History of Christianity
The Department of Theology provides a congenial setting for the study of the history of Christianity in all its rich complexity. Reflecting the diversity of methods and interests of the faculty, a sampling of doctoral seminars from recent years would include:
- the medieval Jewish-Christian encounter
- religious pilgrimage
- asceticism
- theologies of Aquinas, Augustine, Luther, and Origen, among others
Special strengths of the program in the history of Christianity include the interpretation of scripture prior to the modern period, spirituality, and doctrine and theological method from the early period through the Reformation.
“I tend to gravitate towards doctrines that seem inexplicable, and I try to understand what motivated the early Christians to formulate these doctrines in just these ways."
— Khaled Anatolios, John A. O'Brien Professor of Theology
Students who major in the history of Christianity normally concentrate in their course work and candidacy examinations on two of the following periods of Christian history, in any combination: early, medieval, Reformation & modern. In the first two years of residence, the student takes courses in the major, evenly divided between the two periods.
While the majority of these courses are taken with the faculty in the Department of Theology, students are encouraged to take appropriate courses offered by historians of Christianity affiliated with other departments in the University. Students are also required to take some courses outside their field.
Admission to the history of Christianity program has in recent years been increasingly competitive. Entering students should already have made significant progress in the study of languages needed for serious historical research; introductory language work while in residence will be in addition to the normal course load.
Library holdings are especially strong in the early and medieval periods. Most of the reference and research tools crucial for the investigation of early and medieval Christianity are housed in the Medieval Institute, located on the seventh floor of the Hesburgh Library.
Faculty
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Khaled Anatolios
John A. O'Brien Professor of Theology
History of Christianity, Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity
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Ann W. Astell
Professor
History of Christianity
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Yury P. Avvakumov
Associate Professor
History of Christianity
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Jeremy Phillip Brown
Assistant Professor
History of Christianity
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Catherine Cavadini
Associate Teaching Professor
History of Christianity
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John C. Cavadini
Professor
History of Christianity, Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity
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Brian Daley, SJ
Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology, Emeritus
History of Christianity, Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity
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Margot Fassler
Keough-Hesburgh Professor of Music History and Liturgy
Liturgical Studies, History of Christianity
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Robin Jensen
Patrick O'Brien Professor of Theology
History of Christianity, Liturgical Studies
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Paul Kollman
Associate Professor
World Religions and World Church, History of Christianity
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Ulrich L. Lehner
William K. Warren Professor
History of Christianity
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Timothy Matovina
Professor
History of Christianity
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Cyril O'Regan
Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology
Systematic Theology, History of Christianity
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Gabriel Reynolds
Jerome J. Crowley and Rosaleen G. Crowley Professor of Theology
World Religions and World Church, History of Christianity
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Alexis Torrance
Archbishop Demetrios Associate Professor of Byzantine Theology
History of Christianity
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Joseph Wawrykow
Professor
History of Christianity