History of Christianity Primary Texts

RE 315 History of Christianity I

Primary texts for Fall Term 2007 Dr. Kleinhans

Readings for Unit I Readings for Unit II Readings for Unit III

Click here for links to other primary source documents.

For 9/10 Christianity and Its Environment

Pliny's correspondence with Trajan, ca. 111-113 A.D.

Perpetua: The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, 203 A.D.

Optional (if you want to learn more about the legalization of Christianity)

"Conversion" of Constantine, as reported by Eusebius

Edicts of Toleration 311/313 A.D.

The Theodosian Code: excerpt 1 and excerpt 2

For 9/17 The Meaning of "Canon"

Various canon lists

The Vincentian Canon, 434 A.D

Canons of the Council of Nicea, 325 A.D.

Optional (if you want to learn more about Arianism)

Arius' views: Letter to Alexander and Alexander's Deposition of Arius

For 9/26

Augustine excerpts:

From "On Christian Doctrine"

Read chapters 3, 4, 5, 22 of Book I

From "On the Trinity"

Read enough to get an understanding of (1) how Augustine understands the Trinity and (2) how he understands humans as created in the image of the Trinity
From "City of God"

The Christological Definition of the Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D.

Readings for Unit II

For Mon 10/1

Leo I and Attila

Leo I, Petrine Doctrine (also known as "papal primacy")

Conversion of Clovis

Dagobert's Grant to Saint Denis

For Fri 10/5

In Defense of Icons, John of Damascus, ca. 730 A.D.

Iconoclast Council of Constantinople, 754 A.D.

Second Council of Nicea: Decree on Icons, 787 A.D.

For Mon 10/8

"The Donation of Constantine" (ca 750-800)

Gregory VII, Dictatus Papae (1090)

For Mon 10/15

Pope Urban II's speech at the Council of Clermont, 1095 A.D.

For Mon 10/17

Anselm (1033-1109), Cur Deus Homo ("Why God Became Man")

Read Preface, chapters I, XX and XXIV in Book I, and chapters VI-VII in Book II

Arguments for the Existence of God: Anselm and Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

For Mon 10/22

St. Francis (1182-1226): Canticle of the Sun (skip over the Italian to get to the English translation)
Rule of Franciscan order Compare to Rule of Benedict, which you read earlier in the term.

John Wycliffe, condemnation and reply, 1382 and 1384

For Weds 10/31

Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctum (1302)

Introduction to Day 1 of Boccaccio's Decameron

Petrarch, Letter Criticizing the Avignon Papacy

Unit III

For Mon 11/12

Martin Luther's "Reformation breakthrough"

Martin Luther's 95 Theses

Martin Luther's definition of faith

For Fri 11/16

The Schleitheim Confession, 1527