In this course, you’ll learn about the first 1,500 years of Christian history, focusing especially on the development of Christian doctrine. Instructor Roger Olson expands on doctrines such as the Trinity and Christ’s hypostatic union—doctrines that most Christians are aware of, but may never have studied at length. The Middle Ages are covered, particularly highlighting the way that medieval theologians understood the knowledge of God and the relationship between faith and reason. The course ends with the Renaissance—a period during which there were initial calls for reform within the church—and early church reformers who came before the theology of Martin Luther.
Introduction
Introduction
Introducing the Speaker and the Course
3m
Establishing the Roots of Theology
What Is Theology?
6m
The Definition and Purpose of Historical Theology
6m
Theology in the New Testament and Early Church
7m
Heresies in Early Christianity
10m
Challenges for Theology in Early Christianity
9m
The Beginnings of Theology in the Apostolic Fathers
10m
The Role of Christian Apologists in Early Christianity
10m
The Development of Theology in the Post-Apostolic Church
Irenaeus: The First Christian Systematic Theologian
6m
Irenaeus: Defending the Incarnation within the Doctrine of Salvation
6m
Clement of Alexandria: Christian Theologian and Philosopher
5m
Origen of Alexandria: A Speculative Christian Theologian
6m
Tertullian: The Father of Latin Christian Theology
5m
Tertullian: Influence on Christian Doctrine
6m
The Changing Landscape of Christian Theology in the Early Church
5m
Cyprian of Carthage: Catholic Theologian and Bishop
9m
The Development of the Christian Canon of Scripture
9m
Theology in the Age of the Christian Roman Empire
Constantine and the Rise of Christendom
9m
The Arian Controversy
8m
The Trinitarian Controversy and the Council of Nicaea
10m
The Christological Controversy: Jesus as Both Human and Divine
7m
Heresies Addressed by the Third and Fourth Ecumenical Councils
11m
Christian Orthodoxy: The Trinity and the Hypostatic Union
5m
Augustine: The Father of Western Christianity
7m
Augustine’s Core Beliefs
7m
The Impact of Augustine’s View of Predestination on Church History
6m
The Deepening Divide between the East and the West
Gregory the Great: Foundation of Roman Catholic Theology
8m
The Gradual Separation of the Greek Orthodox from the Roman Catholics
5m
Controversies in the Eastern Orthodox Church
6m
Filioque and the Great Schism
5m
The Eastern Orthodox View of Filioque
4m
Theology in the High Middle Ages
Scholasticism and Anselm of Canterbury
7m
Scholasticism and Thomas Aquinas
7m
Atonement Theology and Anselm’s Response
6m
Moral Influence Theory: The Atonement Theology of Peter Abelard
7m
Philosophy and Theology in Medieval Christian Universities
7m
The Impact of Saint Francis of Assisi
7m
The Power Struggles Which Laid the Groundwork for the Reformation
8m
Scholastic Theologians Duns Scotus and William of Ockham
8m
Medieval Catholic Dogmas and Councils
8m
Renaissance Theology Leading up to the Reformation
Christian and Secular Humanism
5m
The Life of Erasmus: Christian Humanist
6m
Peter Waldo and the First Protestants
4m
Catherine of Siena and Catholic Mysticism
4m
John Wycliffe: The Morning Star of the Reformation