Course content

In this introductory course, students gain an overview of the historical development of Christianity and selected examples of its contemporary practice from a religious studies perspective. We study how Christianity began, how it changed through history, and how some of its traditions are lived today.

We ask questions such as:

• How did Christianity develop out of earlier religious traditions?
• Why and how did it change in different historical periods?
• How are Christian ideas and practices continued and reinterpreted in the present?

Our focus is on understanding Christianity in its social and historical contexts, mainly in Europe. We look at how people have interpreted their faith, organized their communities, and expressed their beliefs in art, ethics, and everyday life.

Teaching includes lectures (some in video format), thematic seminars, and guided excursions to local Christian communities to connect past and present forms of Christianity.

Learning outcome

According to the course curriculum, a candidate who passes this course is expected to have the following learning outcome (defined as knowledge, skills and general competence):

Knowledge

Students will:

• be familiar with the main stages in the history of Christianity, from its beginnings to today;
• understand that Christianity grew out of earlier religious traditions and existed alongside other religions, especially in Europe;
• understand how Christian beliefs and practices have changed over time;
• recognize that ideas of "true" and "false" belief have differed across historical and cultural contexts;
• understand that Christianity is not uniform but expressed in diverse ways.

Skills

Students will be able to:

• describe and discuss examples of Christian belief, practice, and organization using perspectives from the course, such as change and continuity, orthodoxy versus heresy, and doctrine versus lived ("vernacular") religion;
• compare different understandings of Christian belief and practice, place them in their historical and cultural contexts, and explain why they may be contested;
• use course materials to reflect on how Christianity has been interpreted and has changed across different times and settings;
• read and reflect on historical and contemporary sources about Christianity from an outside perspective;
• present academic knowledge about past or present understandings of Jesus/Christ in different medial formats to a general audience;
• participate in and reflect on guided field visits to Christian communities, using basic ethnographic observation to connect historical perspectives with contemporary religious practice.

General competences

Students will:

• have acquired basic knowledge about Christianity and its study, enabling them to continue studying Christianity in more advanced courses and to develop their own areas of interest within religious studies;
• be able to read and reflect on different types of texts about Christianity, including primary sources (historical or contemporary material) and secondary literature (academic interpretations), using suitable reading strategies to understand their aims, authorship, and key ideas;
• have experience in planning and completing structured student assignments, including a short video project and a written essay developed through successive stages.

Learning methods and activities

Teaching consists of lectures and seminars and includes digital learning components. Some lectures are provided as videos, and seminars involve group work and discussion. The course also includes guided visits e.g., to the Nidaros Cathedral and several Christian and related communities.

To qualify for the exam, students must complete and have approved two assignments: a short video presentation and an accompanying written script. For detailed information on the obligatory activities, see Canvas.

The obligatory activity can only be approved in the semester when the course is taught, but it remains valid for the following semester. Obligatory activities that are more than two semesters old must be reassessed for alignment with current requirements.

Compulsory assignments

• Approved video submission and script

Required previous knowledge

None.

Course materials

The required reading list will be available at the beginning of the semester.

Credit reductions