman who is commemorated in such a text – Pelagia and
Mary of Egypt come to mind as other examples – but LMacrina is nevertheless remarkable for a
number of reasons. Most importantly, its author is (one of) Macrina’s famous brother(s),
Gregory, bishop of Nyssa.
Gregory’s regard for his elder sister and her faith was clearly profound. At a time when
women did not generally have much of a voice in literary or theological works, Gregory not only
dedicated a book to Macrina, he also in another of his treatises, portrays her as his conversation
partner, expounding high theology for his benefit. Nevertheless, we may assume that Gregory
did not write LMacrina only as the biography of a remarkable woman. Rather, it has been
suggested that Macrina takes on an important exemplar function in this book: Macrina
illustrates the high potential of the human soul when it is completely surrendered to God.
Gregory also gives a more theoretical discussion of the nature of the human soul, a
theme we might call “theological anthropology,” elsewhere in his works. The treatise On the
Making of Man discusses the creation of humanity as a two-stage process: The mind was
created first in the image of God, perfectly simple and unified. But in light of God’s expectation
of Adam’s sin, additional features, including the digestive system and sex organs, were added
to allow human beings to survive in the world. Nyssen expects, however, that humanity can
return to God and to its original state – in fact, the mind is designed to grow ever deeper in
understanding, appreciation and knowledge of God without ever being able to grasp God fully.
Your task in this paper is two-fold: First, you should discuss how Gregory envisions the
creation of the human mind (or soul), and how this creation relates to the mind’s eschatological
future. In other words, how does the nature of the mind, as created by God in the unique way
Gregory describes, illuminate its ultimate eternal existence with God? (ca. 3 pages) Secondly,
consider the ways in which Gregory describes Macrina’s life, spiritual discipline and, most
importantly, her final hours. At her death, Macrina seems to be in a sense “pure soul,” having
disposed of a number of other aspects that hold the human person back from union with God. In
this second portion of your paper, you should discuss the ways in which Macrina’s life and
death, as narrated by her brother, provide Gregory’s reader with an illustration of what the
human soul, properly prepared, looked like at creation and will once again become after death.
(ca. 2 pages)
As usual, provide concrete examples from both texts to make your case, and be sure to
“unpack” the sometimes complex theological statements Gregory makes in these texts.
This assignment is due on Friday, September 3, at 8:00 AM PST via e-mail to me at
med33@duke.edu
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
12
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Paper III (b): Augustine of Hippo’s Confessions
Texts:
Augustine, Confessions
(Oxford World’s Classics; trans. Henry Chadwick)
A word on the translation: There is truly a plethora of versions of Augustine’s
Confessions – it is a very popular and accordingly a frequently translated text. As far as I’m
concerned, what version you use makes little difference. I have selected Chadwick’s for the
quality of his translation and the relative ease of use of the text, but if you have a copy of, e.g.,
the Pine-Coffin translation stashed away from your undergraduate days, feel free to use that.
Augustine of Hippo is frequently regarded as a particularly social individual. One of the
leading historians of late antiquity, Peter Brown, states in his biography of Augustine that he
“hardly ever spent a moment of his life without some friend, even some blood-relative, close by
him. No thinker in the Early Church was so preoccupied with the nature of human
relationships.”5 Augustine’s description of his childhood and youth in the Confessions is
frequently cited as evidence for his sociable nature. Indeed, Augustine spends a lot of time
discussing his relationships with individual friends, or simply his experience of friendship at
various points in his life.
At the same time, however, one cannot read the Confessions carefully without noticing
that friendship, as narrated by Augustine, brings with it certain dangers. The famous “pear theft
incident,” for example, is the result of what we might call peer pressure: The offense, Augustine
suggests, was made attractive only by virtue of the shared nature of the misdeed. Similarly, you
may notice friends inducing friends to partake in spiritually or physically harmful activities in the
Confessions. And yet friends are also there at the key moments of spiritual progress for
Augustine, just as he is able to influence friends for good as well as for harm.
Your task in this paper is to consider the role and function of friendship in the
Confessions. Is friendship, on the whole, a good thing for the Christian (or the person in
unwitting search for Christ)? Is it harmful and potentially dangerous to the individual’s
relationship with God? Is the message Augustine seeks to convey by telling his life-story more
complicated and nuanced – and if so, what factors might make a friendship helpful or harmful in
one’s quest for God?
In this, as in other papers, I am not concerned with your arriving at a “right answer,”
much less at the right answer. Your task is to consider the evidence in the Confessions,
formulate a thesis, and support it through cogent argument. As always, please use specific
examples to make your points; to this end, you may also wish to familiarize yourself with the
names and stories of the handful of friends that accompany Augustine throughout most of the
narrative.
