LIB368
The Great Schism: Our Lost History
Almost a thousand years ago, the Christian world was torn into two halves. It was a pivotal moment that forever changed the way this religion was understood and practiced and left believers on both sides increasingly estranged and finally ignorant about each other. We will discuss these events in context, including doctrinal disputes among church officials and the decline of the Roman Empire, helping students to understand the very colourful personalities and politics behind a division that affects Christianity to this day.
A $50 discount will be applied automatically for adults 55+.
This course will be offered online on Fridays, Oct 25 - Nov 29, from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Overview
Location: Online
Format: Self-paced with weekly virtual class
Duration: 6 weeks
Tuition: $180
Can be applied to:
Liberal Arts for 55+ Certificate
Upcoming Offerings
- Fri, Oct 25, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time (virtual class)
- Fri, Nov 1, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time (virtual class)
- Fri, Nov 8, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time (virtual class)
- Fri, Nov 15, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time (virtual class)
- Fri, Nov 22, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time (virtual class)
- Fri, Nov 29, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time (virtual class)
Course outline
- Week 1: Christianity and the Roman Empire
How Christianity went from rebel underground community to official religion of the state. - Week 2: Fracture
Doctrinal disputes and decisions that shaped Christianity through church councils. - Week 3: The “pornocracy”
Some very badly behaved women and popes and their effect on papal authority. - Week 4
Pope John XII and the most bizarre Church Synod in history. - Week 5: Reform
Pope Leo XI and church discipline. - Week 6: Breaking point
The Nicene Creed, East/West politics and a rogue cardinal.
What you will learn
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- Identify key differences between Catholic and Orthodox Christianity
- Define the role of the Patriarch
- Define the role of bishops
- Explain why part of Roman history is called the “pornocracy”
- Explain why the Nicene Creed was contentious
How you will learn
- Participation in Zoom seminars
- Participation in written discussions with other students
- Academic and non-academic articles, and other online resources
- Reflective essay (applicable only to certificate students)
Learning Materials
No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.
Technical Requirements
For online courses, you will need a computer with audio and microphone that is connected to the internet. Canvas is the online system that will be used for the course. For more information and online support, visit Online Learning.