Course Introduction
Welcome to Introduction to Christian History and Doctrine. There is a lot to
take in during the first few weeks, not least that we are attempting to engage
with over 2000 years of church history in a mere ten two-hour sessions. This module
assumes considerable diversity of knowledge and experience on the part of those
completing it, but this is more a strength than a weakness. “That there should
be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one
for another,” declares the Apostle Paul. “And whether one member suffer, all
the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice
with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1 Cor. 12:
25-27) Such has been my experience of the Lindisfarne College of Theology
and its students.
The common exhortations of a teacher to his students hold true in this instance.
A number of in-depth case studies of an event or process relating to
the material studied are also provided. If the class sessions seek to provide a broad
picture, the case studies will reveal the relationship of a specific incident
or episode to that broad picture.
The common exhortations of a teacher to his students hold true in this instance.
- There are no foolish questions. 1. Cor 3:18 has it pretty much right. Class interaction is more entertaining both for teacher and students, as well as more productive for the latter.
- Keeping up with reading helps, but life has a nasty habit of getting in the way. Give priority to the primary sources because they offer a window on those who have gone before that no secondary text can fully achieve (though some come close). “There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books, wrote the ultimate apologist C. S. Lewis. “Thus I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about “isms” and influences and only once in twelve pages telling him what Plato actually said . . . It has always therefore been one of my main endeavours as a teacher to persuade the young that first-hand knowledge is not only more worth acquiring than second-hand knowledge, but is usually much easier and more delightful to acquire.”
- Keep your assignments in mind as you progress. While there will be opportunities to explain both assignments in detail, it will ultimately be your choice which of the three options you choose in Component 1 and how you make use of subject matter from the course in Component 2. For some it will be easier than others, unfortunately. I am always happy to meet in person or to communicate via e-mail, so please engage with me as much as is needful.