Liberal Arts Level 7: Classics of Christendom History

Liberal Arts 7: Classics of Christendom HISTORY focuses on some of the most significant works, both East and West, spanning the millennium from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (476) to its fall in the East (1453). We will read histories, chronicles, lives of the saints, and theological controversies (History), as well as works of Christian theology, spirituality, poetry, prayer, philosophy, and imaginative fiction (Literature). As a course within the “Great Books” tradition of the classical liberal arts curriculum, most of class time will be spent discussing the primary texts, with the instructor providing supplementary contextual data where relevant.

Students will come away both with an understanding of this period’s major themes, figures, events, theology, and spirituality, as well as the ability to read the associated texts critically and analytically: How do we put together evidence into a coherent narrative? How can we make sense of the primary data? How and where can we see the Holy Spirit working in the life of the Church? What are the major themes and issues of the text? How does the author’s historical context inform these?

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. However, as this course covers both Orthodox and non-Orthodox texts, it is therefore is an exercise in understanding both oneself and others. The instructor will often encourage students to approach each text with a degree of empathy before evaluating it on its respective merits. Both History and Literature are designed to be complementary with one another. While this course can be taken on its own, it is intended to build directly upon Liberal Arts Level 7: Classics of Christendom LITERATURE.

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

High School Credit: This course is the equivalent of one high school credit in history.

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

Quarter 1

• The Life of St. Benedict (Early Christian Lives)
• Three Byzantine Saints: Contemporary Biographies of St. Daniel the Stylite, St. Theodore of Sykeon, and St. John the Almsgiver

Quarter 2

• Bede, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
• John of Damascus, On the Divine Images
• Photios the Great,_ The Mystagogy of the Holy Spirit_

Quarter 3

• _The Life of St. Constantine-Cyril _(Medieval Slavic Lives of Saints & Princes)
• _The Life of St. Methodius _(Medieval Slavic Lives of Saints & Princes)
• The Russian Primary Chronicle

Quarter 4

• Anna Komnene,_ The Alexiad_
• Bonaventure, The Life of St. Francis
• Gregory Palamas, _The Hagioritic Tome _(digital handout)
• Epiphanius the Wise, The Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh (digital handout)

• Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
• High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
• Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
• Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
• Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:
  1. Visit zoom.us/download.
  2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
  3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
  4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
• Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.