Module 1: Introductory Material

Hi everyone, and welcome to the first module of the History of Christianity 1 Course. In this section, we'll be working through some preliminary information that will hopefully help you better learn and understand later material.

This module will help you to understand the reason why the study of history can be so helpful for our current life and ministry. It is more than just names and dates about a bunch of dead people. History is a laboratory of how God has been working in the real lives of real people throughout the world and in a variety of different situations. It is a tutorial of how humans have succeeded and how we have failed. And if we pay attention to the lessons learned, it will help us to avoid the failures and imitate the successes.

This module will also give you an introduction to the ways that we can study history most profitably. There are many unhelpful ways, and there are some key ways that will help us to grow, not only in knowledge, but also in wisdom and success.

This module will also aid the student to work through how the lessons learned are applicable in their own life and ministry.

Introductory Scenario

Consider yourself and your own situation, (I trust that you can describe yourself better than I can), and that you are beginning to study Christian history. What are the benefits of doing so? What do you hope to get out of this kind of study? Do you think it will be worthwhile to do so? If so, how can you succeed in this endeavor and get the most out of your history study? Please consider these questions and be watching for material that will help you answer them as you work through this module.

Module Objectives and Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, the student will:

  • Favorably consider the necessity of and the means to study Christian History.
  • Articulate the reasons and benefits of studying history well, and from a Christian standpoint.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the benefits of studying and applying the principles and lessons learned from Christian history.
  • Place the major historical epochs covered in this course in a general chronology.

Instruction Guides

In this section, you'll find links to important instructional documents for this module. Click the following links to open each document. There is a set of instructions for individual study and a document for group study.

Supplemental Reading

The student will read the assigned supplementary reading found below. Think through the content of these articles and use the insights gained as part of your course material response and application reflection or discussion.

Textbook Content

In this section, you'll find a study guide for the textbook reading for module 1. And then you'll find the link to a practice quiz covering this textbook reading.

This section also contains a review quiz to test your understanding of the textbook material for this module. By clicking the banner below, you will be given a series of questions, in random order. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once.

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Gonzalez Textbook Quiz
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Textbook Review Quiz for Gonzalez ch. 2

Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the Submit button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.


What are the two ways that the Roman empire sought to bring unity?

Roman roads and persecution of Christians

Sorry, see Gonzalez pp. 19-22

Syncretism and emperor worship

Correct

Syncretism and common language

Sorry, see Gonzalez pp. 19-22

The power of their army and mandatory military service

Sorry, see Gonzalez pp. 19-22

The Septuagint was named from the belief that it was completed by 70 scholars

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 18
Drag to match each term with its definition
Syncretism
Platonism
Septuagint
Herod the Great
Maccabees
Alexander
Stoicism

The Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament

Macedonian leader who conquered most of the Mediterranean and the east and brought Greek culture to Palestine

Greek philosophy that taught wisdom is the ability to conform to the natural laws of the universe

Appointed King over the Jews by the Romans

Greek philosophy that taught there was one supreme being and the immortality of the soul

Jewish leaders who won independence from Greek rule

The indiscriminate mixing of element from various religions

Which is NOT true of the Jewish Diaspora?

The people kept their Jewish heritage

Sorry, see Gonzalez pp. 17-18

The people kept their Hebrew language

Well Done

It was the cause of the Septuagint

Sorry, see Gonzalez pp. 17-18

It extended to most Roman cities

Sorry, see Gonzalez pp. 17-18

It prepared for the spread of Christianity

Sorry, see Gonzalez pp. 17-18

Which teacher started the philosophy that eventually became known as Platonism?

Apatheia

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 22

Gamaliel

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 22

Herod the Great

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 22

Alexander

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 22

Socrates

Great Job


Lecture Content

In this section, you will find the video lectures for the introductory course material module. They are designed to be watched in order, but each video should make sense on its own. Click each banner to open access to each video. There are also links with each video if you prefer to watch on the Rumble or YouTube interface or download just the audio to listen offline.

