THL 533
Reformation Theology
(certified writing)
Day
Time
Location
Term
The Rev. H. Ashley Hall, Ph.D.
Theology Department
DHHC 131
h.hall@creighton.edu
402-280-2295
646-425-6911 cell
Office Hours:
Syllabus:
Course Description, Course Materials, Outcomes, Schedule, and Expectations
I.) Course Description
This course will examine the history and theological controversies of the Reformation
through a careful analysis of the primary sources. Students will be introduced to: the
various reform efforts of the late medieval Church; the influence of Christian
Humanism; the writings of significant Protestant theologians; the political and religious
convictions of the ARadical@ Reformers; and the response of the Roman Catholic
Church to these reform efforts. Throughout this examination, careful attention will be
paid to the significant theological themes of the Reformation debates, such as the
human nature, grace, the authority of Scripture, ecclesiology and the
sacraments/liturgy.
II.) Course Materials
Carter Lindberg, The European Reformations (Malden and Oxford: Blackwell,
1996) ISBN#: 978 1 557 8675 5.
Carter Lindberg, ed., The European Reformations: Sourcebook (Malden and Oxford:
Blackwell, 2000) ISBN#: 0 631 21362 7.
Additional reading assignments will be posted on Blueline and are marked
“Other” in the reading list.
Further, students will need access to a computer in order to access Blueline on a
weekly basis as well as to write the final paper.
III.) Learning Outcomes
In order to guide our reading and discussion of the material, it is necessary to lay out
clearly articulated expectations for course outcomes. In order to successfully complete
this course, a student should be able to accomplish a majority of the following
outcomes:
(a) Describe the religious, political, and social realities of the late medieval period
and note both how the Reformation was i) indebted to and continued these concerns
and ii) broke with the religious, political, and social realities of this time. Particular
attention will be paid to: the relationship between Emperor and Prince in the Holy
Roman Empire; king/prince and the papacy; counciliar and caesero-papal models of the
Church; mendicant orders; popular piety; gender relations; commerce and charity.
(b) Describe the general biographical facts of major Reformation theologians and
their particular contributions. These include (but are not limited to): Jan Hus, Johann
von Staupitz, Martin Luther, Andreas Karlstadt, Philip Melanchthon, Johannes
Bugenhagen, George Spalatin, Olavus Petri, Laurentius Petri, Gustav Vasa, Charles V,
Frederick the Wise, John the Steadfast, Mauritz of Saxony, Desiderius Erasmus,
Willibald Pirkheimer, Thomas Cajetan, Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, Johann Tetzel,
Johann Eck, George Witzel, Herman von Wied, Gasparo Contarini, Ulrich Zwingli, John
Calvin, Heinrich Bullinger, Martin Bucer, Theodore Beza, Katherina von Bora, Caritas
Pirkheimer, Anna von Stolberg, Argula von Grumbach, Katherina Zell, Leo X, Lorenzo
Campeggio, Paul III, Miguel Servet, Thomas Müntzer, Balthasar Hubmaier, Menno
Simon, Francis I, Francis II, Henry VIII, Thomas More, Thomas Cranmer, Mary Tudor,
Elizabeth I, Mary Stuart, Ignatius Loyola, and Peter Canisius.
(c) Describe the general spread of and/or resistance to Reformation movements
in the following territories: the Holy Roman Empire, the Swiss Confederation,
Scandinavia, France, Spain, England, and identify particular unique features and
figures of each.
(d) Identify the theological positions of the following groups: Lutheran,
Reformed/Calvinist, Anglican, Radical, and Tridentine Roman Catholicism on the
following theological loci: grace, justification, good works, freedom of the will, appeals
to authority (the relation between scripture and tradition), predestination, baptismal
regeneration, Eucharistic presence, the role/purpose of the Mass, liturgical reform,
iconoclasm, monasticism, clerical life, ministry and church order, and the definition of a
“godly society” (particularly in relation to secular authority).
(e) Create a “dynamic synthesis” by crafting a short research paper that traces
the contribution of a particular theologian (or event), on a particular theological topic,
using a particular text from the period.
(f) In pursuit of outcome e, students will be introduced to the principle tools of
research and the format guidelines of the Chicago Manual of Style.
Further, learning outcomes for each unit will be presented and discussed at the
beginning of each new topic (posted in the corresponding Lessons folders on Blueline).
These unit outcomes are an integral part of the course outcomes. Class participants will
be evaluated according to how well they master these outcomes.
IV.)
