Possible Paper Topics
Early baptismal practices
Formation of NT canon
Ante-Nicene Christology
The emperor Constantine
The doctrine of apostolic
succession
Jewish life in the Middle Ages
The role of creeds in
Christianity
Early missions
The Great Persecution
under Diocletian
The effect of persecution
on early Christian growth
Why
The effect of heresy on
Christianity
Development of the doctrine
of transubstantiation
The contributions of Pope
Innocent III
Early reform efforts
Predestination in Calvin
and Arminius
[Other papers on events,
thinkers, or doctrines are welcome]
Who’s Who (and What’s
What) Reading Guide
Subapostolic age
Ebionites
Apostolic fathers (chart,
p. 50)
Apocryphal literature
Domitian
Pliny
Trajan
Apologists (chart, p. 71)
Polycarp
Marcion
Simon Magus
Valentinus
Montanus
Tertullian
Irenaeus
Apostolic succession
Rule of faith
Canon
Old Catholic fathers (chart,
p. 124)
Patripassianism
Paul of Samosata
Sabellius
Baptismal rite
Infant baptism
Assemblies
Eucharist
Decius
Cyprian
Novatian
Mani
Dionysius of
Dionysius of
Methodius
Lactantius
Chart, p. 179
Eusebius of
Donatists
Arius
Alexander
Council of
Eusebius of
Chart, p. 201
Athanasius
Julian the Apostate
Hilary of
Council of
Nicene/Post-Nicene
fathers (chart, p. 213)
Monasticism
Anthony
Missionary expansion
Theodosius I
Chart, p. 255
Diodore
Theodore of Mopsuestia
Apollinaris
Nestorius
Cyril of
Council of
Council of
Pelagius
Julian of Eclanum
John Cassian
Vincent of Lerins
Alaric
Attila the Hun
Vandals
Visigoths
Isidore of
Franks
Ostrogoths
Boethius
Prosper of
Leo the Great
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
Justinian
Council of
Benedict of Nursia
Gregory the Great
Maximus the Confessor
Council of
John of
Council of
Patrick
Augustine of
Venerable Bede
Charles Martel
Pippin (Pepin) the Short
Charlemagne
Alcuin
Paschasius Radbertus
Ratramnus
Gottschalk
Rabanus Maurus
John Scotus
Eriugena
Gerbert (Sylvester II)
Wenceslas
Otto I
Hildebrand (Gregory VII)
Chart, p. 403
Henry IV
Urban II
Richard I the Lionheart
Chart, p. 420
Chart, p. 426
Anselm of
Gaunilo
Peter Abelard
Heloise
Scholastics, (chart, p.
438)
Bernard of Clairvaux
Thomas Becket
Hildegard of Bingen
Moses Maimonides
Avicenna
Averroës
Innocent III
Council of Lateran IV,
1215
Dominic
Francis of
Bonaventure
Albert the Great
Aristotle
John Duns Scotus
Peter Waldo (Valdes)
Cathari/Albigenses
Joachim of Fiore
Dante
Boniface VIII
Backgrounds of Christianity
4 WORLD EMPIRES (with
approximate dates) (cf. Dan. 2):
1. (612-539 B.C.)
2. (539-330 B.C.)
3. (330-63 B.C.)
4. (63 B.C.-A.D. 476)
GREEK EMPIRE (Hellenistic
Period)
-Alexander the Great conquers
the known world and spreads Greek culture as he goes. His
empire divided among four generals.
-Translation of Septuagint
(LXX), the Greek version of the OT.
-Hellenization
of Jews.
PERIOD OF THE MACCABEES
-Maccabean
revolt (167 B.C.) against hellenization process.
ROMAN EMPIRE
-Pompey takes
-Julius Caesar
-Augustus
-Herod the Great
-Josephus
FALL OF
The Jewish revolt began in
A.D. 66,
CIRCUMSTANCES FAVORABLE TO
CHRISTIANITY IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE:
1. Pax
Romana (Roman ) 4.
Common - Koine
Greek (300 BC-AD 300)
2. Common 5.
Widespread disinterest in traditional
3. Ease of to the empire 6.
Widespread influence of culture
Major Persecutions of Christians by the
Romans
1. Nero (r. 54-68)
When
2. Domitian (r. 81-96)
The
refusal of Christians to offer incense to the emperor was the main reason for
the persecution.
3. Trajan (r. 98-117)
Christians
were not sought out. Don’t
ask, don’t tell (Bettenson 3-5).
4. Hadrian (r. 117-38)
Policies
of Trajan were enforced.
5. Marcus Aurelius (r. 161-80) (after his death begins
the decline of the Empire)
Justin
suffered under him.
