Goal
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental beliefs, practices, and history of Christianity.
Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Understand the basic beliefs and practices of Christianity
- Identify key figures in Christian history
- Analyze the impact of Christianity on society and culture
- Compare and contrast Christianity to other world religions
Lesson Plan
Lesson 1: Introduction to Christianity
- Definition of Christianity
- The Bible as the holy book of Christianity
- Key beliefs and practices of Christianity
Lesson 2: The Life of Jesus
- Birth and childhood of Jesus
- Teachings of Jesus
- Crucifixion and Resurrection
Lesson 3: Early Church History
- The Apostles
- The spread of Christianity
- Persecution of Christians
Lesson 4: The Roman Catholic Church
- The structure of the Catholic Church
- The Pope and Vatican City
- Catholic traditions and practices
Lesson 5: Protestantism
- The origins of Protestantism
- Key figures in Protestant history
- Differences between the Catholic and Protestant Churches
Lesson 6: Eastern Orthodox Christianity
- The history of the Eastern Orthodox Church
- Orthodox Church doctrine
- The role of icons
Lesson 7: Christianity and Society
- Christianity's impact on art and literature
- Christianity's impact on science and education
- Christianity's impact on world events
Lesson 8: Christianity and Ethics
- Christian morality
- The Ten Commandments
- Contemporary ethical issues in Christianity
Lesson 9: Evangelism and Missionary Work
- The Great Commission
- Christian missions around the world
- Criticisms of missionary work
Lesson 10: The Bible
- Overview of the Old and New Testaments
- The role of the Bible in Christian life
- Interpretation of the Bible
Lesson 11: Christian Denominations
- Overview of major Christian denominations
- Differences in beliefs and practices
- Ecumenical movements in Christianity
Lesson 12: Christianity and Interfaith Relations
- Christianity and Judaism
- Christianity and Islam
- Christianity and other world religions
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated based on their class participation, assignments, quizzes, and a final exam.