The Church's Story: A Survey of Church History
Spring semester, 2023
Scroll down for older lessons in this study. Need the Zoom link or the CCS video login information? Contact Deanna to have it sent to you.
Lesson 8 (Mar. 21, 22): Arminian Controversy
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- What did you learn about the Protestant Reformation? What motivated the Reformers and what were their points of contention with the Roman Church? What are some legacies of the Reformation (good and/or bad)?
- Once the Reformation was fully underway, meaning groups have separated from the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), what would you expect to happen next? How would you guess those who separate from the RCC will proceed?
- Read John 6:25-47. What does Jesus say about coming to Jesus, about believing, and about God’s choice of who believes? What does this mean for your understanding of “predestination?”
- Read Eph. 1:4-5 and 2 Thess. 2:13. What do these verses tell us about God’s choice of those who will be saved? What does predestination mean?
Link to printable Lesson 9 Handout
If you miss class, you can watch Video "Module 10" on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login).
Lesson 8 (Mar. 21, 22): Reformations
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- What was important about Monasticism? How did it influence the church? Can you sum up how the church was different in 1000 from the church of 400?
- Consider the impact on the West of the increased trade and awareness that followed the Crusades. If the West had more trade and contact with Eastern sources (who has preserved many ancient writings that had been lost in the West), what results would have have in the West?
- What was the Renaissance? Look up a definition and consider how it fits into what we’ve talked about so far. We’ll also introduce it in class.
- Read Eph. 2: 1-10. How are we saved? What is the role of good works?
Link to printable Lesson 8 Handout
You can read Luther's 95 Theses here: https://www.luther.de/en/95the...
You can read Luther's "Preface" to his Latin works here: https://www.bluffton.edu/cours...
If you missed class, watch Video "Module 9" on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login) when indicated in the video discussion above.
You can also watch The Tuesday video here.
Lesson 7 (Mar. 7, 8): Monasticism
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- What was most interesting to you about the Rise of Islam and its effect on the church? What was most surprising to learn about the Crusades?
- How would you characterize the church of 1000AD compared to the church of 500AD? What differences can you identify from what we’ve studied so far?
- Read Mat. 19:21 and Luke 12:33-34. What do these passages mean? How do you think they are meant to be applied?
- What do you know about monks or monasteries? Have you heard of St. Benedict, St. Francis of Assisi, or other individual monks or nuns? What do you know about them?
Link to printable Lesson 7 Handout
If you missed class, watch Video "Module 8" on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login) when indicated in the video discussion above.
You can also watch The Tuesday video here.
Lesson 6 (Feb. 21, 22): The Rise of Islam and The Crusades
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- What were Arius’ claims about Jesus? Why did the nature of Jesus and God matter so much? What was most striking to you about the period of the Ecumenical Councils?
- With what religion would you associate Confession of Faith, Prayer, Fasting, Giving to the Poor, and Pilgrimage? To what kind of life do these practices lead?
- Read Phil. 2:6-11. What is the Christian concept of power and how it is to be used?
- Do you believe Scripture supports the idea of “just war?” What passages would be for or against?
Link to printable Lesson 6 Handout (no blanks this lesson)
See the video on the spread of many world religions at https://youtu.be/AvFl6UBZLv4.
You can read the following texts mentioned in the videos:
- John of Damascus, On Heresies 101, at http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/stjohn_islam.aspx.
- Section 1 (“Conditions in Europe at the beginning of the Crusades”), a description by Fulcher, available at https://deremilitari.org/2013/04/the-first-crusade-1095-99-a-short-narrative-from-contemporary-sources/.
- Read Pope Urban II’s call to Crusade (accessible by the button “First Crusade” on the CCS website, at https://www.christian-studies.org/_files/ugd/657544_30c8256c03ba41ea8b6aec4ec341e331.pdf ).
If you missed class, watch Video "Modules 6" and "Module 7" on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login) when indicated in the video discussion above.
You can also watch The Tuesday video here.
Lesson 5 (Feb. 14, 15): Christology - The Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- What is important about doctrinal controversy in the early church? How should Christians recognize what is right teaching and what is false? Have you observed any ways that Gnostic-like matter vs. spirit dualism (matter bad/spirit good) is present in our culture?
- How would life change for early Christians if the Great Persecution suddenly ended, and then Christianity quickly became the favored religion of the Roman Empire?
