Early Church History

19 Dec

In: Course archive By: Andrejs Priedītis 0 Comments

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Marius Anton van Willigen
TIME: Jan 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 2025 (Saturday 9:00 – 11:15; workdays 18:00 – 20:15) (Riga time)
PLACE: In-Class Lectures (with simultaneous translation channel in Russian on Zoom)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

A comprehensive overview of the first 500 years of Christianity covering the development of Christianity from Jesus movement to the Church Fathers.

INSTRUCTOR

M.A. van Willigen, special professor of Exegesis of the Early Church at the Theological University of Apeldoorn, obtained his doctorate in 2008 with a dissertation on Ambrose of Milan’s sermon on Joseph. He has published a number of books and articles in the field of the Early Church and was intensively engaged in the field of baptism and Holy Communion in the Early Church. This is also the subject of his book ”Following Christ”.

COURSE CONTENTS

Development of a Jewish group into an accepted church
The rise and spiritual growth of Christianity
Initiation rites in Early Christianity
Holy Baptism and Holy Communion in the Early Church
The seven first ecumenical councils and what was discussed here
Council of Aquileia and the commitment to the Trinity of Ambrose and Hilarius of Poitiers
The Four Latin Church Fathers and their theological influence
The Three Greek Church Fathers and their theological influence
John Chrysostomus, biography and context of his time
Exegesis of John Chrysostomus
Summary of theologically important developments
Different views regarding exegesis in the Alexandrian and in the Antiochean school.

Course Requirements for students

Attendance at all class sessions (%10).
Required reading (%30):
- van Willigen, M.A. Following Christ: Baptism and Holy Supper in the Early Church, 2011
- Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1, HarperOne, New York, 2010 (Part I & II)
- Deadline: January 11, 2025 (by the beginning of the course).
Written exam on the course content (60%). Deadline: February 1, 2025