Module 4: Early Apologists
Hi everyone, and welcome to the fourth module of the History of Christianity 1 Course. In this section, we'll be looking at the challenges faced by the early church and the responses given by early leaders. Because these responses are accurately called apologies
or apologetics
based on the meanings of these terms given in this module, these early leaders have been termed apologists.
This module will help you to understand the various challenges of the early church, both from the surrounding culture, and from destructive ideas infiltrating the church itself. And you will examine how the church responded, examining both helpful, and some unhelpful responses, in order to learn some principles that can be applied in your own culture.
The student will have opportunity to evaluate the longer-term effects of these movements, approaches, and practices, and the lessons that can be learned from the early church. This module will also aid the student to work through how the lessons learned are applicable in their own life and ministry.
Introductory Scenario
Imagine that you regularly interact with people who believe things dramatically different than you believe about central aspects of reality, morality, and the meaning of human life. How could you test and be sure that what you believe is more true and better than the other options? If you have excellent reasons for believing your views are correct, how could you best convince others of this? What tools and methods can you use? How can you protect yourself from making mistakes in what you believe? 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:
- Describe the history of various challenges to the early church, and the various ways the early apologists and other leaders responded to those challenges.
- Understand the three main approaches to apologetics in that period, and their different attitudes toward pagan philosophies.
- Evaluate the two overall approaches toward theology demonstrated in the different apologetic strategies, and how this principle applies to current theology and apologetics.
- Articulate the
Two Principles,
why they are important for modern Christians, and how they apply in current situations. - Describe a few examples of early false teachings, and how the faithful church responded to them.
- Place the major people and issues from this period 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.
Textbook Content
In this section, you'll find a study guide for the textbook reading for module 4. 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.
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.
Lecture Content
In this section, you will find the video lectures for the Early Apologists & Leaders module. Click the banner to open access to the 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.
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.
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 4. 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.
The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:
- How should the church interact with the surrounding culture? How does it apply?
- How did the early apologists defend the truth of Christ? What can we learn from them?
- Do you agree with the two Principles? Why or why not? How does this apply?
- What else did you learn? How does it apply?
(Optional) Timeline - Part 4
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 Four of the Timeline should include the following information:
- The main apologists and their writings.
- Other significant leaders from this general period.
- The main false teachings and teachers, and the responses made by the church.
Annotate any significant approaches, ideas and principles from the early apologists, and from the responses to false teachings, which were influential on the early church, and which are applicable to the current church and Christian life.
(Optional) Principles Chart - Part 4
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 Four of the Principles Chart will add any important principles noted from the history of the early opposition and false teachings, and the various responses of the apologists and the church as a whole.
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.
(Optional) Term Project - Research
The student will begin locating relevant resources and researching about their chosen topic for their term project. The student should read the research of reputable historians (hopefully at least some writing from a faithful Christian world view). But, as much as possible, the student should also read primary sources, to learn firsthand the views and experiences of the people involved in those things. The course textbook the course bibliography, the course lectures, and the primary resource reading lists are good places to start for finding quality resources.
Below is a link to detailed instructions for the entire project.
Primary Source Reading
This section contains instructions and resources for the Primary Source Reading activity. The student should read a minimum of 10-20 pages from a primary resource or resources discussed in this module's lecture and write or discuss a brief response to their reading. Below is a link to detailed instructions for the Primary Source Reading, which contain a list of recommended resources, by module. And click the banner below to access a list of recommended resources with links to where they may be found.
The following is a list of the recommended primary sources for this module. This list contains links to the resources in print and/or online format. These links may change, so feel free to search for other sources for these same titles. In addition, please do not feel you are limited only to this list. Feel free to choose from any primary source from the period and topic covered in this module:
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Dialogue with Trypho,Print ISBN: 978-0985604530, or 978-0813215525Online: Early Christian Writings, ccel.org, NewAdvent.org, or logoslibrary.org.
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Discourse to the Greeks,Print ISBN: 978-0985604530, 978-0813215525, or 978-1602064690Online: Early Christin Writings, NewAdvent.org, or ccel.org.
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First Apology,Print ISBN: 978-0985604530, 978-0809104727, 978-1597526036, 978-0985604530, 978-0813215525, or 978-1602064690Online: Early Christian Writings, or ccel.org.
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Second Apology,Print ISBN: 978-0985604530, 978-0809104727, 978-1597526036, 978-0985604530, 978-0813215525, or 978-1602064690Online: Early Christian Writings, or ccel.org.
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On the Resurrection,Online: Early Christian Writings
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Address to the Greeks,Print ISBN: 978-1602064713Online: Early Christian Writings
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Apology,Print ISBN: 978-1643730783Online: Early Christian Writings, ccel.org
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Answer to the Jews,Print ISBN: 978-1643731025Online: Early Christian Writings, ccel.org
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Against Marcion,
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Prescription Against Heretics,Print ISBN: 978-1643731056Online: Early Christian Writings, or ccel.org.
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Against Heresies,Print ISBN: 978-0985604530, 978-0809105991, 978-0809106264, or 978-1608996247
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The Refutation of All Heresies,Online: ccel.org
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Against Celsus,Online: Book 1 - Early Christian Writings, Book 2 - Early Christian Writings, Book 3 - Early Christian Writings, Book 4 - Early Christian Writings, Book 5 - Early Christian Writings, Book 6 - Early Christian Writings, Book 7 - Early Christian Writings, Book 8 - Early Christian Writings, or ccel.org.
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Documents Illustrating the History of the Church to AD337 - sections, 4, 5 & 6, ,Print ISBN: 978-0801039713
Review Quiz
This section is a link to a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 4. 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.
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.
Module Completed!
Congratulations, you have reached the end of the fourth 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 5.