6. Septimius Severus (r.
193-211)
Issued
an edict in 202 forbidding conversion to Christianity.
7. Decius (r. 249-51)
His was
the first empire-wide persecution (Bettenson 14).
8. Valerian (r. 253-60)
Christian
property was confiscated.
9. Diocletian (r. 284-305)
The most severe persecution of all.
10. Galerius (r. 305-11)
Continued the persecutions in the east.
“The
blood of Christians is seed” (Tertullian, Apology
50).
Persecutions had the positive effect of separating the
wheat from the chaff (cf. 1 Pet. 4:12-19).
Second-Century Apologists
1. Quadratus (ca. 125)- to emperor Hadrian
2. Epistle to Diognetus- favorable picture of Christianity
3. Aristides- addressed to Antoninus
Pius (138–161); quotes 4 gospels, Acts, Romans, 1 Peter
4. Justin Martyr (beheaded in
a. Dialogue with Trypho,
the Jew- OT prophecies are fulfilled in Christ
b. 1 Apology- gives insight into “church
life” of mid-2nd century
c. 2 Apology
5. Tatian (ca. 170)- converted by Justin Martyr; 2 writings:
a. Against the Greeks-
superiority of Christianity over pagan religions and Greek philosophy
b. Diatessaron-
first harmony of the gospels
6. Athenagoras (ca. 177)- philosopher from
a. Plea on behalf of Christians- pagan gods
are only human inventions
b. On the Resurrection of the Dead- expresses
his own personal faith in the resurrection
7. Theophilus (ca. 181)- sent apology to a pagan named Autolycus;
3 parts:
a.
Existence of the true God as opposed to pagan gods
b. Nature
of OT God as opposed to pagan gods
c. Christianity is the natural unfolding of God’s plan
Nicene/Post-Nicene Fathers
Greek Writers
1. Eusebius of
Father of church history
Prominent personality at the Council of Nicaea (325)
2. Athanasius of
Strong defender of the Nicene faith; banished 5 times
3. Cyril of
Bishop; catechetical lectures
4. Basil of
Born in
Strongly opposed Arianism
5. Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. 330-90)
Met Basil while studying in
6. Gregory of Nyssa (ca.
330-94)
Younger brother of Basil
Firmly resisted Arianism
7. John Chrysostom
(347-407)
Reared by his mother as a Christian; greatest preacher of
ancient church
8. Cyril of
Patriarch in
Involved in bitter Christological controversies (428-44);
was a renowned, sharp theologian
Latin Writers
1. Hilary of
Prominent figure in the Arian controversy, defending the
Nicene faith
12 Books on the
Trinity
2. Ambrose of
Appointed as imperial president (political appointment)
of
Strong opponent of Arianism
3. Ambrosiaster
(4th cent.)
Anonymous commentator on Pauline epistles
4. Rufinus
(345-410)
Bitter controversy with Jerome over the orthodoxy of
Origen
5. Jerome (347-420)
Latin Vulgate is his most famous work; able, but
impetuous and unkind
6. Augustine (354-430)
Baptized by Ambrose
Father of the doctrine of original sin
7. John Cassian (365-433)
“Semi-pelagian” who rejected Pelagianism and Augustinianism
8. Vincent of Lerins (5th cent.)
Orthodoxy = what is believed everywhere, always, by all
A Summary of the General/Ecumenical Councils
1. 325
Arianism condemned; equality of the Father and Son; oneness of God
Date
set for celebration of Easter
2. 381
Convened by Emperor Theodosius
Against
Macedonius’ denial that the Holy Spirit is one with
the Father; threeness of God
Apollinarianism condemned; Jesus = fully human
3. 431
Controversy over the Greek word theotokos (God-bearer) (Bettenson 50-51)
Groundwork laid for Mariology
Against Nestorianism, Jesus =
one person; oneness of Christ
4. 451
Against Eutychianism, Jesus =
one person in two natures; twoness of Christ (Bettenson 56-57)
5. 553
Monophysitism condemned, but
not conquered; one person, two natures
6. 680–81
Against Monothelitism (one
will), Jesus possesses two wills (Bettenson 101-02)
7. 787
Against iconoclasm, religious depictions were endorsed (Bettenson 102-03)
8. 869–70
Photian controversy
9. 1123 Lateran I
To end Investiture controversy and discipline rebels
Indulgence for those participating in Crusades
Clerical celibacy
10. 1139 Lateran II
Condemned teaching of Arnold of Brescia, and the practice
of simony
11. 1179 Lateran III
Papal elections come only from the college
of cardinals with 2/3 majority
Denied Valdenses permission to
preach
12. 1215 Lateran IV
Formal adoption of the inquisition (cf. Bettenson 146-49)
Defined doctrine of transubstantiation (cf. Bettenson 162-66)
Jews were excluded from public office
CHURCH HISTORY—STUDY GUIDE
EXAM 1
Give 5 reasons why
studying church history is important.
