PART I: From the Pax Romana to the Fall of Rome: 1st century CE – 5th century CE
Lesson 1: Introduction: Contextualizing the Study of the History of the Catholic Church
(Critical Analysis and Thinking – Methodologies and Hermeneutics – Course Overview)
Lesson 2: 100 Years of Good News: the New Testament and the Apostolic Tradition (c. 0CE – c.100CE)
(The Hebrew Canon and the Formation of the Christian Scriptures – Tacitus, Seneca, Josephus)
Lesson 3: 100 Years of Bad News: Forging and Feigning the Faith (c. 100 – 200)
(Persecution or Supplication – Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria – Liturgical Practice)
Lesson 4: 100 Years of Hard News: Developing Doctrine on the Run (200 – 300)
(Confessors, Traitors, and Thinkers – Origen, Tertullian, and Cyprian – Valerian, Diocletian)
Lesson 5: 100 Years of Unexpected News: Rome’s Reign Becomes the Church’s Gain (300 – 400)
(Constantine – 1st and 2nd Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea – Bishops or Civil Engineers)
Lessons 6 and 7: Concretizing the Historical Analysis (on site at the Ancient Necropolis on the Vatican Hill)
Lesson 8: 100 Years of Changing News: Rome’s Pain Becomes the Church’s Reign (400 – 500)
(Augustine, Jerome, Arians, and Donatists – Rome’s Decline – 3rd Ecumenical Council of Ephesus)
PART II: Reconstructing an Empire: 6th century CE – 10th century CE
Lesson 9: Making News: Taming Barbarians and Debating Doctrine (500 – 600)
(Monasticism – Vandals and Visigoths – Capadocians)
Lesson 10: Breaking News: Cutting Losses in Africa (600 – 700)
(Islamic Invasion – Iconoclasm)
Lesson 11: Directing News: Toward a “Holy Roman” Empire (700 – 800)
(Seljuks to the South – Teutonics to the North)
Lesson 12: Updating News: Toward a “Wholly New” Empire (800 – 900)
(Charlemagne – Papal States)
Lesson 13: Owning the News: A Church Divided Becomes an Empire United (900 – 1054)
(Feudalism – Photian Schism – Anselm and the Ontological Question)
Lesson 14: Synthesizing the Historical Analysis 1: Midterm review/exam
PART III: Imperializing a Reconstruction: 11th century CE – 15th century CE
Lesson 15: Marketing the News: God and Gold in the Holy Land (1054 – 1204)
Lesson 16: Investing in the News: Knowledge is Power (1204 – 1300)
Lesson 17: Profiting from the News: Roman Holiday (1300 – 1400)
Lesson 18: Manipulating the News: The Gift that Keeps on Giving (1400 – 1500)
PART IV: Struggling for Sovereignty: 16th century CE – 20th century CE
Lesson 19: Importing and Exporting the News: Damage and Mission Control (1500 – 1600)
Lessons 20 and 21: Concretizing the Historical Analysis (on site at Saint Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican Hill)
Lesson 22: The Same Old News: Losing Ground and Looking for Greener Pastures (1600 – 1700)
Lesson 23: Unsettling News: Age of Revolution (1700 – 1800)
Lesson 24: News Hits Home: Under House Arrest (1800 – 1900)
Lesson 25: Damaging and Liberating News: Catholic Church and the Vatican City State (1900 – 2000)
Lesson 26: News and Current Events 1: Faith and/or Reason; Intelligent Design and/or Random Evolution
Lesson 27: News and Current Events 2: Bioethical Issues and Church Doctrine