Early & Medieval Christianity

Michael Windsor

SUMMER 2024 | 3 CREDIT HOURS | RESIDENT ONLY

This course surveys the history of Christianity from the time of the early "church fathers" (ca. 100 A.D.) to the pre-Reformation era (ca. 1500 A.D.)  3 credit hours.

Majors epochs that will be covered include:

• The Patristic Era (Church Fathers)
• The rise of heterodoxy and the church councils
• The development of the Roman Catholic Church and the course of papal power
• “Back-to-the-Bible” movements (e.g. Donatism, Bogomils, Waldenses)
• The rise of universities and scholasticism
• Significant pre-Reformation reformers (Wycliffe, Hus, Savonarola)

Learning Outcomes

 It is expected that this course will result in the student

• Extending his knowledge of church history
• Thinking through the ecclesiastical and doctrinal developments of the era
• Making contemporary applications to potential ministry situations
• Demonstrating historical research skills

• Course Professor
• Course Requirements
• Course Textbooks

Michael H. Windsor is the Professor of Church History and the Director of Library Services at Virginia Beach Theological Seminary, where he has taught since 1996.. Read more....

Dr. Windsor can be contacted at

25% – Course Reading (1500 pages)
25% – Book Critique (5-6 page review of required textbook)
50% – Research Paper (12 page research paper)

• Church History: from Christ to Pre-Reformation
• Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History

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