The Christian Tradition

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The Christian Tradition

• by Alan F. Segal and Willard G. Oxtoby

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• Throughout the Christian world the year reaches a
  climax in late December, when the Christmas
  season marks the birth of Jesus in Israel
  approximately 2,000 years ago
• Christians see Jesus as the manifestation of
  divine nature and purpose in a human life and
  believe that through him God has reached out to
  conquer humanitys weaknesses

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• To identify oneself as a Christian is to declare
  Jesus lord and saviour of the world
• The heavy emphasis that Christians place on this
  declaration is crucial for understanding
  Christianitys function as a religions tradition
• To be Christian involves making a commitment of
  faith express in ones conduct as an
  affirmation of doctrine

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Origins

• The Gospels
• Mark
• Luke
• Matthew
• John

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• From Sect to Church
• Paul
• Marcion
• The Gnostics

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Crystallization

• The Early Church
• The Ascetic Tradition
• Roman Persecution
• Constantine
• Doctrinal Issues
• The Trinity

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• Two Christian Worlds Byzantium and Rome
• The Greek Orthodox Tradition
• Christianizing the Slavs
• The Iconoclastic Controversy
• The Latin Tradition
• The Papacy
• Augustine

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• Medieval Christianity
• The Monastic Tradition
• Cluniac Fathers
• Cistercians
• Carthusians
• Mendicant Orders
• Franciscans
• Dominicans
• Carmelites

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• The Crusades
• Beliefs and Doctrines
• Sainthood
• The Figure of Mary
• Pilgrimages and Relics
• The Problem of Evil
• Sin, Heresy, and Witchcraft

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• Scholastic Philosophy
• Anselm
• Thomas Aquinas
• Mysticism

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Differentiation

• The Protestant Reform
• Martin Luther
• Branches of Protestantism Sixteenth Century
• Luthernism
• Anglicanism
• Calvinism
• Anabaptists
• Unitarianism
• Puritanism

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• Protestant Denominations Seventeenth Century
• Congregationalism
• Baptists
• Quakers
• Protestant Denominations Eighteenth Century
• Pietism
• Methodism
• Revivalism

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• Roman Catholicism after 1500
• The Catholic (Counter-) Reformation
• The Council of Trent
• The Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
• The Ursulines
• Catholic Missions
• India
• Japan
• China

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• Central and South America
• North America

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Practice

• Worship
• Prayer
• The Rosary
• The Eucharist
• Baptism
• The Christian Year
• Christmas
• Easter

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Cultural Expressions

• Medieval Church Architecture
• Protestant Art and Music

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Interaction and Adaptation

• The Modern Era
• Philosophy and Christianity
• Protestantism after 1800
• Protestant Missions and Colonialism
• New American Denominations
• Disciples of Christ
• Seventh-Day Adventist

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• Jehovahs Witness
• Christian Scientists
• Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
  Saints)
• Holiness Churches
• Pentecostal Churches
• Evangelicals and Fundamentalists

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• The Second Vatican Council
• Ecumenism
• Twentieth-Century Theology
• Women and Gender
• Christianity and Pluralism