Zach Flanagin
dflanagi@stmarys-ca.edu
Core Curriculum Designation Proposal
Theological Understanding: Theological Explorations
TRS 103, “Reformations”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Name of Proposer: Zach Flanagin
Email address: dflanagi@stmarys-ca.edu
Department/Program of Proposer: Theology & Religious Studies
Name of Department/Program housing the course: Theology & Religious Studies
Name(s) of Program Director/Department Chair (if not the proposer): Michael Barram
Course Acronym, Number and Title: TRS 103, “Reformations”
Semester(s) in which course will be offered: fall
How often is this course taught? every two years
Course Prerequisites (if any): TRS 097, “The Bible & Its Interpretation”
Unit Value of Course: 1.0
Proper Audience for the course (delete those that don’t apply):
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
12. The Learning Goals for which the course is being submitted: Theological Understanding: Theological
Explorations
2
Teaching: A brief narrative that explains how the course will guide students to achieve the learning
outcomes
In TRS 103, I teach outcome #1a (i.e., understanding of a religious tradition) through the following
specific course outcomes:
1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of late-medieval Catholic theology and practice, both in
its ideals and in its actual working;
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the theology of Martin Luther and the history of the
split between Luther and the Catholic Church;
3. Students will demonstrate knowledge of later developments in the 16th c. Reformation,
particularly the rise of other Protestant groups and the Catholic Reformation;
In this context, students will be required to spend significant amounts of time reading both primary
sources and secondary historical texts, which will be the focus of lectures and discussions in the
class. (For specifics topics and readings, see the syllabus below.)
In TRS 103, I teach outcome #1b (i.e., focused study in a subfield of theology) through the following
specific course outcome:
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the principles and methods of the study of
church history;
In this context, students will begin the semester with a reading by the church historian David
Steinmetz entitled “The Necessity of the Past,” which discusses the purpose and methods of church
history. After practicing these methods in our analysis of primary texts in class over the course of
the semester, students will return to the article and write a response to it, in light of the semester’s
work.
In TRS 103, I teach outcome #2 through the following specific course outcomes:
5. Students will demonstrate an ability to explore multiple perspectives in a theological debate
through written papers and in-class debate;
6. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of religious issues through close
analysis and articulation of specific theological arguments.
In this context, I will lead students through a close analysis of a variety of opposing arguments found
in primary texts, and the students will then practice these skills in papers and in-class debates.
3
Learning: A brief explanation of how coursework (e.g., papers, exams, videotaped presentations) will be
used to measure student learning of the outcomes
My course outcomes #1-3 (= core outcome #1a) will be assessed by a mid-term and final exam,
containing both short answer and essay questions. Knowledge of the debates between Luther and
Rome and then between Luther and Zwingli will also be assessed by two significant papers required in
the course (see syllabus for details). Course outcome #4 (= core outcome #1b) will be assessed by a selfreflection paper on the Steinmetz essay (mentioned above). Course outcomes #5-6 (= core outcome #2)
will be assessed by two significant papers and two accompanying in-class debates (one on LutheranCatholic controversies and one on Lutheran-Zwinglian controversies).
4
Syllabus
TRS 103: Reformations
Course Description: Every age of Christian history has been occupied with the call of religious reform –
renewing both the personal lives of each believer and the institutional structures that endure through
the centuries. However, such a universal passion for reform took on a special importance in the 16th
century, which has become forever known to history as the age of “the Reformation.” At the close of
the Middle Ages and the dawn of the Modern World, a myriad of voices cried out for change. This
course explores the variety of those reforming voices, Protestant and Catholic, from 1400 to 1600.
Special attention will be given to major theological issues, political intrigue, and the effects on the
common men and women of the time.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of late-medieval Catholic theology and practice, both in
its ideals and in its actual working;
 To be assessed by an exam, a paper, and an in-class debate
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the theology of Martin Luther and the history of the
split between Luther and the Catholic Church;
 To be assessed by an exam, a paper, and an in-class debate
3. Students will demonstrate knowledge of later developments in the 16th c. Reformation,
particularly the rise of other Protestant groups and the Catholic Reformation;
 To be assessed by an exam, a paper, and an in-class debate
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the principles and methods of the study of
church history;
 To be assessed by a self-reflection essay
5. Students will demonstrate an ability to explore multiple perspectives in a theological debate
through written papers and in-class debate;
 To be assessed by two papers and two in-class debates
6. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of religious issues through close
analysis and articulation of specific theological arguments.
