A chronological study, progressing from the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea to the Seventh Ecumenical Council. A heavy emphasis will be placed on the historical context and theological significance of each council and the era in which it took place. In addition to following the councils, course material provides data on understanding what a council is and how the church determines if it is ecumenical. Other councils will be examined such as the first council in Jerusalem.
Course Objectives
- Identify key themes and concepts that were debated in each of the seven Ecumenical Councils.
- Articulate the Orthodox Church’s position in each of the seven Ecumenical Councils.
- Understand the growth of the Church both within and outside the Roman Empire.
- Describe the major heresies of the first through the eighth centuries.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate their comprehension of and critical engagement with the material through active participation in class discussions.
- Students will further demonstrate their comprehension of and critical engagement with the course material through completion of written assignments.
Required Materials
Percival, Henry R., ed., The Seven Ecumenical Councils of the Undivided Church, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. XIV. (Available free online at https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.html. Also available as ebook from Amazon for $0.99 or as a paperback for $24.63.
St. Nektarios, Ecumenical Councils, Parts 1 and 2. Virgin Mary of Australia and Oceania, 2022. Available as ebooks on Amazon for $9.99 each.
Additional readings will be provided to the student as PDFs on the course site on LearnDash.
Only enrolled students can view materials.