This assignment is due on Friday, September 3, at 8:00 AM PST via e-mail to me at
med33@duke.edu
5Peter
Brown, Augustine of Hippo: A Biography (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1950), 32.
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
13
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
A Word on Late Assignments:
This course is labeled “intensive” – and it is! We move extremely fast, covering the equivalent
of a week’s worth of classes every day and will have reached the half-way mark of the course
by the end of Day 5. Submitting assignments late is usually a poor idea, something that is
doubly true for intensives of this caliber. Not only do you run the risk of falling behind (!), a late
submission also deprives your classmates of the opportunity to dialogue with you about the
readings in question, and will make the lectures on these topics far less helpful to you.
This being said, emergencies do happen. Please consult with me as soon as you become
aware of the need for an extension; doing so permits me to be of maximum assistance to you.
In any case, however, to merit an extension you need to inform me of your need prior to the
assignment’s due-date. My policy for genuine late submission (a.k.a. those that have not been
approved ahead of time by me) see below:6
1. Papers are due at the beginning of the class period for which they are assigned. This
means both you and your paper are expected to be in class at 8:00 a.m. In practice, I
usually won’t collect papers until after our morning devotions, so you might have ten
minutes or so of what is often called “grace.” But don’t count on it.
2. Papers submitted after 8:10 or so — but still on the morning the assignment was due
— will be accepted, but the paper will be penalized by half a grade point, regardless of
circumstances, unless you contacted the instructor and made such an arrangement in
advance of the deadline.
3. Papers submitted after noon on the day assigned will be accepted up to one week
late, though such papers will be penalized by one full grade point, regardless of
circumstances, unless you contacted the instructor and made such an arrangement in
advance of the deadline.
Papers submitted more than a week after the due date will not be given credit and the score for
the essay will be computed as a zero. Students may pass the course with one missed essay,
assuming other work is satisfactorily completed and submitted in timely fashion, but two essays
scored as a zero will constitute grounds for a failing grade.
6
Those of you who have previously taken a course with Prof. John Thompson may notice considerable
similarities between his and my late submissions policy. In fact, my policy has been adapted from Prof.
Thompson’s, with his express permission. I have done so because I consider his approach to this issue
to be eminently clear, fair, helpful – and, best of all, tested by many classes of students.
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
14
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
A Note on Paper Grades
and what they Mean in this Course:
A
Excellent across the board. (This is not a common grade.)
A-
Excellent, but … you might have pushed for more detail on
… , added comments regarding …., looked at the nuances
of XYZ more closely …
Very good. Much the same applies as in the case of the
A-, although the minor defects are slightly less minor in the
case of the B+.
Good. This paper gets the basics right and includes the all
the major stuff. In most cases, to move up to a B+ or Agrade, B-papers require nuancing, evidence of closer
analysis, and
Good … mostly. Competent for much of the important
stuff that needs to be part of this paper, but with some
crucial omissions/errors/ lack of clarity.
This paper has begun to grapple with the issues at stake,
shows good effort, and in part even gets it right. Other
parts, however, are muddled, hard to follow, wrong. or
irrelevant to the argument.
Same as above, but the flaws are once again more
serious, and the difficult to follow/ irrelevant/erroneous
and/or muddled portions extend to most or all of the paper.
It is evident that the author of this paper has read the
material in question, BUT there does not appear to be an
adequate understanding and/or representation of the
readings. Alternatively, this paper addresses questions
other than those posed in the prompt.
The most common cause of this grade is plagiarism. (For
a definition of what constitutes plagiarism, please see the
Academic Integrity Commitment below or check
http://www.plagiarism.org.) Alternatively, an F means that
the author of this paper has either not read the assigned
materials, or has thoroughly misunderstood them and
the questions asked of them.
B+
B
BC+
C
C-
F
For a sample paper grading rubric see the next page.
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
15
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
CH500 – Early Church History7
Name: ____John Doe ___
Paper/ Topic:
Instructor: Maria Doerfler
___Paper IV.A: “How to survive CH500”___
Category
Points/Possible
Points
Introduction
7/10
Good start, but thesis could be more developed
and might benefit from “roadmap” (… see below.)
Clarity and Cogency
23/25
Good, clear argument – for citation and
formatting issues, see below.
Close Sympathetic Reading
35/40
Overall well done – a bit more on X, plus need
to unpack quotes.
Critical Analysis
15/15
Well done.