 To be assessed by two papers and two in-class debates
Course Schedule:
1. Introduction & Syllabus
a. Readings: *David Steinmetz, “The Necessity of the Past,” Theology Today 33 (July 1976):
168-77
2. Salvation in the Middle Ages
a. Readings:
i. Everyman, in Everyman and Other Miracle and Morality Plays (New York, 1995),
pp. 36-59
3. The Architecture of Medieval Soteriology
a. Readings:
5
4.
5.
6.
7.
i. Steven Ozment, The Age of Reform 1250-1550 (New Haven, 1980), pp. 22-31
ii. *“The Seven Sacraments,” in the Internet Medieval Sourcebook,
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1438sacraments.html [Link available
on course website]
Where It Worked Best: The Medieval Mystical Tradition
a. Readings:
i. Introduction and Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (#1), in Denis R. Janz,
A Reformation Reader, pp. 1-13
ii. *Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, trans. Clifton Wolters (London,
1966), pp. 63-76, 137-57
The Papal Hierarchy: Theory and Problems
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 138-48
ii. Boniface VIII, “Unam Sanctam” (#2), in Janz, pp. 13-14
iii. David Zachariah Flanagin, “Extra Ecclesiam Salus non Est—Sed Quae Ecclesia?:
Ecclesiology and Authority in the Later Middle Ages,” in Joelle Rollo-Koster and
Thomas M. Izbicki, eds., A Companion to the Great Western Schism (1378-1417)
(Leiden, 2009), pp. 333-48
iv. *The Medici (film), part 3 [On reserve in the library or online at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmNbecu1V6I]
v. *Boccaccio, The Decameron, trans. and ed. Mark Musa and Peter Bondanella
(New York, 1977), pp. 28-31, 109-15 [Link available on course website]
vi. *Raimon de Cornet, “Poem Criticizing the Avignon Papacy,” in Internet Medieval
Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/14Ccornet.html [Link
available on course website]
vii. *Petrarch, “Letter Criticizing the Avignon Papacy,” in Internet Medieval
Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/14cpetrarch-pope.html
[Link available on course website]
John Hus: The “Invisible Church” Solution to the Crisis
a. Readings:
i. *John Hus bio, http://www2.kenyon.edu/Projects/Margin/hus.htm [Link
available on course website]
ii. *John Hus, On the Church, in Heiko Oberman, ed., Forerunners of the
Reformation (Philadelphia, 1981), pp. 218-37 [Link available on course website].
iii. *Flanagin, “Supplement to John Hus,” [Link available on course website]
iv. *Stephen Lahey, Cadaver Synod 2007,
http://www.unl.edu/classics/faculty/lahey/cadaversynod2007/cadaversynodp7.shtml [Link available on website; reading all pages requires clicking “Go to
page x” several times.]
Conciliarism: The Institutional Solution to the Crisis
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 155-81
ii. Flanagin, “Extra”, pp. 362-73
iii. *Henry of Langenstein, A Letter on Behalf of a Council of Peace, in Matthew
Spinka, Advocates of Reform (Philadelphia, 1953), pp. 106-39 [Link available on
course website]
6
iv. *Haec sancta (aka Sacrosancta), in the Internet Medieval Sourcebook,
http://history.memphis.edu/jmblythe/MedRenF07/HaecSancta.htm [Link
available on course website]
8. Humanist Reform – Ad fontes (“Back to the sources!”), part 1
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 73-98
ii. Desiderius Erasmus, In Praise of Folly (#16), in Janz, pp. 63-74
iii. Erasmus, Julius Exclusus, in The Julius Exclusus of Erasmus, trans. Paul Pascal
(Bloomington, 1968), pp. 45-90
9. Humanist Reform – Ad fontes (“Back to the sources!”), part 2
a. Readings:
i. *Alister E. McGrath, Reformation Thought: An Introduction, 3rd ed. (Malden, MA,
1999), pp. 44-45, 47, 51-57
ii. *Desiderius Erasmus, The Enchiridion, trans. Raymond Himelick (Glouceseter,
MA, 1970), pp. 37-58, 85-86, 99-136
iii. *Tom Poundstone, “The Charges against Erasmus,” (1983), pp. 1-13
10. Yet Another Problem: Anxiety and Nominalist Soteriology
a. Readings:
i. *Jean Gerson, “Examination of Conscience according to the Mortal Sins,” trans.
