This course studies the Christian church, from its birth recorded in Acts, its growth seen in the Epistles, and then overviewing the historical and theological development of Christianity to the present. Students study the books of the New Testament (Acts - Revelation) and understand their major concepts, purposes, and contributions to Christian doctrine and practice. We briefly trace how the church separated from Judaism and transitioned from a persecuted minority to an empowered majority; study the impact of both the schism between the Western Church and Eastern Orthodoxy and the Protestant Reformation; investigate the influence of the church on the art, literature, and architecture in Western Civilization; comprehend the effect of the Great Awakening on American Christianity; and gain an appreciation of the depth and diversity of God’s Kingdom in the present day. Students write and use group discussion to stimulate substantive reflection and integrate and apply the subject matter.

Prerequisite: Old and New Covenants
Credit: 1