Insightful Conclusion
Good review.
be great.
Grand Total
8/10
A bit more development here would
88/100
Comments:
John, this is on the whole a very promising paper. You write well and
provide clear and thoughtful analysis of a couple of complex texts –
kudos! Below are a few points that could further enhance future
papers:

Your thesis statement could use a little more development. You
mention differences in “approaches” and “influences,” but you
ultimately point out (rightly so!) that X and Y are different in
many regards. Your thesis should reflect that conclusion – and
given that your paper is quite concise, you certainly have space
to do so.

Similarly, your introduction could benefit from a “road map” –
you don’t need to go the “First I will … then I will … Finally,
7
This page is an example of the feedback form you will receive from me for each paper. As you can see, I have
broken down the score into different categories as well as providing more extensive feedback in the comment
section. I hope this will give you an idea of where you stand and how to improve between papers.
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
16
CH500: Early Church History


Summer 2010
….” route, but your reader should have an idea of where your
paper is going.
A word on citations: You need to cite more than just direct
quotes – whenever you cover substantial parts of another’s
writings (e.g., X’s and Y’s), a footnote (or in-text note) is
appropriate. For formatting issues, consider taking a quick
glance at the library’s weblinks to handy (and brief!)
styleguides.
Finally, you might still want to include a note on a.) one
important thing you’re missing and b.) yet another important
thing you’re missing.
Grade:
B/B+
Date: 8/30/2010
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
17
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Academic Integrity Commitment
At the beginning of this course we, as faculty and students, reaffirm our commitment to be
beyond reproach in our academic work as a reflection of Christian character. We commit to
honesty in all aspects of our work. We seek to establish a community that values serious
intellectual engagement and personal faithfulness more highly than grades, degrees, or
publications.
Students are expected to review and understand the commitments to academic integrity as
printed in the Student Handbook and the Seminary catalogue. Some infractions can be
addressed by personal confrontation and corrective counsel. The following violations of these
commitments will be firmly addressed formally:






Submitting the same work in whole or in part in more than one course without the
permission of the professor(s);
Submitting as one’s own work paper(s) obtained from another source;
Plagiarism, i.e., large and/or multiple unattributed quotations or paraphrases of ideas
from published or unpublished sources;
Unpermitted collaboration in preparing assignments;
Cheating on exams by any means;
Aiding another student on papers and tests in violation of these commitments.
Any of these violations will result in a failing grade on the assignment and possibly in the
course, and will be reported to the Academic Integrity Group (see below), which may impose
further sanctions in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy. Evidence of repeated
violations will result in a formal disciplinary process. (For the full statement on Academic
Integrity, see The Student Handbook and/or The Student Handbook: Extended Education,
current editions.)
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
18
CH500: Early Church History
Summer 2010
Getting to Know You (… a little better.)
Two weeks isn’t a lot of time to get to know one another in a class-setting; I’d love to get
a head-start on getting to know you a bit better. Your feedback will also help me prepare
a course that’s appropriate to your interests and background. I’ll be posting this form on
the course Moodle page as well; please fill it out and return it to me via e-mail
(med33@duke.edu) by Friday, August 13. Many thanks!
The Basics:
Name:
Other course(s) you’re taking this quarter:
Program (e.g., M.A., M.Div, etc.):
Time at Fuller:
Your Background:
Which of the following (if any) have you taken at Fuller:
__
__
__
__
__
Early Church History/Patristics __ Medieval & Reformation Church History
American Church History
__ Modern and/or European Church History
New Testament 1 (Gospels)
__ New Testament 2 (Acts – Revelation)
Historiography
__ A seminar on Church History
A seminar on something related to the New Testament
Have you taken any course like those mentioned above at a place other than Fuller –
either at college or at another seminary/Divinity School/graduate program? If so, where?
____________________________________________________________________________
Your Interests:
Why are you taking this course? (check all that apply – and there’s really no bad answer!)
__
__
__
__
__
It’s a requirement for my program.
__ Fits my schedule.
Last course before I graduate!
__ Want to learn more about the Early Church
Already studied the Early Church, so might be an easier/less stressful option.
Want to learn more about a particular aspect of the Early Church.
Someone recommended I take this course for academic or ministry reasons.
So – what would you really like to learn more about when it comes to the Early Church?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Anything else I should know about you – e.g., your plans post-Fuller?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Thanks so much!
Please Note: This syllabus is still in Draft-Form. The instructor may make changes to the plan in this syllabus for
the purpose of enhancing student learning on the outcomes defined for the course.
19