Zach Flanagin, pp. 1-7 [Link available on course website]
ii. Fasciculus Morum (#9) and Dietrich Kolde, “Mirror for Christians” (#15), in Janz,
pp. 35-43, 59-63
iii. *Jean Gerson, “On the Art of Hearing Confessions,” in Jean Gerson: Early Works,
trans. Brian Patrick McGuire (New York, 1998), pp. 365-77
11. Justification by Faith - Part 1
a. Readings:
i. Martin Luther, “On His Monastic Life” (#19), in Janz, pp. 84
ii. Luther, The Freedom of a Christian, in Three Treatises, pp. 261-316
12. Justification by Faith - Part 2
a. Readings:
i. *Luther, Lectures on Galatians, in Luther’s Works, vol. 26 (Saint Louis, 1963), pp.
122-36 [Link available on course website]
ii. *Flanagin, “Martin Luther’s Soteriology – Justification by Faith,” pp. 1-9 [Link
available on course website]
13. Free Will? – Erasmus’ Critique
a. Readings:
i. Erasmus, On Free Will, in Erasmus-Luther, Discourse on Free Will, trans. and ed.
Ernst F. Winter (New York, 1961), pp. 3-52, 68-81 (just skim pp. 19-25, 46-49) –
Please note that this whole piece is in response to a statement by Luther that
there is no free will, which is quoted in your text on p. 39.
ii. Ozment, pp. 290-317
14. The Bondage of the Will – Luther’s Response
a. Readings:
i. Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will, in Erasmus-Luther, pp. 85-120
ii. Ozment, pp. 223-44
Midterm Exam – Review Session TBA
15. The German Reformation – Indulgences and the 95 Theses
7
a. Readings:
i. Martin Luther, Intro and “Autobiography” (#17), in Janz, pp. 75-83
ii. Catholic understanding of Indulgences (#12, 13, 14), in Janz, pp. 56-59
iii. *Tetzel, “Sermon for the Sale of Indulgences,” in Robert E. Van Voorst, Readings
in Christianity (Belmont, CA, 1997), p. 168 [Link available on course website]
iv. *Tetzel, “Sample Sermon” and “Account of Tetzel’s Preaching,” p. 4 [Link
available on course website]
v. *Martin Luther, “To Albrecht of Mainz,” p. 3 [Link available on course website]
vi. Martin Luther, “Ninety-five Theses” (#22), in Janz, pp. 88-93
vii. *Martin Luther, “To Christopher Scheurl” and “To John Sylvius Egranus,” p. 5
[Link available on course website]
viii. Ozment, pp. 182-222
ix. [Optional: Although it is not crucial for this class, the selections in Janz of
Luther’s letters and “Table Talk” (pp. 83-87) will give you more insight into
Luther.]
16. Catholic and Protestant Theologies in Art
a. Readings: TBA
17. The German Reformation – The Disputations and Church Authority
a. Readings:
i. *John Eck, Enchiridion of Commonplaces, trans. Ford Lewis Battles (Grand
Rapids, 1979), pp. 7-36, 45-49
ii. Luther, The Smalcald Articles (#29), Article IV on the papacy, in Janz, pp. 130,
134-36
iii. Ozment, pp. 245-60
18. The Catholic Response to Luther on Justification, Faith, and Works
a. Readings:
i. *John Eck, Enchiridion, pp. 50-62
ii. Cajetan, On Faith and Works (#101), in Janz, pp. 387-400
iii. *Hans Hillerbrand, The World of the Reformation (1973), pp. 46-47
19. The German Reformation - The Priesthood of All Believers
a. Readings:
i. Martin Luther, To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, in Three
Treatises, pp. 1-80 (read all of pp. 1-44 very closely, and in pp. 44-80 read
closely #1-6, #9, #11-14, and #17-20)
ii. *Flanagin, Supplement for To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, pp. 16
iii. *Bible, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
iv. Ozment, pp. 381-96
Debate / Paper #1: Catholics vs. Lutherans on Justification - The class will be split into representatives of
the Catholic and Lutheran traditions at the time of Martin Luther (ca. 1520). Your job in the oral debate
is to take up the position of your side and to defend its views on how one is saved – though other issues
of the Bible, the Church, and authority may also arise. This will involve not only the ability to clearly and
accurately articulate and defend your side’s understanding of “how one gets to heaven”, but you will
also need to be able to support your position with the best arguments that you can muster, drawn from
the Bible, theological authorities, historical precedents, logic, etc. Furthermore, while a decent debater
can defend his/her position, a great debater also knows the objections that his opponent will make and
answers them before they can be brought up. All students are expected to (1) participate in the debate
8
in class and (2) write up a 5-6 page debate paper, either in dialogue form or as a compare/contrast
paper. (This paper is not group work). Unlike the oral portion of the debate, the paper should not be
written from only one side, but should fairly and accurately represent each side’s (Catholic and
Lutheran) soteriology.
