THEOREL 216 : Early Christianity
Arts
2021 Semester One (1213) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Despite their diversity, most Christian traditions look back to the first three or four centuries of Christian history as somehow normative for their life and belief. In this course we'll look at how some of those norms took shape. For example, we'll look at how early Christians developed the statements of faith and the versions of the Bible that shape most Christian traditions today. But we'll also look at the way in which early Christianity was shaped by its interaction with the worlds of the Ancient Near East, and the Mediterranean coasts of Africa and Europe.
Because of Christianity's diversity, there has never been one agreed story about who Jesus was, what his life and teachings meant, or exactly what happened in the early years of his movement. So in this course, we'll spend a lot of time looking at the challenges posed by the historical evidence for early Christianity: how did it get to us? how trustworthy is it? how sure can we be that we understand it? what should we do about the gaps in the evidence? We'll also look at some of the debates among modern experts and start to think about how to evaluate them and form our own well-informed opinions.
For each week of the course you'll be provided with readings and sometimes video clips to look at before class. Lectures will give you a broad overview of each week's theme. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and discuss ideas in lectures, but you will also have a chance to develop your own ideas in a smaller tutorial each week. Tutorial discussions will always focus on the challenges of historical evidence and interpretation, and will usually be related to an early Christian text in English translation.
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity and development of early Christianity (Capability 1.1 and 4.1)
- Analyse and critically evaluate historical texts in translation (Capability 2.1)
- Locate and assess relevant scholarly sources (Capability 3.2)
- Analyse and critically evaluate debates among scholars in the field early Christian history (Capability 1.1, 2.1 and 2.2)
- Effectively communicate historical research through shorter and longer essays (Capability 2.2 and 2.3)
Workload Expectations
For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events including tutorials.
There is no exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable
Learning Resources
However, one or more of the following books are recommended if you want to do some preparatory background reading:
- Diarmaid McCulloch, Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 2009) available in hb, ppk or as an ebook; read only chapters 1-6 for this course
- Bart Ehrman, The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2018) available in hb, pbk or as an ebook
- Tom Holland, Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind (London: Little, Brown, 2019) available in hb, pbk or as an ebook; read only chapters 1-5 for this course
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information,
look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894,
which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.