Course Schedule
Date:
Themes and Readings:
1
:
syllabus
Course introduction and description; review of
2
:
Myths and Misconceptions of the Reformation
3
:
“The Late Middle Ages”: Social Realities
Textbook: Chapter 2
Sourcebook: Chapter 1.1-1.8
4
:
“The Late Middle Ages”: Religious Context
Textbook: Chapter 2
Sourcebook: 1.9-1.22
Due: Short Biography of a Reformation Figure
5
:
6
:
Martin Luther: Early Life and Theological
Formation
Textbook: Chapter 3
Sourcebook: 2.1-2.10
7
:
“The Late Middle Ages”: Intellectual Changes
Textbook: Chapter 2
Sourcebook: 1.23-1.31
The Indulgence Controversy (Justification)
Sourcebook: 2.11-2.22
Other: The Ninety-Five Theses
8
:
A Bold New “Old” Vision
Other: Luther’s Three ‘Radical’ Treatises
9
:
Early Lutheran Movement
Textbook: Chapter 4
10
:
Philip Melanchthon
Sourcebook: 3.6-3.7
Other: selections of the Loci communes, 1521 and Orations
11
:
Other Wittenberg Reformers: Karlstadt,
Spalatin, & Bugenhagen
Textbook: Chapter 5
Sourcebook: 3.8-3.10; 3.13
12
:
Tamping Down Zeal for the Sake of
Conscience
Other: Luther’s Invocavit Sermons
13
:
14
:
The Radical Reformers: Karlstadt and Müntzer
(Baptism)
Textbook: Chapter 6
Sourcebook: 5.1-5.4; 5.9-5.11; 5.16-5.21
15
:
The Radical Reformers: Anabaptists and
Spiritualists
Textbook: Chapter 8
Sourcebook: all of 7 (except 7.1; 7.7; and 7.8-7.9)
16
:
The Swiss Reform: Ulrich Zwingli (Eucharist)
Textbook: Chapter 7
Sourcebook: 6.1-6.12; 7.1; 7.7; and 7.8-7.9)
17
:
The Marburg Colloquy, 1529
Sourcebook: 6.13-6.23
Exam 1
18
:
Confessionalization: Divisions among
Protestants
Textbook: Chapter 9
19
:
The Diet of Augsburg and the Augsburg
Confession, 1530
Sourcebook: 8.1-8.10
Other: The Augsburg Confession, Part 1
20
:
21
:
The Roman Catholic Response to the Augsburg
Confession
Other: Confutatio
22
:
Confessionalization: Europe Divided, the Peace
of Augsburg, 1555
Textbook: Chapter 15 (pgs. 357-63)
23
:
24
:
John Calvin and the Geneva Reformation
Textbook: Chapter 10
25
:
26
:
Calvin and Geneva, continued
Other: selections from the Institutes dealing with the
Eucharist and Free Will; selections from Melanchthon’s Loci
communes of 1543 responding to Calvin on the Will; Wengert
on relationship between Calvin and Melanchthon
27
:
The Anti-Trinitarians: The Servetus Affair
Sourcebook: 9.10-9.16
28
:
Augsburg, continued
Other: The Augsburg Confession, Part 2
Exam 2
Calvin and Geneva, continued
Sourcebook: 9.1-9.6
Other: selections from The Institutes of Christian Religion
The Reformation in France and the
Netherlands
Textbook: Chapters 11 & 12
Sourcebook: 10.6-10.22
29
:
The Reformation in England and Scotland
Textbook: Chapter 13
30
:
England and Scotland, continued
Sourcebook: 12.1-12.14
31
:
England and Scotland, continued
Sourcebook: 12.15-12.25
Other: The 39 Articles
32
:
The Reformation in Scandinavia and the
Reformed Liturgies
Other: Frank Senn on Reformation Liturgies
33
:
34
:
Theology of Ministry and Church Order
35
:
Exam 3
36
:
Roman Catholic Renewal and Counter-Reform
Textbook: Chapter 14
37
:
Renewal and Reform, continued
Sourcebook: 13.1-13.9
38
:
The Society of Jesus and other new Orders
Sourcebook: 13.10-13.13
Other: The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola
39
:
The Diverse Fate of Monasteries
Textbook: Chapter 15 (pgs. 363-366)
Sourcebook: 14.15-14.22
Other: Meeks, “Women Confront the Reformation”; KarantNunn on the effort of the Reformation on women religious
and lay
The Council of Trent
Sourcebook: 13.14-13.20
40
:
Trent, continued
Other: O’Malley on the Legacy of Trent
41
:
Legacies of the Reformation
42
:
Looking Forward: Ecumenical Progress
Final Exam:
Possible Revisions to the Course Schedule:
The Instructor reserves the right to revise the reading and discussion schedule
throughout the semester that might be necessitated by any number of factors. Any
change to the syllabus will be announced in advance through announcements in class
and the email address registered with Blueline.
