Christianity began as small movement in Palestinian Judaisim, and over the course of two thousand years emerged as a world religion with more than two billion believers throughout the world.
Objectives:
- recognize significant historical people and events in Christian history
- describe shared beliefs and practices in the Bible using theoretical frameworks from the field of religion
- situate a contemporary Christian community within its specific social and historical contexts based on global flows and local circumstances
Christian History
The history of the Christian religion is best understood through the relationship between Christianity, power and empire. While Christian history begins with the sacred story of the humble life of a man named Jesus, the events that unfold after Jesus launch Christianity from a subversive underground movement to an immensely powerful global religious force shaping ancient empires, global culture and contemporary politics. This lesson will provide a brief overview of historical Christianity.
The Bible
The Christian Bible is comprised of many different literary forms such as letters, stories, parables, and prophesies. This sacred text not only provides a foundation for shared beliefs and practices, it also provides a shared history that shapes Christian beliefs, worship, culture, and identity.
Global Christianity
Over two thousands of years, a diverse range of different Christian traditions and communities developed in different areas of the world. As Christianity spread around the world (usually through European imperial expansion), different communities experienced unique circumstances that resulted in distinctive histories, languages, religious practices, customs, and culture.
This module will provide a brief introduction to the history of Christianity, address shared beliefs and practices in the Bible, and explore the wide range of diverse contemporary Christian communities and traditions world wide.
References & Resources
For Discussion: Write about your personal experiences with and existing knowledge about Christianity. If you are not Christian, describe how and where you have learned about Christians and Christianity. If you consider yourself Christian, explain what it means to be Christian from your perspective and describe any unique experiences, if any. (min 500 words and respond to at least two student posts.)
When you complete the discussion, go to the Historical Christianity lesson.