HS 101/101-O History of Christianity I

This course gives an overview of the history of Christianity from the apostolic period to the eve of the Reformation. Topics addressed include theoretical issues in studying the history of Christianity, early Christianity, the Constantinian shift, Augustine’s influence, asceticism, the Middle Ages, Medieval lay piety and dissent, monastic orders, the papacy and the beginnings of the Renaissance.
3 semester hours.

HS 102/102-O History of Christianity II

The course continues the overview of the history of Christianity from the Reformation to the present. Topics of study include the Magisterial Reformation, the Radical Reformation, Roman Catholic reform, Protestant Orthodoxy, Pietism, and the Evangelical Awakening, the impact of Enlightenment rationalism, missionary expansion, Protestant liberalism and fundamentalism, the ecumenical movement, Christianity in developing countries and the Christian decline in the industrialized West.
3 semester hours.

HS 103/103-O American Religious History

This introductory course studies the roles of major churches in the development of American culture and society, their roots both in this continent and on others, and links to the frontier, the Civil War, industrialism, and urbanization; also an examination of persons and books from such movements as the Awakenings, Revival Movement, liberalism, fundamentalism, the Social Gospel, and current standpoints.
3 semester hours.

HS 107 Quaker History and Literature

This course aims to provide a student with a comprehensive and useful overview of Quaker history by acquainting them with diverse forms of Quaker literature. How can it be that our experience and understanding of Quakerism is shaped, or should be shaped, through an encounter with a range of Quaker primary source literature, both in terms of genre and in terms of historical period? This course also aims to introduce the student to a superb resource unavailable to previous generations of Quaker scholars, that of ESR’s on-line Digital Quaker Collection.
3 semester hours.

HS 250 Creation of Modern Quaker Diversity

Part of a survey of the two main traditions in the contemporary Society of Friends, this course explores the historical and theological development of Evangelical Quakerism. It seeks to relate evangelical principles to early Quaker doctrine and practices, and also other contemporary developments of the Quaker tradition. This necessarily involves an examination of certain particular concerns within the evangelical churches and an attempt to chart the boundary between Quaker evangelicalism and other expressions of this type of Christianity.
3 semester hours.

HS 341  Directed Readings In Denominational Polity

Non-Quaker students may develop a directed reading course under the guidance of an approved supervisor from their denominational tradition or a regular member of the ESR faculty. The purpose of this course is to better acquaint students with the history, theology, and polity of their respective judicatories.
3 semester hours.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

HS 342 History of Christian Spirituality

The course is designed to engage students in a critical, yet experiential dialogue with a rich history, as well as to enable students to draw from that tradition for their own spiritual formation and ministry. In particular, it is hoped that students will get a sense for the variety of mystical and spiritual voices in the global history of Christianity—those voices esteemed as “classic” and those marginalized or ignored.
3 semester hours.
Prerequisite: HS 101/101-O or HS 102/102-O

HS 351 History of Friends Peace Witness

This course studies the responses of the Society of Friends to peace and justice issues past and present. What is sought is the history of the actual Quaker practice during such conflicts as well as what Quakers said about their practice. Examples of such issues would be war, slavery, sexism and oppression of women and people of color. We will also look at the methodological issues present in the historical analysis of those practices, as presented by Quaker historians such as Rufus Jones, Hugh Barbour, John Punshon, Peter Brock, and Wilmer Cooper.
3 semester hours.
Prerequisite: A course in Quaker Studies

HS 390/390-O/390-T  Seminar In Historical Studies

Upper level seminar work on selected topics. Focus primarily falls on the Patristic period and Reformation. Seminar work deals with people such as Augustine or Luther and topics such as ascetical theology, Christology, or sacraments.
3 semester hours.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor

HS 400  Independent Study

See BS 400.

HS 500  Master’s Thesis

See BS 500.