Class(es) may be cancelled for one of two reasons: the university decides to close
or the instructor is unable to attend. In the first instance, students should follow the
guidelines posted by CUAlert. In the second instance, the instructor will send out a
notice as soon as possible via email and (if possible) class announcement beforehand.
In the event of an emergency that prevents us from meeting over extended
periods of time, the course is designed so that discussion and assignments could, if
necessary, be completed over Blueline.
IV.) Grading
The student=s final grade for the course will be evaluated based on five
categories: class participation, quizzes, a short essay, and exams.
(1) Participation: Participation in class will count for 10% of the student’s grade.
Participation includes attendance, preparing for and participating in class discussions,
and completing the written assignments given in class.
Attendance: Attendance will be taken on a regular basis. If a student is not
present when attendance is taken, he or she will be marked as absent. Students are
allowed two absences from class. For each subsequent non-excused absence, the student
will be penalized one letter grade off of their participation grade. The instructor
considers regular attendance and proper preparation for class to be average
performance, and as such, worthy of a grade of C+.
(2) Quizzes: frequently and entirely at the professor’s discretion, unannounced
quizzes will occur throughout the semester. Each quiz will be based on the day’s
assigned reading. Quizzes are worth 10% of the student’s final grade.
(3) Exams: There are four exams scheduled this semester (see schedule posted
above). Each exam is worth 15% (for a total of 60%) of the student’s final grade.
** As a rule, students will not be allowed to take an exam before or after the
posted date. In emergency cases, the student should consult with the instructor before
the exam date. The instructor reserves the right to deny a student from taking a makeup exam.
(4) Short Research Essay: each student is expected to complete a short research
essay (12-15 pages) that integrates a theological topic, person, and text. Students have
some freedom in the topic they chose. Guidelines for writing are determined by the
Chicago Manual of Style. The standard rules of American English grammar and
spelling will apply.
As a certified writing course, the preparation for this final short research essay
will occur throughout the semester. Several important due dates are mentioned in the
course schedule. Students are encouraged to meet with the professor before each of
these assignments to help ensure he or she is on the right track. These requirements are
as follows:
a) Short Biography Paper: on the fourth day of class, all students must
submit a short biographical research paper (1-2 pages) on a significant
figure from the Reformation period (these names will be drawn largely
from Learning Outcome b (above). These papers will be posted on
Blueline and made available to all students as a kind of “abridged
encyclopedia” for consultation during the class.
>> Students may (but are not required to) use this biography paper as
the basis of their final research paper. Even if this short biography
is not topic of the final essay, it should be submitted in the writing
portfolio described below.
b) Abstract: by the date of the first exam (see schedule above), students
should submit an abstract. The abstract should be no more than 300
words and no less than a paragraph (i.e., four to six sentences). The abstract
should indicate the topic of the final paper as well as state, in narrative
form, how the argument will unfold.
>> A bibliography of at least one primarily source (i.e., historical
text) and five secondary sources (books about the topic) must be
included in addition to the word count of the abstract. The
bibliography should conform to the standards of the Chicago
Manual of Style.
c) Thesis and introductory paragraph: three weeks after the abstract,
students should submit an introductory paragraph that states clearly: the
thesis of the paper and how the paper will unfold. The introductory
paragraph should be at least four and no longer than six sentences long.
short but
exemplary
Models of exemplary introductory paragraphs are posted on Blueline.
d) Outline: three weeks after the introductory paragraph is submitted,
students should submit an outline of the final paper. The outline should
include:
i) the thesis statement, identify the three or four main aspects of the
argument in Roman numerals; each subsection should be a
complete topic sentence; each sub-subsection should be
clear indications of points to be made. Models of
outlines are provided on Blueline.
ii) Grammar and punctuation should be clean
d) Draft review: before the third exam, students will submit at least one draft
of their essay to the professor by 1) first, submitting the draft on Blueline
and 2) second, arranging a meeting to meet at a mutually agreed upon
time with the professor to discuss the submitted draft. Further:
i) Every student must submit at least one draft
ii) at least half of the draft must be in narrative form (i.e.,
expansions of the points detailed in the submitted outline)
iii) Grammar and punctuation should be clean
iv) References to primary and secondary sources should be
indicated clearly in the draft (even for the parts still in outline
form).
v) Drafts not submitted by the third exam will be penalized a letter
grade for each week it is late. Drafts will not be considered two
weeks before the last class.
e) Final Submission: one the last day of class, students will submit their
final copy of the research essay. This version should represent the
students’ best work on this topic and meet the requirements of content
and style detailed above.
i) Along with the final paper, students must submit a portfolio
containing all of the elements listed above (viz., items a-e above).
