Course
Course Name: MES308 Ancient Judaism and the Origins of Christianity
Description: This course, open to students from all religious backgrounds, examines the social, cultural, intellectual and historic conditions which surrounded the birth of Christianity. Topics include the historical and geographic background out of which the new religion arose, the Jewish background, the figure of Jesus Christ, the figure of Paul, the formation of the Gospels, the formation of the "canon", persecutions and growth, the achievement of a critical mass, the early fathers of the church, the impact of the barbarian invasions and the fall of Rome, the rise of the triumphant church in the early Middle Ages, and the impact of Mohammed and the birth of Islam. Cross-listed with JSP/REL 308. Includes a 5-day study tour to Rome with a course fee of $955 (2013-14 fee) billed from Syracuse.
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Credits: 3