This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
In the history of the Catholic faith, the first seven councils of the Church are some of the greatest works of developing and understanding the orthodox faith. We will be exploring the history and theology of these councils, helping us understand the bedrock of our faith.
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: Seven Church Councils, Part One or equivalent
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th
Suggested credit: One full semester Theology or History
Description
In a similar way to how understanding the federalist papers helps us understand the constitution, understanding the first seven councils of the Church helps us understand the creed itself. These church councils were convened by Roman Emperors and attended by the oikoumene, the bishops of the known world. Convened to deal with church-shattering theological crises, the ideas found here make up the majority of the Catechism now. We will be considering each council, the events leading up to the council, and the theological definitions coming from them.
Outline
Week 1: Eutyches and the humanity of Christ
Week 2: The Council of Chalcedon
Week 3: Monophysitism
Week 4: Fight between east and west
Week 5: Second Council of Constantinople
Week 6: Review for Midterm
Week 7: Monothelitism
Week 8: Third Council of Constantinople
Week 9: Iconoclasm
Week 10: Second Council of Nicaea
Week 11: Councils looking forward
Week 12: Review for Final
Materials and Homework
Course materials: Readings will be provided FREE by the instructor as PDF files.
Homework: Each week, students will be required to read a selection and take a short quiz.
