Community Fellowship Institute for Christian Studies
Course Registration and Syllabus
Church History 103
Sept 27 – Nov 15 (Thursdays, 7 pm – 8:30 pm)
Pastor Dave McDowell, Instructor
Course Description:
Apostolic Christianity Jewish roots to AD 100
Ante-Nicene Christianity AD 100 –312
Post-Nicene Christianity AD 312-590
The Church in the Middle Ages AD 590-1517
The Reformation Period AD 1517-1648
The Age of Reason AD 1648-1789
The Nineteenth Century
The Twentieth Century
These are the major periods of church history found in most texts. In this survey course,
we will invest eight weeks in the study of the fifth – seventh periods, the Reformation
period through the Nineteenth Century. The remaining period may be covered in future
course, CH 104. Reading will be assigned in the textbook, The Story of Christianity,
Justo L. Gonzalez, (Prince Press) as well as questions to be answered in writing in
preparation for each class. Also, in order to assist in the learning process a paper or
project on a relevant topic of your choice will be assigned for the end of this course.
Course Objectives:
1. The student will gain a working knowledge of the Protestant Reformation and the
theology of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and the Anabaptists.
2. The student will become acquainted with the spread of the Reformation to Great
Britain and the development of the Anglican Church, the Puritan reaction, as well
as Catholic Counter Reformation.
3. The student will also learn of the spread of Christianity to the Thirteen Colonies
and the development of Christian faith through the First, Second, and Third
Awakenings on into the Nineteenth century, also called the Christian Century.
Course Requirements:
1. Read assigned portions of the text, The Story of Christianity, Justo L. Gonzalez, (Prince
Press) This text will be included in the registration fee and is the same one used in
Church History 101 and 102,.
2. Write out answers to questions that will be assigned each week based on the text.
This will aid in class discussion.
3. Complete a brief paper or project that will be assigned at the end of the course.
CHURCH HISTORY 103
CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS
DATE
CONTENT
Sept
27
Oct
4
Zwingli, the Anabaptists, and Calvin
Gonzales, pp.37-69
(study questions)
11
The Reformation in Great Britain,
Low Countries, Protestantism in
France
Gonzalez, pp.70-109
(study questions)
18
The Catholic Reformation, the
Church of the Desert
Gonzalez, pp. 110-148
(study questions)
25
The Puritans and Reformed Orthodoxy
Gonzalez, pp 149-195
(study questions)
1
The Spiritualists, the Pietists, and
The Thirteen Colonies
Gonzales, pp. 196-230
(study questions)
8
Political Horizons: United States and
Latin America
Gonzalez, pp. 238-281
(study questions)
15
Protestant Theology, Catholic Theology,
Missionary Movements
Gonzales, pp. 282-323
18
Last Day for ASSIGNMENT to be DUE
(Sunday)
Nov
The Call to Reformation and
Martin Luther
ASSIGNMENT
Gonzales, pp 6-36*
(study questions)
* Note that the reading is from Volume TWO if your text is two volumes in one.
2
Church History 103
Study Questions for Class 1
Gonzales, Volume 2: Part 1, 6-37
1. On the eve of the Reformation, describe the condition of the Church and why reform
was so desperately needed?
2. What was the element that caused many to believe that reformation of the Church was
needed in doctrine as well as in morality?
.
3. Who was Erasmus and what is his importance to the reformation of the Church?
4. What factors determined the “success” of Martin Luther as the leader of the
Reformation and not earlier reformers like John Huss?
5. List some things that you did not know and learned from your reading about Martin
Luther or his theology:
3
CH 103
Study Questions for Class 2
Gonzalez, Vol. 2: p. 37-69
1. Discuss the significance of Ulrich Zwingli and the unique aspects to his theology,
especially those aspects which set him apart from Luther.
2. Who were the Anabaptists? Were they really against baptism?
3. Some Anabaptists, e.g. Thomas Muntzer and Melchior Hoffman, took their millennial
hopes to extremes. What were those extremes and why did both Calvin and Luther seek
to isolate themselves from the Anabaptists?
4. Identify the monumental publication which John Calvin gave to the reformed tradition
and the church. What makes it such an outstanding work and contribution to Protestant
theology?
5. Why did Farel believe that Calvin’s help was needed in Geneva? To do what?
6. What are your thoughts on what Calvin did in Geneva and especially the Michael
Servetus affair?