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1a: Why Study History?
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1b: How to Learn from History
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Reviews

In this section, you will find the review slides from the course lectures for module 8. This is a convenient way to view and review the summaries for each lecture. Click the banner to open the slide show.

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Review Slideshow
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Click the prev. and next buttons (bottom right of the slide) to move through the slides. You can also click on any thumbnail to go directly to that slide.

Discussion/Reflection Questions

This section contains questions for further thought and discussion from Module 1. It is recommended that you take time to think through these issues in order to thoroughly grasp the significance and explore the application of the material you are learning. These questions can also be used as essay questions in a classroom setting exam. Below, you will find links to the Response and Application Reflection Instructions for Individuals, and the Response and Application Discussion Instructions for Groups. And you will find a link to the detailed question document for this module. Or Click the banner below to view the questions in a simplified format.

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Discussion/Application Questions
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The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:

  1. What is the point of the supplemental reading essay? How does it apply to history?
  2. Which goal(s) of studying history stood out and why?
  3. What kind of insights do we need? How can history help?
  4. Which issues can history help with? How?
  5. How do the idea of purpose and the iceberg analogy help us to understand history?
  6. Describe an example of bad history study. Why was it bad? What made it bad? How can you avoid doing this?
  7. Describe what good history study is like. How can you do it?
  8. What else did you learn? How does it apply?

(Optional) Timeline - Part 1

This section contains instructions for an optional Timeline activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.

Step One of the Timeline should include the following information:

  • The six general time periods covered by the historical overview document.
  • This is just a framework designating the approximate beginning and ending of each of the periods, which will be used in subsequent modules as a guideline for placing new information
  • Annotate any big picture summary information about each general period, and prepare a place to annotate why you think the period breaks were placed where they were (in other words, what event do you think caused a break from one general period to the next?). This information will be added in subsequent modules.

(Optional) Principles Chart - Part 1

This section contains instructions for an optional Principles Chart activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.

Step One of the Principles chart will, of necessity, be fairly general and light. But in subsequent modules, there will be plenty of opportunity to add to these principles and flesh them out in more detail.

It is suggested that the student begin this activity before watching the Guiding Principles portion of the lecture. Then the student may supplement their work after learning additional insights from the Guiding Principles.

Review Quiz

This section is a link to a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 1. By clicking the banner, you will be taken to a series of questions, in random order. Answer each question and then push the Submit button to check your answers. Every question must be answered before you can submit the quiz. At the end, you will be shown your score for the entire quiz. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once. Click the banner to begin the quiz.

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Quiz for Module 01
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Review Quiz for Module 01

Here is a review quiz for the material covered in this module's lectures. Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.


Looking at purpose is all we need to understand and evaluate history.

True

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

False

Good Job
We should learn general principles from history, based on good theology, and apply them with methods appropriate for our time and culture.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 01b
Just like we can get to know people by observing what they do, we can also know God better by observing what He has done in history?

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 01a
The question "Compared to what?" is a very helpful question in evaluating history.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 01b
A good purpose makes it ok to use bad methods

True

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

False

Correct
Some people have purposely distorted, downplayed, or rewritten history in order to take away people's heritage and personal identity

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 01a
What is the standard with which we should evaluate all history?

Our experience

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

Whether people were successful

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

God's revelation

Absolutely

The intended purpose of those involved

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

Our preferences

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

History is simple, and if we understand one factor, we have a sufficient understanding of history.

True

Sorry, see Lecture 01a

False

Good Job
According to the iceberg illustration, which of these is MOST fundamental, influencing all of the others?

Values

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

Worldview

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

Behavior

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

Beliefs

Sorry, see Lecture 01b

Theology

Well Done

Studying history helps us see the world from a different perspective.

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 01a

Module Completed!

Congratulations, you have reached the end of the first module. I hope that you have found it rewarding and have noticed personal growth.

I encourage you to continue on the next module as soon as is convenient. The button below will take you to Module 2.