1
THE BEGINNINGS OF
CHRISTIANITY
2
PRAYER
3
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Key figures like Mary Mother of God, as
well as Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the
founders of Christian Rome.
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Importance of Rome and Constantinople
for the Church and the Papacy.
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Fathers of East and West.
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Liturgy and Scripture
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Faith and reason
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Martyrs
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Women in the early Church.
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Monks and missionaries.
Introduction
Summary
Impact of early Christianity through leading figures who exercised a key influence and are still most important today.
Rome, cradle
of Christianity.
Synthetic
picture.
Personal input.
Links with other
courses.
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Course book
7
Evaluation
Five elements will make up the evaluation
of the student for the final grade
Quiz
Engagement
Term paper
Five elements
For final grade
Class presentation
Final exam
Engagement
20% of final grade
Courteous attention in the class.
Photos from churches visited privately.
Alert, active participation is expected. No conversations or activities
unrelated to organized class discussions should be conducted.
Class presentation
Personal presentation to the class of an early Christian figure chosen
from the list . Worth 20% of the final grade.
10-15 minute talk. Context, timescale, importance
Contribution to faith and reason?
If they are a saint, what is their feast day?
Cultural and religious traditions.
Quiz
Extensive test on material covered so far
Open book exam with searching speculative questions
Worth 10% of the final grade
Term paper
This is your Midterm exam, about 10 pages long and double spaced, to
be turned by mid October.
Write about a person or series of persons from the life of the early
Church, up till about 500AD. Preferably the same theme as your class
presentation; thus you can continue your research.
Worth 25% of the final grade.
Final exam
End of semester
Good choice of questions on the whole course
Worth 25% of the final grade
Grading scheme
Based on the Providence model
Letter
Points score
A+
96-100%
A
94-95.9%
A-
90-93.9%
B+
87-89.9%
B
84-86.9%
B-
80-83.9%
C+
77-79.9%
C
74-76.9%
C-
70-73.9%
D+
67-69.9%
D
64-66.9%
D-
60-63.9%
F
0-59.9%
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Course layout
16
Class schedule
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Introduction to the course.
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Explanation of assessment.
First class
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Assignment of class work.
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Study on Mary, Mother of God.
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Reading after the class:
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Early Christianity. Theology
shaped by Saints, chapter 1
“MARY, MOTHER OF GOD”.
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Study on St. Peter
St Peter
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 2
first part on “ST PETER”
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Study on St. Paul.
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Onsite at St. Paul’s Basilica
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Class presentations.
St Paul
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 2
part on “ST PAUL”
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Study on early Popes.
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Onsite at San Clemente.
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Class presentations.
The early Popes
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 3 “THE
EARLY POPES”
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Extensive online test
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On material covered so far
Class test
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Reading before the class:
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Your notes, the class slides and all the
relevant chapters of the book Early
Christianity.
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Study on the New Testament Canon.
New Testament Canon
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 8 “THE NEW
TESTAMENT CANON”.
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Study on early Christian Sacramental
Life.
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Class presentations.
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Turn-in date for mid-term paper.
Sacramental Life
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 4
“SACRAMENTAL LIFE”.
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Study on early Christian martyrs.
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Class presentations.
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Please note meeting time
15:00
Early Church martyrs
On site class to Santa Cecilia
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 5 “EARLY
CHRISTIAN MARTYRS”.
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Fall break
Enjoy and travel safely!
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Study on early Church Fathers.
Church fathers
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 6 “EARLY
CHURCH FATHERS”.
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Study also on Councils and heresies.
Rome and Constantinople: A window on the East
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 7
“COUNCILS AND HERESIES”.
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Study on faith and reason in early
Christianity.
Faith and reason
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 9 “FAITH
AND REASON”.
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Study on women in early Christianity.
Women in the Church
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 10 “THE
ROLE OF WOMEN”.
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Study on monks and missionaries in
early Christianity.
Monks and missionaries
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Reading before the class:
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Early Christianity, chapter 10 “MONKS
AND MISSIONARIES”.
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FINAL EXAM