- Read Acts 15:1-21. What steps did the Jerusalem Council follow? How might the church use that as a pattern for resolving doctrinal questions?
- In John 10:30, what is Jesus saying about his nature in relation to the nature of the Father? If they are one, how does Jesus use the joint subject “I and the Father” and the plural verb “are?”
Link to printable Lesson 5 Handout
Lesson 5 Handout with the Blanks filled in
The creeds for additional reading are included in the handouts. A further additional reading is a series of letters from Arius and from another Bishop about Arius. Find it from the CCS website or here.
If you missed class, watch Video "Module 5" on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login) when indicated in the video discussion above.
You can also watch The Tuesday video here.
Lesson 4 (Feb. 7, 8): Trouble from Within - Heresy
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- What was most striking to you about Persecution in the Early Church? What stood out to you from the letter of St. Ignatius to the Romans?
- Read the following list of passages (Dr. Stanglin will use this list of passages in the video). Which passages strike you?
What is the overarching concern?
*The easiest way is follow this link to Bible Gateway and view them all. Or look up just a few!
Mt. 7:15-20; Mt. 24:23-24; Acts 20:28-35; 1 Cor. 11:23; 1 Cor. 15:3-5; 1 Cor. 16:21; 2 Cor. 11:13; 2 Cor. 12:11-12; 2 Cor. 13:5-6; Gal. 1:8-9; Gal. 6:11-16; Phil. 3:2-3; Phil. 3:17-19; Col. 4:16-18; 2 Thess. 2:1-2, 2 Thess. 2:15; 2 Thess. 3:17; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-9; 2 Tim 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 2:1-3; 2 Pet. 3:14-16; 1 Jn. 4:1-3; 2 Jn. 7-11; Jude 3-4; Rev. 2:6, Rev. 2:14-15; Rev. 2:20; Rev. 2:24 - What do you think of when you think of “heresy?” Is it an important factor in the life of the church? What counts as heresy and what does not?
- How does our society view the material world as opposed to the spiritual world? What about the body as opposed to the spirit? What does Scripture teach about this?
Link to printable Lesson 4 Handout.
Lesson 4 Handout with answers filled in
The additional reading is Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Preface; Book I ch. 8 paragraph 1; Book I.10:1-2; Book III chapters 3-4. All sections available at https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103.htm.
If you missed class, watch Video "Module 4" on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login) when indicated in the video discussion above.
You can also watch The Tuesday video here.
Lesson 3 (Jan. 24, 25): Trouble from Without - Persecution
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- What was noteworthy or striking to you about Didache? What did you notice about the practice of Baptism? The Lord’s Prayer? The Eucharist? What were the overall messages of this text?
- What else did you take away from last week’s lesson on the Apostolic Fathers?
- Read Acts 17:1-9. What were Paul and his companions charged with? What kind of charge is that? What group instigated the action against Paul and company? What group was supposedly threatened by their claims?
- Read 1 Peter 2:9-12 and 4:1-4. What situations can you imagine that Peter could be speaking to? What does it sound like is happening among Peter’s readers? What is his counsel to them?
Link to printable Lesson 3 Handout.
Lesson 3 Handout with answers filled in
Read Ignatius' Letter to Rome here
If you missed class, watch Video "Module 3" on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login) when indicated in the video discussion above.
You can also watch The Tuesday video here.
Lesson 2 (Jan. 17, 18): Apostolic Fathers
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- What reason for studying church history spoke to you after last week’s class? What do you think you can gain from this study?
- Read Phil. 4:1-9. Which elements of this passage are specific to the time/place of writing? Which are applicable to all readers? How can we tell? Make a note of the personal names.
- If you wanted to make a timeline of Earliest Christianity, the period of the NT to 311AD, what are some significant events you could put on it?
- What are some “central themes” or main messages of the New Testament?
Link to printable Lesson 2 Handout
Lesson 2 Handout with answers filled in
Read Didache here
If you missed class, watch Video "Module 2" on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login) when indicated in the video discussion above.
You can also watch The Tuesday video here.
Lesson 1 (Jan. 10, 11): The Importance of Studying Church History
Preparation Readings and Questions for this lesson:
- Read these five passages in which Paul uses the word “traditions” - 1 Cor. 11:2, Gal. 1:14, Col. 2:8, and 2 Thess. 2:15 & 3:6 (“traditions” is the literal translation of the
word rendered “teachings” in the NIV in the last two passages). Are “traditions” good or bad in each of these verses? - What do you think of when you think about “history?” How about “tradition?” In what ways are these positive? Negative?
