Religion 370 - Ancient Christianity: Authors and Texts

Early Christianity was not a stable idea or collection of practices; rather, individuals held a range of positions on what constituted orthodox teaching, ritual practice, and how to live in society. How, then, did ancient Christians understand what it meant to be Christian? How did they understand salvation? Could Christians be intellectuals, wealthy, or participants in public life? This course investigates these questions through the close study of an ancient Christian author, supplemented by scholarly literature to better understand that author’s life, work, and social environment. The author of focus will vary from year to year. 

For the Fall 2026, we will study collections of texts associated with so-called Gnosticism, paying particular attention to closely reading these texts and their critics and to recent scholarly debates about their producers and place in the development of ancient Christianity.

Fall semester. Professor Stephens Falcasantos.

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Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: emphasis on close reading; class discussion; independent research; a written term paper (drafting and revision)