Liberal Arts Level 8: Modern Classics of Christendom (16th Century and Beyond)

This course will cover some of the most significant modern Christian classics, both East and West, following the fall of Constantinople (1453) to the present day, including the European Reformations, the religious revival of modern Greece, and the rise of the Russian spiritual novel.

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.

View Liberal Arts Curriculum Map

Quarter 1

• Nil Sorsky, Predanie; Ustav
• Desiderius Erasmus, Praise of Folly
• Thomas More, Utopia
• Martin Luther, Freedom of a Christian

Quarter 2

• Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises
• John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul
• William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Quarter 3

• John Milton, Paradise Lost
• Mikitish ed., _Jesus Crucified: The Baroque Spirituality of St Dimitri of Rostov _
• Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain, A Handbook of Spiritual Counsel

Quarter 4

• Zaranko trans, The Way of a Pilgrim
• Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes From Underground
• Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilyich
• Alexander Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

• 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.