James Korthals

A list of satellite courses offered by Prof. James Korthals:

Medieval Monasticism
Monasticism is one of the central institutions of medieval Europe. This course will deal with the origins of Christian monasticism in the third century and trace its development down to the advent of the friars in the thirteenth. The following topics will receive attention: the appeal of asceticism in late antique society, the role of the monasteries in the preservation of European civilization, the social, economic, and political impact of Benedictine monasticism on the development of western Europe, and the progressive reforms of this institution from Benedict to Francis. In our exploration of monasticism we will rely heavily on primary sources, especially saints' lives and monastic rules, in an effort to understand how monasticism influenced, and was influenced by, the major historical currents of this crucial millennium in European history.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 5-10 hours

Zwingli and Calvin
In the sixteenth century, Switzerland was as much in need of spiritual reform as was Germany. The Swiss Reformation paralleled the German Reformation. When Martin Luther began his reforming activities in Germany, Ulrich Zwingli was starting a reformation in Zürich. After Zwingli died in battle, the leadership of the Swiss Reformation continued under John Calvin in Geneva.

Zwingli and Calvin’s Swiss Reformation can be divided up into three periods:

1. The Zwinglian Reformation in the German cantons from 1516 to Zwingli’s death,
2. The Calvinistic Reformation in French Switzerland from 1531 to John Calvin’s death, and
3. The labors of their successors, including Bullinger in Zürich and Beza in Geneva.

These periods will form the basic outline of this course. A representative sample of the writings of Zwingli and Calvin will be read and discussed.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 5-10 hours

The Men Around Luther
Luther did not carry out the Reformation by himself. There were dozens of individuals who contributed to the effort. Even some of Luther’s enemies impacted the Reformation. This course will examine selected individuals from the list of “men around Luther,” including representatives from the fields of education, government and the church.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 5-10 hours

Pre-Reformation Reformers
Martin Luther was not the first reformer to address the problems facing the church. Many others – a few are well known but most are not – worked to bring about a transformation of the church with varied results. This course will examine the individuals and movements whose “reformations” took place in the five hundred years (1000-1500) before Luther. Included in the course will be Wycliffe, Huss and Savanorola, as well as many lesser lights. There will be opportunity to read and discuss the work that these men left behind – some of which impacted the Reformation.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 5-10 hours

The Radical Reformation
This course provides an introduction to the events, leaders and doctrines of the sixteenth century Radical Reformation. In addition to studying the historical development of the Radical Reformation, the course also will examine theological issues relating to Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the structure of the Church, the relationship of Church to State, the use of Force by Christians, and various understandings of Salvation, primarily as these developed within the Anabaptist tradition. In order to place the Radical Reformation in historical and theological context, some attention will be given to the antecedent currents of reform and dissent.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 5-10 hours

The English Reformation
This course explores the religious, political, and intellectual and cultural background of the Reformation in England. Beginning with the arrival of Christianity in Britain during the Roman period and its spread during the days of the Anglo-Saxons, this course considers the pre-Reformation endeavors of John Wycliffe. The focus of the course will be the variety of reformation activities during the reigns of the Tudor monarchs, including the importance of the English bible translations. It will conclude with the demand for toleration and the development of the modern Anglican Church.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 5-10 hours