Telling History: Introduction to Church History (CH1001Z)

Content

To read history is to meet people from the past through the stories they told, the objects they lived with, and the art they created. Telling History introduces students to Christian history through four broad case studies spanning two millennia. Along the way, students build foundational historical literacy and academic skills — including source analysis, interpretation, contextualisation, oral presentation, and essay writing — as they explore how historical narratives shape our understanding of church, faith, and community. The unit also prepares students for further study in Church History and related fields in the humanities.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

This unit is a prerequisite for second and third-year units in Church History.

Pedagogy

This unit uses a flipped learning model supported by direct instruction, collaborative learning, and guided inquiry. It is offered on-campus, online, and in hybrid modes. Students engage with preparatory materials and participate in tutorials that develop foundational historical literacy through guided reading, structured discussion, and scaffolded assessment tasks. At Level 1, learning activities support the development of foundational historical skills through guided reading, discussion, and structured assessment tasks

Indicative Bibliography

1. Arnold, John. History: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2000.

2. Fea, John, Jay Green, and Eric Miller. Confessing History: Explorations in Christian Faith and the Historian's Vocation. University of Notre Dame Press, 2010.

3. MacCulloch, Diarmaid. A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. Allen Lane, 2009.

4. Pettersen, Alvyn. The Second-Century Apologists. Cascade Books, 2020.

5. Asbridge, Thomas S. The First Crusade: A New History. Oxford University Press, 2004.

6. Nicholson, Helen J. Women and the Crusades. Oxford University Press, 2023.

7. Numbers, Ronald N. Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion. Harvard University Press, 2009.

8. Ferngren, Gary B., ed. Science and Religion: A Historical Introduction. 2nd ed. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017.

9. Sanneh, Lamin. Disciples of All Nations. Oxford University Press, 2007.

10. Cruickshank, Joanna, and Patricia Grimshaw. White Women, Aboriginal Missions and Australian Settler Governments. Studies in Christian Mission 56. Brill, 2019.

Assessment