HIST/RELS 3334

HIST 3334-Christian Europe, 450-1750

The subject of this course is the development of various Christian traditions in Europe from the early middle ages to the Enlightenment. The subject of the course is not theology—the study of God—but history of religion—the study of the practice of Christianity in a specific time period, and the contexts of that practice.

REQUIRED BOOKS FOR HIST 3334, SPRING 2010:

Benedict of Nursia. The Rule of St. Benedict in English. ISBN 0-8146-1272-5.

Clark, Mary T., ed. An Aquinas Reader. Revised edition. ISBN 0-8232-2029-X.

Luther, Martin. Three Treatises. ISBN 0-8006-1639-1.

Madden, Thomas F., ed. The Crusades: Essential Readings. ISBN 0-6312-3023-8.

Websites as indicated on the syllabus.

Some websites you may find of interest are the following:

http://www.europeandrama.net/ has a dramatization of the Machiavelli play "The Mandrake Root," set in Sassari instead of Florence.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28435 is a satirical look at the themes in Machiavelli's The Prince.

NOTE ON STUDYING PRACTICES:

You must find your own way of studying. The Academic Success Center or your professors can help you, but studying is individual. Perhaps the worst way to study, regardless of your talents and interests, is to find a definition somewhere, memorize it, and print it as you found it. Why is this the worst way to study?

1. because you have memorized something in order to do something else, and will promptly forget it. Studying means really learning something.

2. because you will never in my class and in most other classes get credit for something you did not do. The people who wrote the textbook get an “A.” If you use their words, they still get an “A,” and you get a zero.

3. because the study sites on the web—everything from encyclopedia sites to studystack.com and related sites—rarely ask for the exact same information that your professors will. In other words, you’re unlikely to get full credit even if your professor does not notice.

4. because these study sites on the web are vulnerable to attack and misinformation.

5. because it teaches you bad habits, laziness, and dishonesty.

Please keep a copy of your syllabus, and any updates or corrections distributed in class, handy at all times. It has dates for assignments and exams; information on what is required in class meetings; tips on how to take notes; an explanation of the "no extra credit in this class" policy; the grade distribution; and other relevant information. If you lose your syllabus, you may print a copy from GeorgiaVIEW door at any time.

I use many images and graphics from websites in my class; although the WorldWideWeb changes at a very fast pace, it is a very interesting place to explore history. Just be sure that you are aware of all the misinformation and disinformation out there. Do not trust websites that are not signed and dated; do not trust "information only available here" without at least a few questions. You can, after all, find everything out there, true or not, and so you should be careful and skeptical.

Here are some of the websites from which I've found maps, charts, graphics, etc.:

http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html

http://faculty.cua.edu/pennington/

http://www.euratlas.com/

http://www.roman-empire.net/

http://www.fsmitha.com/

This site was last edited on January 11, 2010.