REL 102 Introduction to Christianity and Christian Traditions
This course surveys the central ideas, events, and figures in the history of Christianity from its inception to the present. The study of the Christian tradition is largely the study of the intellectual, political, and theological development of key civilizations and societies. As such, any student will recognize the overlaps and implications of the works involved in such a study. We will pay particular attention to reading primary texts and the influence seminal thinkers had on the construction of Christian thought. Moreover, we will focus on how Christianity has developed over the centuries within a variety of cultures, and how Christianity has impacted other traditions, particularly Judaism and Islam. Finally, our approach will show how Christianity is not monolithic, nor pristine. In fact, in the early centuries and beyond there were “Christianities” rather than a solitary movement.