Church History for the Church

Overview
This 8-week course (meeting 4 times) provides an introductory framework for major persons, movements, events, and ideas that have shaped the Christian Church from the first century to the present. The purpose of this course is to utilize the gift of church history for the benefit of the church.

Learners engage with Justo González, Church History: An Essential Guide, Woodruff Tait, Christian History in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic, and online articles that interest the student.

Intended Competencies
Our learning together in community aims to enable us to gain:

• • • the value of knowing church history for the Christian life, theology, and ministry
    • an appreciation for the benefits we have today because of the struggles of Christians from other time periods and cultures
    • a framework for historically locating major persons, movements, events, and ideas that have shaped the Christian Church from the first century to the present
    • a working knowledge of the major people, ideas, and values of church councils, the Protestant Reformation, and one’s own connection to them
    • ability to apply insights from various historical eras to contemporary church life and challenges faced today