CLA 275 - Topics: Christianity in Roman Empire (1)

Ancient Christianities examines the progression, plurality, and politics of early Christian history for the first three centuries and the claims about Jesus that would culminate in the first council of Nicaea (325 C.E.). This course will recreate conversations between early Church fathers (and some mothers) with the “lost” Gospels (e.g., Mary, Judas, and Thomas) concerning what it means to be human and how to cultivate a moral life in a chaotic world. Also, of interest to this course is the historical development of debates over such questions as: “Who or what was Jesus and what was his relationship to God? How should the Church be organized? What are the qualifications for holding an office in the Church? What is the role of women in the Church? What texts are ‘authoritative’?” In order to foster creative, critical, and empathic engagement with early Christian literature and history, students will participate in a role-playing game that imaginatively re-creates the events of the first council of Nicaea, which would establish official Christian doctrine for centuries to come.
(Humanities) (Writing Encounter)