COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The history of the Catholic church is essentially intertwined with the history of Western Civilization over the past 2,000 years. The aspirations and struggles of Christendom constitute the fabric of the Christian tradition as it unfolds throughout time. This course represents an historical survey of the Church from its primitive beginnings in Jerusalem (c. 33 A.D.) to the Pontificate of John Paul II (1920-2005). The development of the course will trace the major events, ideas and people that went into the shaping of the Western Church, without ignoring the fundamental importance and influence of the doctrine of Jesus Christ regarding the institution he founded.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The Vatican is the oldest and continuously functioning religious institution in the entire world. Its genesis began when Jesus of Nazareth endowed his disciple Simon Peter with the requisite ecclesial authority required to be the earthly head of his church (Matt. 16:18, 1 Cor. 3:11, Eph. 2:20, 1 Pet. 2:5-6 and Rev. 21:14).

The ensuing years with the Bishops of Rome as its titular head have led to a dramatic growth of the ecclesial organization. The Church, which began from a very small flock of persecuted Christian worshipers, has now become a global Christian faith tradition boasting over 1.4 billion baptized Catholics, a figure that currently represents 18% of the world's population in toto.

Over the past 2,000 plus years the Popes of Rome have had a monumental impact upon the evolution of Christianity in particular and Western Civilization in general.

Ironically,  despite the Bishop of Rome's profound influence upon human history, quite a few do not possess the knowledge needed to understand it's complex history. For example:

* How are the Bishops of Rome elected?

* What types of men have become popes?

* What makes the Bishop of Rome different from the other Bishops around him?

* What happened during the Great Schism and the ensuing decades of the Avignon Popes?

The papacy is an iconic religio-cultural institution that has transcended time. Following the history of the 266 popes that has occupied the Chair of Saint Peter—some wicked, some incompetent, some visionary, some inclusive, some wise, etc.—reveals a fascinating historical narrative concerning Christendom.

The aim of this course is to allow students to catch a glimpse of the history behind the symbolic human center of the Catholic faith here on earth, the Bishop of Rome.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the completion of this Religious Studies oriented course, the student will be able to:

* Demonstrate a rudimentary awareness and understanding concerning the history of the Papacy.

* Demonstrate an academic familiarity with what makes the Bishop of Rome dissimilar from other Bishops within Catholicism.

* Articulate the concepts, beliefs and arguments appertaining to the Great Schism.

* Demonstrate the ability to employ scholarly tools effectively for critical thinking and research.  

TEXTBOOK:

Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes; Fourth EditionEamon DuffyYale University Press978-0300206128