20. The German Reformation – The Peasants’ Revolt
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 260-89
ii. The Twelve Articles (#37), in Janz, pp. 168-70
iii. *Luther, Against the Robbing and Murdering Hordes of Peasants, in Luther’s
Works, vol. 46, pp. 47-55
iv. *Luther (film) [On reserve in the library]
21. The Debate over the Sacraments
a. Readings:
i. *McGrath, Reformation Thought, pp. 169-80
ii. *John Eck, Enchiridion, pp. 85-88, 127-33, 191-200 [Link available on course
website]. Please note that Eck is arguing against other Protestants besides
Luther (and who themselves disagree with Luther). We will get to know these
other positions later. For now, focus on the Catholic position that Eck is arguing
for, rather than the positions that he is arguing against.
iii. *Bible, Matthew 26:26-28; John 6:48-58
22. Luther and the Sacraments
a. Readings:
i. Luther, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, in Three Treatises, pp. 113-178,
257-60 (you may skim pp. 113-32, which are introductory matters, but focus
hard on pp. 132-78, 257-60!!)
23. Zwingli and the Reformation in Zurich
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 318-28
ii. Ulrich Zwingli, Intro, “Letter to Utinger”, Of Freedom of Choice in the Selection of
Foods, “Petition to the Bishop of Constance”, Sixty-seven Theses, and “Zwingli’s
Death”, (#47-49, 51, 55), in Janz, pp. 183-88, 189-93, 198-99 (skip the Clarity
text on pp. 188-89)
24. Zwingli and the Scriptures
a. Readings:
i. *Zwingli, Of the Clarity and Certainty of the Word of God, in Zwingli and
Bullinger, trans. G. W. Bromiley (Philadelphia, 1953), pp. 72-95 [Link available on
course website]
ii. *Flanagin, Supplement to Of the Clarity and Certainty of the Word of God, pp. 18 [Link available on course website]
25. The Fracturing of the Reformation – The Eucharistic Controversy 1
a. Readings:
i. *McGrath, Reformation Thought, pp. 180-190 [Link available on course website]
ii. Ozment, pp. 332-39
iii. *Zwingli, An Account of the Faith of Zwingli; and Luther, That These Words of
Christ, “This Is My Body,” etc., Still Stand Firm Against the Fanatics, in William C.
9
Placher, Readings in the History of Christian Theology, Volume 2 (Philadelphia,
1988), pp. 19-26 [Link available on course website]
iv. Zwingli, “On True and False Religion” and “Letter to Vadian”; and the Marburg
Colloquy (#52-54), in Janz, pp. 193-98
26. The Fracturing of the Reformation – The Eucharistic Controversy 2
a. Readings:
i. *Zwingli, An Exposition of the Faith, in Zwingli and Bullinger, pp. 254-65 [Link
available on course website]
ii. *Zwingli, On the Lord’s Supper, in Zwingli and Bullinger, pp. 185-238 [Link
available on course website]
27. The Fracturing of the Reformation – The Eucharistic Controversy 3
a. Readings:
i. *Luther, That These Words of Christ, “This Is My Body,” etc., Still Stand Firm
against the Fanatics, in Luther’s Works, vol. 37, pp. 3-6, 13-40, 45-104 [Link
available on course website]. Please note that Luther often speaks in a highly
sarcastic style in this treatise. It is crucial to note when he is explaining his own
position and when he is ridiculing the position of his opponents.
Debate / Paper #2: Lutherans vs. Zwinglians concerning the Eucharist – The second debate will be
structured in the same format as the first, but this time it will be focused on the Colloquy of Marburg
(1529), where Luther and Zwingli met to debate the proper understanding of the Eucharist. However, it
is important to note that the paper that must be submitted at the time of this debate has different
expectations than the first paper. Instead of writing a “neutral” paper that carefully analyzes the
arguments of both sides from an unbiased perspective, you are now required to write an
“argumentative” paper – i.e., one in which you clearly take a side and defend it. Success at such a paper
requires (1) that you construct a clear thesis that represents your position on this issue, (2) that you
defend that thesis with quality arguments and evidence, and (3) that you clearly respond to / refute
opposing positions. As in the last debate, be sure to gather the best scriptural, theological, and logical
support that you can muster. Please note, your grade will depend entirely on the quality of your
argumentation, not the position that you choose. (That is, your grade does not depend on whether you
agree with my opinions.)
