The Founding and Building of Christendom

Service Description

This course is now fully booked. If you are interested, please email director@viaclassica.com to be added to the waiting list. Course Description This course traces the Church’s growth from its foundation in Christ to the call of the First Crusade. Students study the Apostolic Age, the endurance of the early Christians under Roman persecution, and the conversion of Constantine as turning points in the rise of Christendom. We will analyse the formation of core doctrines—Trinitarian and Christological—as defined by the Early Councils and defended by the Church Fathers, including St. Athanasius and St. Augustine. Key historical events include the Roman persecutions, the conversion of Constantine, the collapse of the Western Empire, the rise of Islam, the Great Schism of 1054, and the unifying effort of the First Crusade. The course emphasises the endurance of the Papacy, the growth of monasticism and missionary activity, and the spiritual leadership of key figures who built the foundation of Christian civilisation. Assessment includes short analytical writing, timeline and mapping activities, and a final reflection on how the Church transformed the ancient world. A second semester course will be offered to study the following 1000 years in Church history. Pre requisites: Students undertaking this course should have a good understanding of Scripture. A strong foundation in reading comprehension and critical thinking is essential, as students will engage with both primary and secondary sources. They must be willing to participate in class discussions, complete written assignments, and practise logical argumentation. Required Materials: The Building of Christendom: 324–1100, Vol. 2 by Warren H. Carroll is a required text and must be purchased independently from Via Classica. Ideally, students should also have access to The Building of Christendom, Vol. 1. These books will not be annotated. Students need an A4 exercise book for notes. All work submission and live classes will be conducted using Microsoft Teams and Microsoft OneNote. Course Sessions: The course commences in Term 1 on Monday, 2 February, with two one-hour sessions each week on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:00 AM (AEDT/AEST). The term will end on Wednesday, 1 April. Term 2 will resume on Monday, 20 April, and conclude on Wednesday, 24 June. No classes will be held on 9 March or 8 June. Instructor: Mrs. Elizabeth Matheson