4
CH 103
Study Questions for Class 3
Gonzalez, Vol. 2: 70-109
1. Discuss the role of Henry VIII in the establishment of the Reformation in England,
even though Henry counted himself always to be a defender of the Catholic Faith.
2. Who was Sir Thomas More and why was he executed?
3. How did the Reformation fare during the reigns of Edward VI and Mary Tudor?
4. What aspect of the Reformation had the most influence on John Knox?
5 List some further developments in Lutheranism after Luther.
6. Who were the Huguenots and how were they related to the Reformation?
5
CH 103
Study Questions for Class 4
Gonzalez, Vol. 2: p. 110-148
1. Where did Roman Catholic Reform first take place and who were the leaders?
2. What were other movements of Roman Catholic reform that took place in reaction to
the Protestant Reformation? Briefly describe the Council of Trent.
3. What did the Defenestration of Prague, Gustavus Adolphus, and the Peace of
Westphalia have to do with the Thirty Years’ War?
4. What was the Edict of Fontainebleau in 1685 and who were the chief players behind
it?
5. Respond to one of the following:
One thing I learned in my reading that I did not know was…
The thing that surprised me most was…
One thing I am still confused about is…
6
CH 103
Study Questions for Class 5
Gonzalez, Vol. 2: pp 149-184
1. Who were the Puritans? Discuss some of their differences with the Church of England
and with King James I.
2. How was the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 related to the unrest in England?
3. Who was William Laud? Discuss his relationship to the Puritans.
4. The Westminster Assembly took place in the context of what situation in England?
What did it produce?
5. Discuss the rise of Oliver Cromwell and the Protectorate, as well William and Mary.
6. Be familiar with the following terms: Gallicanism, Ultramontanes, Febronianism,
Jansenism, Quietism, Protestant Scholasticism, and Syncretism
7. Be able to identify the main players in the Arminian-Calvinist controversy and the
precise issues involved.
7
CH 103
Study Questions for Class 6
Gonzalez, Vol. 2: pp. 185-230
1. Define Rationalism and what were its various forms?
2. What were some of the reactions against Rationalism?
3. Who was Immanuel Kant and what did he believe?
4. What was the Spiritualist option and who were some of its representatives?
5. What was the Pietist option and what elements did it offer to our evangelical heritage?
6. What was the difference between a Pilgrim and a Puritan?
7. What was the main issue addressed by the “Half-way Covenant”?
8. As we saw religious intolerance at its worst in Europe during the Thirty Year’s War,
how was it manifest in New England in the mid-1600’s?
9. Was the Great Awakening just the conclusion to a large slumber party?
8
CH 103
Study Questions for Class 7
Gonzalez, Vol. 2: pp. 238-281 (questions will focus on 238-261)
1. What were some of the factors that led the Thirteen Colonies’ to declare independence
from Britain?
2. What impact did this independence have on the shape of religion in the Colonies?
3. How did immigration change the face of religion in America?
4. Describe the various phases of the Second Great Awakening.
5. What were some of underlying reasons for Monroe’s Doctrine of Manifest Destiny?
How would you evaluate it biblically?
6. How do you explain Christians reading the same Bible could come down in such
different places on the issue of slavery? How would you respond to the unbeliever that
this is just another dark stain in the history of Christianity?
7. How did Protestants respond to the crisis in the cities? Give some examples.
8. Towards the end of the 19th century, there were some interesting developments in
religion. What were they?
9
CH 103
Study Questions for Class 8
Gonzalez, Vol. 2: pp. 282-323
1. Discuss the idea of progress. Where did it come from and what things contributed to its
development in the 19th century?
2. What was Schleiermacher’s response to rationalism?
3. Essentially, what did Hegel mean by a dialectic?
4. What was the essence of Christianity for Kierkegaard? What did he believe was
Christianity’s greatest enemy?
5. How did liberal theology in the 19th century view the historical Jesus and what were
some of the implications?
6. In the second half of the 19th century, the papacy took a number of unfortunate
positions which would further isolate itself from emerging democracies, the new
economics, and new forms of Christian expression. What were some of those positions?
7. What is one thing you learned from the section on geographic expansion and the
missionary movement that you did not know before?
8. Reflect on our study of Church History from the Reformation and jot a few lessons that
we should learn as Christians.
10