RS 91: Syllabus & Readings

All readings should be done before class on the day they are assigned; please bring all readings to class with you to facilitate discussions.

Items underlined in red are PDF files stored on Sakai; if you are not already logged in to Sakai, you will be asked to do so upon clicking the link. Items underlined in blue are available directly from the internet.

Any changes to the syllabus will be posted here (and a notice will be sent via email to the class).

Jan 21 (Wed.): Introductions

No readings

Jan 26 (Mon.): Classical models of religious difference and deviance

Reading: *George Zito, “Toward a Sociology of Heresy,” Sociological Analysis 44 (1983): 123-30; *Alexander Liazos, “The Poverty of the Sociology of Deviance: Nuts, Sluts, and Preverts,” Social Problems 20 (1972): 103-20; *Martin Marty, “Sects and Cults,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 1960 (322): 125-34

Jan 28 (Wed.): What (why) are orthodoxy and heresy?

Reading: Ehrman pp. 1-8, 163-180

Feb 2 (Mon.): Early Christians as religious deviants

Reading: Earliest Roman sources on Christianity; *Minucius Felix, “Octavius” (selection)

Feb 4 (Wed.): How early is heresy? Paul, Simon, and Christian Memory

Reading: 1 Corinthians; Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24; Hultgren pp. 15-31

Feb 9 (Mon.): “Parting Ways”: Jewish Christians, Christian Jews

Reading: Epistle of Barnabas; Hultgren 116-22; Ehrman 95-103

Feb 11 (Wed.): What Is(n’t) Gnosticism? Early (and modern) Heresiology

Reading: Hultgren 37-45, 82-97; *Karen King, What is Gnosticism? 5-38

Feb 16 (Mon.): Gnostic Theologies

Reading: Apocryphon of John; Ehrman 47-65, 113-34

Feb 18 (Wed.): Gnostic Desires

Reading: * James, Goehring, "Libertine or Liberated: Women in the So-called Libertine Gnostic Communities,” in Images of the Feminine in Gnosticism, 329-44; *Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels, chapter 3

Feb 23 (Mon.): Debate 1: Gnosis and Salvation

Resolved: Gnostic Christianities provided the best explanation and resolution to the problems of existence. Debate write up due by 12noon on March 3.

Feb 25 (Wed.): Radical Discontinuity: The Lure of Marcion

Reading: Hultgren 101-15; Ehrman 103-12

Mar 2 (Mon.): Authority and Desire: Apocalyptics and Ascetics

Reading: *Acts of Thecla; Hultgren 123-35; *Tertullian selections (On the Soul; On Baptism); Ehrman 29-46

Mar 4 (Wed.): The Tools of Orthodoxy

Reading: Ehrman 181-228; Tertullian, Prescription Against Heretics

Mar 9 (Mon.): The “Proto-Orthodox”: The Forgotten Heretics

Reading: Ehrman 135-57; 229-46

Mar 11 (Wed.): Midterm

Mar 16-18 (Mon.-Wed.): NO CLASS (Spring Break)

Mar 23 (Mon.): God in the World: Deviant Monotheism(s)

Reading: Hultgren 136-51; *Andrew B. McGowan, “Tertullian and the ‘Heretical’ Origins of the ‘Orthodox’ Trinity,” Journal of Early Christian Studies 14 (2006): 437-57

Mar 25 (Wed.): Trinity and Salvation: Arius and Athanasius

Reading: *“Introduction to Trinitarian Debates,” from Christianity in Late Antiquity, 300-450 C.E.; *Arius, Thalia; *Alexander of Alexandria, Letter to Alexander; Athanasius, On the Incarnation (selection); *Creed and Canons of Nicaea

Mar 30(Mon.): Heresy by Vote: Council and Canons

Reading: *“Introduction to Canons and Creeds,” from Christianity in Late Antiquity, 300-450 C.E.; *Canons of Elvira; *Council of Constantinople

Apr 1 (Wed.): Christ’s Nature(s)

Reading: *“Introduction to Christological Controversies,” from Christianity in Late Antiquity:, 300-450 C.E.; *Nestorius, Letter to Cyril; *Cyril, Third Letter to Nestorius; *Council of Chalcedon; Severus, Letter to Caesaria

Apr 6 (Mon.): Debate 2: God and Humanity

Resolved: Nicene-Chalcedonian “Orthodoxy” does not provide the best explanation for the relation between God, humanity, and salvation. Debate write up due by 12noon on April 14.

Apr 8 (Wed.): Heresiology as an Art Form: Meet Epiphanius

Reading: *Epiphanius, Panarion Proem I-II, Heresies 1-12; *Jeremy Schott, “Heresiology as Universal History in Epiphanius’s Panarion,” Zeitschrift für antikes Christentum/Journal of Ancient Christianity 10 (2007): 546-63

Apr 13 (Mon.): God’s Mother

Reading: *Epiphanius, Panarion 78-79; *Stephen J. Shoemaker, “Epiphanius of Salamis, the Kollyridians, and the Early Dormition Narratives: The Cult of the Virgin in the Fourth Century,” Journal of Early Christian Studies 16 (2008): 371-401

Apr 15 (Wed.): Good Monks, Bad Monks, Boy Monks, Girl Monks

Reading: *John Chrysostom, Treatises on “Spiritual Marriage”; *Blake Leyerle, “John Chrysostom on the Gaze,” Journal of Early Christian Studies 1 (1993): 159-74

Apr 20 (Mon.): Gender, Heresy, Violence, and Empire

Reading: *Virginia Burrus, “The Heretical Woman as Symbol in Alexander, Athanasius, Epiphanius, and Jerome,” Harvard Theological Review 84 (1991): 229-48; *Virginia Burrus, “Ascesis, Authority, and Texts: The Acts of the Council of Saragossa,” Semeia 58 (1992): 95-108; Cunctos Populos (Edict of Thessalonica)