Catalog Search Results
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 33
Language
English
Description
Our contemporary universities have origins in medieval universities that were entirely Christian. Trace the rise of universities in the West - their functions, curricula, and the development of scholastic theology with its methodology of dialectical reasoning. Assess the expression of Christian thought in the theology of Thomas Aquinas and John Duns Scotus and in the poetry of Dante Alighieri.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 34
Language
English
Description
The 14th century saw a period of natural and human-caused disasters that negatively affected society and the church. Track the extreme hardships of the Black Death, prolonged wars, and the terrors of the Inquisition. See also how the same era produced a flourishing of Christian mysticism and the beginnings of humanist literature.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 20
Language
English
Description
In grasping Christianity's development in the Western empire, investigate two major controversies, Donatism and Pelagianism, rooted in questions of moral rigor and personal holiness. Then, grapple with three religious leaders who shaped Latin Christianity: Ambrose of Milan, Jerome, and the monumental figure of Augustine of Hippo.
4) History of Christianity: From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation: The Shaping of Orthodoxy
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 10
Language
English
Description
Here, identify the pivotal factors that secured the framework of Christianity, defining an orthodoxy based in tradition and reason. In particular, study the role of Irenaeus of Gaul in establishing the canonical scriptures, the rule of faith in one God, and the religious authority of the bishops.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 5
Language
English
Description
Christianity spread with amazing speed in the decades following Jesus's death. Begin by observing how this expansion happened and the broad adaptations Christianity made in a relatively short period. Then investigate the role of Paul's letters as a primary record of the convictions, culture, practices, and troubles of the early Christians.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 3
Language
English
Description
Judaism is the most important cultural context for early Christianity. Contemplate the circumstances of Jewish life in ancient Palestine as well as in the Diaspora. In particular, examine cultural and ideological factors that divided the Jews, the tensions they faced between assimilation and separation, and their resistance to Greek culture and Roman rule.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 24
Language
English
Description
This lecture uncovers the remarkable cultural riches of the Orthodox tradition. First, see how a 9th-century Byzantine mission established Christianity in Russia and Ukraine. Then, delve into the compelling Orthodox rituals of worship, Orthodoxy's deeply integral monastic tradition, and its distinct form of contemplative mysticism, known as "Hesychasm."
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 1
Language
English
Description
Begin by contemplating the massive historical trajectory of Christianity, as well as contemporary ignorance of its past. Consider the value of historical study of Christianity for reassessing the past and charting a path to the future. Look also at the methods and role of the historian, and the sources and limitations of historical knowledge.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 31
Language
English
Description
The Crusades to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims represented deep ambiguities in Christian identity. Grasp the nature of these conquests as combined religious mission, popular movement, and political calculation. Then study the four most critical Crusades; their objectives, varied outcomes, and ultimate failure in both political and religious terms.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 17
Language
English
Description
In the 4th and 5th centuries, prominent cities competed for authority within the imperial religion. Look first at the reasons for the early primacy of Rome, and Constantinople's later emergence as Rome's rival. Then study the rivalry of Antioch and Alexandria, and how they opposed each other in both intellectual and religious terms.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 8
Language
English
Description
In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, martyrdom and apologetic literature responded powerfully to the persecution of Christians. Investigate the phenomenon of martyrdom as the perfect form of discipleship, in the actions of martyrs who exalted in their sacrifice. See how apologetic literature created a reasoned case for Christianity in the wider world.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 26
Language
English
Description
Benedictine monasticism played a foundational role in the shaping of medieval Christianity, and it continues to thrive today. Take a deep look at Benedict of Nursia's Rule for Monks; its principles of obedience and humility and detailed prescriptions for monastic life, promoting monasteries as centers of both Christian discipleship and learning.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 35
Language
English
Description
By the late medieval era, systemic dysfunction within Christianity led to efforts at structural reform. Grasp the critical issues the church faced in the practice of theology and liturgy, as well as in deepening political and moral corruption. Learn about the courageous early reformers, whose daring voices anticipated the Protestant Reformation.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 25
Language
English
Description
Now follow the dramatic political events that marked the transition from imperial Christianity to medieval Christianity. Witness the rise of the Germanic people called the Franks, under a series of powerful rulers culminating in the pivotal figure of Charlemagne. Study the structure of a new form of society: feudalism.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 22
Language
English
Description
Here, evaluate the extraordinary legacy of the emperor Justinian of Byzantium. Follow his conquests to restore the greatness of the empire, his economic and legal achievements and patronage of art. Also study his interventions in religious affairs and his role in the growing rift between the Chalcedonian (Western) and Monophysite (Eastern) churches.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 32
Language
English
Description
This lecture follows the ascending power of the papacy in Christian Europe. Assess the careers of two "super-popes," Gregory the VII and Innocent III, as they aggressively consolidated papal authority in both religious and secular spheres. Learn about the Franciscan and Dominican orders, noting their role as instruments of papal policy.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 36
Language
English
Description
The course concludes with reflections on the numerous cultural adaptations Christianity has made on its path to becoming a "world religion." Contemplate the challenges posed to the faith in its journey from the Reformation to the modern era, and the question of Christianity's identity within all its cultural permutations.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 7
Language
English
Description
In tracing the Christian "age of persecution," begin by examining the prior history of repression of both Jews and philosophers, and the problems posed by the Christians for the world around them. Study the evidence of early Christian persecution by the Jews, as well as the most significant persecutions by Rome.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 15
Language
English
Description
In the religion's new context, see how substantial territories became Christian through conversion under imperial authority. Then explore the church's expanding "liturgy" of public acts, incorporating architecture, art, ceremony, and pilgrimage, as well as the religious rituals of the sacraments and the celebration of the biblical past.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 4
Language
English
Description
Consider the resurrection as marking the birth of Christianity, as rooted in the claims of the first believers to an experience of ultimate power and transformation. Also assess the contradiction perceived by his contemporaries between Jesus as the source of divine life and the degrading manner of his death.
Didn't find it?
Can't find what you are looking for? Try our Materials Request Service. Submit Request