- In what ways are you interested in, or not interested in, studying church history? Why? Do you have objections to studying church history? Why or why not?
- What might the study of church history have to offer contemporary Christians and churches?
Link to printable Lesson 1 Handout
Lesson 1 Handout with answers filled in
If you missed class, Watch Video Module 1 on the CCS page (contact Deanna if you need the login info), then watch the video discussion linked above. You can also watch The Tuesday video here.
About this video and discussion series:
This semester we’ll be studying The Church’s Story: A Survey of Church History, a video series produced by the Center for Christian Studies and taught by Dr. Keith Stanglin, a professor of historical theology and an excellent teacher.
Plus there will be live, guided class discussion for each lesson.
Choose between in-person on Tuesdays at 10:30am Central in the UA Chapel in downtown Austin, Tx (Zoom also available) or online via Zoom on Wednesdays at 7pm Central.
Why Study Church History?
Although we usually study a Biblical text, there are some great benefits to studying the history of the church.
First, understanding how the church progressed and matured helps us understand church doctrine. Often, the church had to wrestle with the meaning of the Scriptures to address a particular heresy. Understanding the problems they were addressing helps us understand the resulting doctrine.
Second, we know from looking around at the many types of Christian churches today that the church divided into multiple traditions - from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox to the huge numbers of Protestant churches. Church history helps us know why and how that happened.
Third, there were early church writers who wrote about many beneficial subjects. For example, there are texts about the worship practices of the earliest church, the reasons Christians shouldn't be persecuted by Rome, and the way to interpret Scripture in light of Jesus. Knowing who these writers were and when they wrote helps make their writings more accessible.
Finally, studying church history helps us focus on the strong elements that every Christian tradition holds in common, such as our worship of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Why use a video series?
As a professor of historical theology, Dr. Keith Stanglin is an expert source for this very large subject. Deanna took his two-semester graduate class on this subject and it was excellent! Although we won't cover as much in just these 12 sessions, we'll have all the benefits of Dr. Stanglin's expertise at a survey level.
Dr. Stanglin is also a good teacher who makes a big subject accessible, even if you're new to the material.
In addition, we'll have the benefits of class discussion as we engage together after every video.
But how will it work to have a video as part of our study? What if I'm attending via Zoom?
Each week, you can prepare for class with some readings and questions on this page.
In class, we'll watch the video together (videos vary from 19-38 minutes). Zoom participants will be able to see and hear the video too! Then we'll all participate in a guided discussion.
What if I miss a class? What if the video goes too fast and I want to see it again?
All class members will have login information to watch the videos on the Center for Christian Studies website any time. There are several different video courses you'll also have access to, so feel free to watch any of them!
The discussion portion of the class will be viewable on YouTube so that you can watch the discussion after you've watched the video.
Spring 2023 Schedule
Date | Lesson | The Church’s Story: A Survey of Church History |
Jan. 10/11 | 1 | The Importance of Studying Church History |
Jan. 17/18 | 2 | Apostolic Fathers |
Jan. 24/25 | 3 | Trouble from Without: Persecution |
Jan. 31 / Feb. 1 – Service Day | ||
Feb. 7/8 | 4 | Trouble from Within: Heresy |
Feb. 14/15 | 5 | Christology: The Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople |
Feb. 21/22 | 6 | Rise of Islam & Crusades |
Feb. 28 / Mar. 1 – Service Day | ||
Mar. 7/8 | 7 | Monasticism |
Mar. 14/15 – Off for Spring Break | ||
Mar. 21/22 | 8 | Reformations |
Mar. 28/29 – Service Day | ||
Apr. 4/5 | 9 | Arminian Controversy |
Apr. 11/12 | 10 | Enlightenment and Skepticism |
Apr. 18/19 | 11 | Pietist Revival* |
Apr. 25/26 – Service Day | ||
May. 2/3 | 12 | 20th Century Developments |
May. 9 – Planning Session *Although we won’t have time to cover it in class, an additional video, “American Restoration Movement (Churches of Christ, Christian Church, Disciples of Christ)” will be available to watch outside of class. | ||
Sources for this Series
Stanglin, Keith. "The Church's Story: A Survey of Church History." Center for Christian Studies, Austin, Tx. Accessed Dec. 1, 2022 - May 23, 2023. https://www.christian-studies.org/churchs-story.
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