28. The Radical Reformation – Part 1
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 328-32, 340-51
ii. George Blaurock, Reminiscences; Hubmaier, Concerning Heretics and Those Who
Burn Them; Hubmaier, A Christian Catechism; Schleitheim Confession; “The Trial
and Martyrdom of Michael Sattler”; et al. (#56-60, 62-63, 65-66), in Janz, pp.
200-15, 222-24, 228-36
29. The Radical Reformation – Part 2 (Nov 12)
a. Readings: *Balthasar Hubmaier, On Free Will, in Spiritual and Anabaptist Writers, ed.
George H. Williams and Angel M. Mergal (Philadelphia, 1953), pp. 112-35 [Link available
on course website]
Film: The Devil’s Playground (This film is not required, but it is an opportunity for extra credit. If you so
choose, you may watch the film and answer (in a write up) the questions: “What typical Anabaptist
beliefs are evident in the lives of the characters in the film? How do those beliefs affect their lives?”)
10
30. John Calvin – Building a Protestant Church
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 352-80
ii. *Flanagin, “Supplement for John Calvin and the Protestant Church Structure,”
pp. 1-4 [Link available on course website]
iii. John Calvin, Intro, “Preface” to the Commentary on the Psalms, and Geneva
Ordinances, Introduction to the Institutes, (#68, 70), in Janz, pp. 245-54, 256-60
iv. *Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, pp. 1011-31 [Link available on course
website]
31. John Calvin - Predestination & Sanctification
a. Readings:
i. *John Calvin, “Articles Concerning Predestination,” in Calvin: Theological
Treatises, trans. J. K. S. Reid (Philadelphia, 1954), pp. 178-80 [Link available on
course website]
ii. Calvin, “Predestination” in the Institutes (#83), in Janz, pp. 305-13
iii. *Flanagin, “Supplement to Calvin’s Doctrine of Sanctification,” pp. 1-4 [Link
available on course website]
iv. *Calvin, Institutes, pp. 746-77, 776-77 [Link available on course website]
v. *Daniel L. Pals, Eight Theories of Religion, 2nd ed. (New York, 2006), pp. 160-65
32. Ignatius Loyola and the Jesuits
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 409-18
ii. Ignatius of Loyola, The Autobiography, in Spiritual Exercises and Selected Works,
pp. 65-111
iii. Early Jesuit documents (#113, 114, 116, 117), in Janz, pp. 426-27, 430-34
iv. Ignatius of Loyola, “Rules for Thinking, Judging, and Feeling with the Church,” in
Spiritual Exercises, pp. 211-14
33. The Spiritual Exercises (Nov 22)
a. Readings:
i. Ignatius Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises, in Spiritual Exercises, pp. 113-210.
Please note – This reading is not as long as it appears. The Spiritual Exercises is
basically a workbook. Pp. 121-82 are very important, in that Ignatius explains
his spiritual exercises most fully in these pages. Pp. 183-200 are basically a list
of the biblical passages that form the subject of Ignatius’ meditations; these can
simply be skimmed. Pp. 201-210 returns to important topics with Ignatius’
discussion of discerning the good and bad “movements” in the soul during his
meditations.
34. Early Catholic Reformation
a. Readings:
i. Ozment, pp. 397-409
ii. Introduction; Leo X, Decet Romanum; Adrian VI, “To the Diet of Nuremberg”;
Paul III, Licet ab initio, (#99, 100, 103), in Janz, pp. 377-80, 383-87, 401-02
iii. *Counsel on Emending the Church, in John C. Olin, ed., The Catholic
Reformation: Savonarola to Ignatius Loyola (New York, 1969), pp. 182-97 [Link
available on course website]
iv. *R. Scott Clark, “Regensburg and Regensburg II: Trying to Reconcile
Irreconcilable Differences on Justification,” 1998,
11
http://coyote.csusm.edu/public/guests/rsclark/Regensburg.html, pp. 1-8 [Link
available on course website]
35. The Council of Trent – Part 1 – The Bible and Authority (Dec 1)
a. Readings:
i. *Documents from the Council of Trent, in John H. Leith, ed., Creeds of the
Churches (Louisville, 1982), pp. 399-405 [Link available on course website]
ii. “Rules on Prohibited Books” (#111), in Janz, pp. 422-25
36. Council of Trent – Part 2 – Justification, Sacraments, and Reformation (Dec 3)
a. Readings:
i. Decree and Canons on Justification, the Sacraments, and Reforms (#105-110), in
Janz, pp. 405-22
Final Exam: According to College Schedule. Review Session TBA.