Course Description:Nearly every major doctrine of the church was established before the Reformation. In this course, learners discover how the church's doctrine, faith, and practice developed from Pentecost to the time of the Protestant Reformation. The lectures focus on the cultural, political, and economic backgrounds of both the patristic and medieval periods of church history, and emphasize the contributions of key figures up to the Reformation. From Augustine to Wycliffe, students will see how God used ordinary people to accomplish divine purposes.
Upon completion of your study, you should be able to do the following:
- Articulate the development of Christian doctrine, faith, and practice from Pentecost to the Reformation.
- Reflect upon the significance of this history for the church today.
- Describe the process by which only certain documents came to be regarded as authoritative.
- List the salient elements of early Christian worship.
- Ponder the implications of 'martyr faith' for your own life and ministry.
