Liberal Arts Level 7: Classics of Christendom Literature

This course will cover some of the most significant Classics of Christian Literature, both East and West, beginning with the early 5th century and ending with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. We will read works of Christian theology, spirituality, poetry, prayer, philosophy, and imaginative fiction from this extremely important (but sometimes overlooked and/or misunderstood) period.

Students will come away with an understanding both of the historical emergence of Christian theology and spirituality, as well as develop the skills necessary to read these texts “literarily”: What are the major themes and issues of the text? How does the author’s historical context inform these? How do we see the Holy Spirit working through these texts in the life of the Church? As a course within the classical “Great Books” tradition of the liberal arts curriculum, most of class time will be spent discussing the primary texts, with the instructor providing supplementary contextual data where relevant; optional secondary sources are also available to be read concurrently with the primary.

As a course within St. Raphael School, non-Orthodox students are welcome to enroll, but with the understanding that the instructor will approach the material from an explicitly Eastern Orthodox perspective, and will therefore at times need to be critical of, although not uncharitable to, the non-Orthodox materials. Literary thinking begins with understanding, not prejudice, and thus the instructor will often encourage students to read each text with empathy before rushing to evaluate whether it is “right” or “wrong.” This class can be taken by itself, but it is designed to be taken together with its sister course, Liberal Arts Level 7: Classics of Christendom History, in a back-to-back block. Students who enroll in both courses will receive a discount on tuition.

This course focuses on literature, but also integrates some study of medieval and Renaissance history, helping students to see and enjoy the integration of both history and literature. In this upper-school course, students will seek and examine the virtue and wisdom in a selection of the Great Books, while also noting the ways in which the authors influence one another and participate in the Great Conversation of Western civilization.

Students are asked to consider and engage with carefully crafted questions as their window into the Great Conversation. Occasionally, the teacher will present historical context through brief lectures, but otherwise, classes are seminar-style discussions on the classical texts. Students are assessed for their curiosity, participation, and diligence during discussions, as well as by means of short response papers, essays, and occasional quizzes.

This class is paired with our high school course Liberal Arts Level 7: Classics of Christendom History, taught by the same teacher and scheduled back to back with that course in a “block.” Students who take both courses receive a discount. This course may also be taken as a standalone literature study.

Placement: Please read about our new process above.

This course is suitable for rising 11th–12th graders. Students are expected to have strong reading and writing skills as well as an interest in and capacity for engaging in discussion about literature and history. Students enrolling in this course are expected to:

• Read at or above a 10th-grade level
• Compose paragraphs and basic essays with confidence
• Use a planner and track assignment progress
• Listen, take notes, and be willing to engage in group discussions (extroversion not required!)
• Type well enough to transcribe paragraphs without frustration
• Possess basic computer skills—browsing, accessing assignments, scanning, e-mailing, and managing files without significant help from parents
• Have some exposure to medieval history and have taken a course in the Great Books of antiquity

How much time will students spend on homework?
This varies according to each student’s pace. However, students are assigned approximately 1.5–2.5 hours of reading each week. Additional time may be required to supplement their own studying and paper or project development.

View Liberal Arts Curriculum Map