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True Gospel Institute
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Institute

Church History

A survey of the church's history from the apostolic age to the modern era, tracing how the gospel spread, how core doctrines were clarified and defended against error, and how the church has been shaped - for better and worse - across two thousand years, so students can understand where their own faith fits within this larger story.

True Gospel Canada 16 weeks Text
Start Week 1

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the apostolic age and the early church's growth under persecution
  • Understand the major ecumenical councils and the doctrinal controversies they resolved
  • Understand the contribution of key figures such as Augustine
  • Understand the medieval church, monasticism, and the Great Schism
  • Understand the causes and key figures of the Protestant Reformation
  • Understand the Great Awakenings and the modern missions movement
  • Understand major developments and challenges facing the church in the modern era

Syllabus

Overview

Church History surveys the church from the apostolic age to the modern era, tracing the gospel's spread, the clarification and defense of core doctrine against error, and the church's development - for better and worse - across two thousand years.

Reading Plan

Week 1: introduction. Weeks 2-3: the apostolic age and the age of persecution. Weeks 4-6: Constantine, the ecumenical councils, and Christological controversies. Week 7: Augustine. Weeks 8-9: monasticism, the medieval church, and the Great Schism. Week 10: the Crusades and medieval Catholicism. Week 11: forerunners of the Reformation. Weeks 12-14: the Protestant Reformation and its continuation. Week 15: the Great Awakenings and modern missions. Week 16: the church in the modern era.

Required Materials

A personal Bible in one of the following standard translations: ESV, NIV, NASB 1995, CSB, LSB, or NLT; a notebook or journal for reading notes and reflection.

Grading & Completion

Assessment focuses on engagement with the material and demonstration of comprehension. Students complete weekly reading assignments and a short weekly quiz covering that week's material. A final exam covering the entire course is available once every week has been passed.

Course Outcomes

  • Upon completion, students will be able to summarize the major eras and turning points of church history
  • Upon completion, students will be able to explain the key doctrinal controversies the early councils resolved
  • Upon completion, students will be able to explain the causes and lasting impact of the Protestant Reformation

Weekly Lessons

  1. Wk 1 Introduction: Why Study Church History?
  2. Wk 2 The Apostolic Age and the Early Church (30-100 AD)
  3. Wk 3 The Age of Persecution and the Apologists (100-313 AD)
  4. Wk 4 Constantine and the Conversion of the Empire
  5. Wk 5 The Ecumenical Councils and the Battle for Orthodoxy (Nicaea, Constantinople)
  6. Wk 6 The Council of Chalcedon and Christological Controversies
  7. Wk 7 Augustine and the Shaping of Western Theology
  8. Wk 8 Monasticism and the Medieval Church
  9. Wk 9 The Great Schism: East and West Divide
  10. Wk 10 The Crusades and Medieval Catholicism
  11. Wk 11 Forerunners of the Reformation (Wycliffe, Hus)
  12. Wk 12 The Protestant Reformation: Luther and Justification by Faith
  13. Wk 13 The Reformation Continues: Calvin, Zwingli, and the Radical Reformation
  14. Wk 14 The Reformation in England and the Rise of Puritanism
  15. Wk 15 The Great Awakenings and Modern Missions Movement
  16. Wk 16 The Church in the Modern Era: Challenges and Global Growth