History of Christian Thought I (Th 301)

Taught by Bernard McGinn (I took it in Winter 1999)
Class Notes--Adam Kissel

Course covers about 50-450 A.D. Goal of course: understand "the development of major themes in the early Christian theological tradition," in particular (qtg. McGinn):

• Understanding and use of Scripture
• Interaction btwn Classical philosophy and Xn thought
• Devel of major doctrines, esp. Trinity and Christology
• Augustine
• Early Xn mysticism

1/4: Introduction: Pelikan, Catholic Tradition, ch. 1; McGinn, Foundation of Mysticism, ch. 1-3
1/6: Background: Exegesis and Phil.: Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Sg., Isaiah); Timaeus
1/11: Jewish/Christian Debate: Epistle of Barnabus; Justin, Dialogue with Trypho
1/13: Early Hellenistic Xy: Ep. Clement; Letters of Ignatius; Ehrman, After the NT, s. 10
1/18: Heresy and Orthodoxy, 2^nd Cent.: Ehrman, ss. 6-7; Pelikan, ch. 2, McGinn, ch. 4
1/20: Xy and Classical Culture, Apologists: Ehrman, s. 4; Pelikan, ch. 3
1/25: Reading Period. 1/27: Midterm Exam.

2/1: Origen's Exegesis and Systematics: Origen, On First Principles; Ehrman, pp. 369-81
2/3: Origen's Spirituality: more Origen (xerox); McGinn, ch. 4
2/8: Early Latin Theology: Tertullian, Cyprian, etc., selections in Ehrman, 42-50, 54-57,
          75-82, 211-26, 340-43, 408-13, 430-35

       Dogmas and Doctors

2/10: Early Devel of the Doctrine of the Trinity: Rusch, Trinitarian Controversy, 1-62; Pelikan, ch. 4
2/15: Trinitarian Disputes in the 4^th Cent.: Rusch, 63-161
2/17: Early Christological Devel's: Norris, Christological Controversy, 1-101; Pelikan, ch. 5
2/22: Later Xtological Debates and Doctrinal Formulations: Norris, 103-59
2/24: Intro to Augustine: Confessions, esp. bks. 2, 7-13; McGinn, ch. 7
3/1: Aug. on Scripture and Christian Teaching: On Christian Teaching
3/3: Aug. on Grace and Freedom: Spirit and the Letter (Aug: Later Works, 182-250); Pelikan, ch. 6
3/8: cont.: Burns, Theological Anthropology, 39-128
3/10: Aug. on the Trinity: Trin., bks. 8-9, 14-15
3/15: Final Exam.