Requirements: Students are expected to participate in all course activities which means being present and playing an active role at the scheduled lessons and completing assignments outside of classes. If participants miss lessons, they may be required to do extra assignments to fulfil the participation requirements of the course. 80% attendance and participation (completion of tasks) are necessary for the course to be considered complete.
Overview
The history of the Church is a history of its faith. It is impossible to fully understand the dogmas and practices of the Orthodox Church without knowing how they emerged and developed throughout history and impossible to speak about the history of the Church without mentioning dogmas, traditions, the church fathers and their teaching, church councils, etc. Therefore, learning about church history can provide a better understanding of our Christian identity. In addition, better knowledge of history can lead to a better understanding of the divisions and contemporary problems in the present-day Orthodox Church.
This course aims to familiarize students with the most significant individuals and events from church history. The first part of the course is a general overview of the history of Christianity. Since the history of Orthodox churches is often intertwined with national histories, the second part focuses more on the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Learning outcomes
- Describe and reflect, individually and together with other participants, on the teaching material and develop a willingness to be challenged by new perspectives and positions.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of the history of the Eastern Orthodox Church with a specific focus on the Serbian Orthodox Church, her history and tradition.
- Based upon the experience of the participants, be able to reflect on the challenges and opportunities of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the former Yugoslavia and Diaspora now and in the future.
- Identify the most important sources of the Serbian Orthodox Theological tradition and describe its relevance for today.
- Actively contribute in building an open and inclusive learning environment, through positive relationships, effective communication, and collaboration.
