Forgotten Friends: The Life and Thought of the Church Fathers
COURSE OUTLINE
Each week there will be a short lecture on the topic that builds upon the readings from Bryan Litfin, Getting to Know the Church Fathers. An Evangelical Introduction. Then we will discuss the provocative questions raised by Litfin at the end of each chapter. Please read those questions each week and come prepared to discuss them. The class discussion will be much more enriching if everyone has read the book and reflected on its content before class.
REVISED NOVEMBER 7
| Date | Lecture and Discussion Topic | Weekly Readings |
| WK 1 9/24 | The World of the Early Church
Why study the Church Fathers? |
Litfin, Introduction, 1-19. |
| WK 2
10/1 |
NO CLASS | |
| WK 3
10/8 |
Ignatius of Antioch | Litfin, 21-40. |
| WK 4
10/15 |
Justin Martyr | Litfin, 41-59.
Justin’s Life as a philosopher https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.iv.ii.html Justin’s conversion https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.iv.iii.html The Martyrdom of the Holy Martyrs Justin.ANF1
|
| WK 5
10/22 |
Irenaeus of Lyons | Litfin, 61-80. |
| WK 6
10/29 |
Class Canceled – instructor is sick | |
| WK 7
11/5 |
Tertullian and Perpetua of Carthage
|
Litfin, 81-118.
|
| WK 8
11/12 |
Origen of Alexandria
|
Litfin, 119-140.
Origen on Prayer (the concluding section to his book) Origen, Preface to On First Principles (has a summary of the Rule of Faith and insights into his methodology)
|
| WK 9
11/19 |
Athanasius of Alexandria
|
Litfin, 141-162. |
| WK 10
11/26 |
John Chrysostom
|
Litfin, 187-209.
|
| WK 11
12/3 |
Augustine of Hippo | Litfin, 209-230. |