REL - 210 Social History of Christianity

Credits: 3

An investigation of the development of Christianity from the first century to the present. The inquiry will focus on pivotal theological controversies and sociocultural issues that have shaped Christian history. Particular consideration will be given to such topics as the differences between the Western and Eastern traditions, monasticism, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, and the Enlightenment. Students will visit four churches to experience the differences in art, architecture, and worship that result from different historical paths. This course will examine the relationship between theological problems and the historical-cultural conditions from which they emerge.