Maelezo ya Kozi
This course provides an in-depth study of the first 500 years of the Christian Church, tracing its development from Pentecost to the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD). Students will explore how the early believers proclaimed the gospel, defended the faith, structured the church, and endured persecution—laying the theological, spiritual, and institutional foundation for the global Church.
The course examines the Church's growth within the Roman Empire, its confrontations with heresies, the rise of creeds and confessions, and the development of key doctrines (especially the Trinity, the person of Christ, and the canon of Scripture). Emphasis will be given to the lives and writings of the Church Fathers (e.g., Irenaeus, Tertullian, Athanasius, Augustine), major councils (Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon), and theological debates that shaped orthodoxy.
Students will also learn how the early Church contextualized the gospel in a hostile culture—offering a valuable model for evangelism and faithfulness in Africa today. The course reflects a Reformed historical perspective, affirming the continuity of God's covenant work through the centuries while acknowledging the Church's early struggles, triumphs, and theological development.
Vitabu Vinavyopendekezwa
- 1González, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation. Rev. ed. New York: HarperOne, 2010.
- 2Kelly, J. N. D. Early Christian Doctrines. 5th rev. ed. London: Continuum, 2000.
- 3Noll, Mark A. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022.