Grading Scale for the Research Essay:
a) Short Biography Paper
b) Abstract
c) Thesis/Introductory Paragraph
d) Draft Review
e) Final Submitted Version
5%
5%
15%
15%
60%
ALL SUBMISSIONS should be formatted to 8.5x11 paper, one inch margins,
double spaced, 12-point font, in Times New Roman. Items a, b, c, & e above must be
submitted using the designated dropbox on Blueline. Submissions to the professor’s email
will not be accepted. Hardcopies will only be accepted as place holders until an electronic
version is submitted.
Students are encouraged to visit the Writing Center (Hitchcock 306) early in the
paper writing process. For more information and to make an appointment, call 402-2804707. Visits to the Writing Center, while helpful, are no substitute for regular
consultation with the professor. While the Center can help students hone their writing
skills, students should not expect the Center (or the professor) to proof read their essays
for them; students will be responsible for ensuring that all matters of spelling, grammar,
and form are in conformity with the Chicago Manual of Style and proper American
English use.
** Students who are registered with the Office of Disability Accommodations
and who may require extra time in completing the exam must inform the instructor at
the beginning of the semester. In such cases, extra time for the exam will be given
according to the rules and guidelines established by Creighton University and in
consultation with the instructor. Students may contact the Office of Disability
Accommodations coordinators at 402-280-2166; by email at <leclair@creighton.edu>.
** Students who desire extra help with course materials (either for this course or
others) are encouraged to visit the Center for Student Success and Retention (Harper
Center 4066); Phone: 402-280-5566; <oss@creighton.edu>.
** In all of our lives, stress and anxiety occasionally arise. This is especially so
during major life transitions, such as moving away from home and starting a new
experience, such as college. In such times, it is essential to stay connected to good
people and make use of the resources available to you. In particular, the University has
a pool of talented and thoughtful professionals available to you, free of charge, at the
Counseling Service Center (Harper 1034); 402-280-2735.
The Grading Scale
The following scale will be applied in this course:
A
100-93; Excellent. Honors-level work, outstanding.
B+
89-92; Very good. High level of performance.
B
85-88; Good. Solid and above average level of performance.
(B-
80-84; Good. Slightly above average level of performance.)
C+
77-79; Good. Average level of performance.
C
74-76; Satisfactory. Acceptable level of performance.
(C-
70-73; Barely satisfactory. Low level of performance.)
D
60-69; Poor. Minimum level of performance.
F
59 and below. Failure. Inferior performance
Cheating and Plagiarism
Under no circumstances will cheating or plagiarism be tolerated in this course.
Any instance of cheating or plagiarism will be punished to the fullest extent possible
under the guidelines of Creighton University. These punishments include one or more
of the following: a) a failing grade for the assignment or b) a failing grade for the course.
Students should consult the Academic Honesty Policy in the Student Handbook.
Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to:
1) Failing to acknowledge the ideas of another person, whether or not such ideas are
paraphrased, from whatever source, including oral, print, broadcast, or computermediated communication.
2) Attempting to rewrite borrowed material by simply dropping a word here and there,
substituting a few words for others, or moving around words or sentences.
3) Failure to place quotation marks borrowed material in the approved style. It is no
defense to claim that one has ‘forgotten’ to do so.
4) Presenting, as one’s own an assignment, paper, or computer program partially or
wholly prepared by another person, whether by another student, friend, or by a
business or on-line service that sells or distributes such papers and programs.
Students have the right to appeal any charge of plagiarism or cheating.
V.) Decorum in Class
As members of a University community, each student is expected to treat others
with respect. As a community of scholars, it is expected that members of that
community share their thoughts and beliefs through rational articulation and reflection.
Disagreements are expected; respect for others is required. Inappropriate behavior
includes, but is not limited to: 1.) not preparing for class, 2.) Interrupting another
student or the instructor, 3.) Sleeping during class or pursuing other distractions. The
instructor also considers eating in class rude.
>> Students may bring laptops and other computing devises to class and use
them as long as the devise is being used for activities germane to our discussion. The
student may lose the privilege of such technology for abuses. The Instructor considers
use of social media, games and general websurfing “abuses” during class time.
>> Cell phones must remain off during class.
Students are welcome and encouraged to contact the instructor with any
questions, concerns, or suggestions about the class via the contact information posted at
the beginning of this syllabus. I have office hours; use them! They are there for your
benefit. If the posted office hours do not fit your schedule, I will be happy to make
an appointment.