Why should we avoid
judging God’s purposes in historical events?
Know the 4 world empires
with approximate dates.
Name 6 factors that
facilitated the spread of Christianity in the
Where were Peter and Paul
martyred?
What three NT words
denote the ordained leaders in a first-cent. congregation?
Give the names of the
apostolic fathers along with significant information about each.
What were the 3 most
common settings for early church evangelism?
Describe the motives
behind early evangelism.
Name the 4 most common
pagan accusations against early Christians.
What do Ignatius and
Polycarp contribute to the theology of martyrdom?
Give the names of the
second-cent. apologists and the works attributed to
each.
Know the names of the
Roman emperors who launched persecutions against Christians from AD 64 to 311.
Name 4 things not found
in the writings of the apostolic fathers.
What characteristics
signaled the decline of the
What does the NT reveal concerning
the rise of orthodoxy and heresy? Give
some examples.
How did the church
respond to the early heresies?
What was the primary
criterion used to authenticate a particular tradition?
Compare and contrast the
rule of faith with a standard creed (e.g., the Apostles’ Creed)—i.e., its
development, form, purpose, and use.
How was the
standardization of a written canon a reaction to Marcionism
and Montanism?
What specific criteria
were used to evaluate the canonicity of written documents?
What does the Da Vinci Code claim about the formation of
the canon, and what is a valid response to the claims?
Identify/define:
Hellenization
Herod the Great
apologia
Gnostic doctrine and
dualism
Marcion
Montanus
rule of faith/truth
CHURCH HISTORY—STUDY GUIDE
EXAM 2
Be able to write an
accurate and thorough essay on Constantine the Great, with emphasis on his role
in shaping Christianity and the implications for subsequent history.
What was the Arian
controversy?
Describe the early
church’s view of baptism.
Know the dates,
controversies, and decisions of the ecumenical councils.
What was the Nestorian
controversy?
Discuss the influence of
Augustine on Christian theology.
Identify the problematic results of his legacy.
What was the Pelagian controversy, who were
involved, what were the disputed questions, etc.?
Define/Identify:
Edict of Toleration—what,
who, when
Creed of
Nicene/Post-Nicene
fathers
Monothelitism
Eutychian controversy
Theotokos
Macedonius
Apollinarian controversy
“Golden mouth”
Vulgate
Confessions
Manichaeans
The 3 Cappadocians
(names)
Constantius Chlorus
Hosius of Cordova
Vincent of Lerins
CHURCH HISTORY—STUDY GUIDE
EXAM 3
Trace some of the major
factors and developments which led to the formation of the modern-day papacy.
Fall of
Know the key dates and
events that have to do with the barbarians.
What significant event
took place in AD 496?
What factors contributed
to the supremacy of the bishop of
When and where was
Mohammed born?
Name the “five pillars”
of Islam.
Identify:
Islam
Muslim
Allah
Medieval Church and
State
Which of the Germanic
tribes became the dominant force in
What is the significance
of Dec. 25, 800?
When did the split
between the eastern and western church occur?
Identify:
Pepin the Short
Charlemagne
Donation of
Crusades
What were the goals of
the Crusades?
Be able to summarize the
particular crusades discussed in class.
Identify:
Urban II
Peter the Hermit
Age of Scholasticism
What is scholasticism, and
how has it been portrayed?
Know the major scholastic
theologians along with their distinctive teachings.
CHURCH HISTORY—STUDY GUIDE
EXAM 4 (Final)
Monasticism
Know and discuss the
founder of Western monasticism.
Identify:
monasticism
Mendicant orders
women in monasticism
Medieval Dissenters
Identify:
Albigensians
Waldensians
Inquisition
Great Papal Schism
Summarize the papal
schism (date, major events).
Forerunners of the
Reformation
Review class notes on the
following individuals:
John Wyclif
Jan Hus
Girolamo Savonarola
Medieval Ecumenical
Councils
Discuss in detail the 4th
Lateran Council (1215).
Know what happened at the
Council of Constance.
Renaissance and the
Humanists
List
several factors that prepared the way for the Renaissance.
What did the humanists
want to do, and how did they do it?
Identify:
Secular humanism
Niccolo Machiavelli
Erasmus of
“Julius Exclusus”
Reformation
Define and describe the
Reformation.
Summarize what we said
about Martin Luther.
How did Protestants view
the authority of Scripture and tradition?
Review Steinmetz, “The
Theology of John Calvin.”
What are some of Calvin’s
influential writings?
Oh yeah, by the way, Ulrich
Zwingli worked in