Church History
Some people are intrigued by church history, others more sceptical. Perhaps you wonder what it’s got to do with us. Our hope and prayer for this course is that you’ll learn to enjoy the gripping story of the church through history: its highs and lows, twists and turns, tragedies and triumphs, courage and fear, compelling personalities and powerful ideas.
In this course we’ll look at the big picture with the big players and the big moments. But if you dive further into any one moment within that story you’ll find the same thing at the micro level: people like us, with the same faith, the same fears, the same Saviour. But as you do, our aim is that you’ll find that your walk with Christ is enriched in a number of ways.
You’ll find explanations. Things that churches do or say will suddenly make sense. Our identity as Christians, as congregations, as denominations is shaped by our history. To understand who we are we need to understand how we got here.
You’ll find inspiration. You’ll meet people who showed amazing courage or remarkable self-sacrifice. You’ll be inspired to follow Christ, encouraged to endure hardship, and challenged to seize opportunities.
You’ll find a sense of perspective. You’ll discover how the church has faced massive challenges throughout its history – and survived and thrived despite them, or perhaps because of them. Christ promised to build his church and church history is the story of Christ keeping that promise.
You’ll find a treasure trove of resources. The complexities and heresies we face have often been faced before in the history of the church. When we find a difficult situation it’s reassuring to discover our forebears have already thought it through. So past generations provide us with wonderful resources that can enrich our worship, protect us from heresy, and deepen our faith.
The normal price is £24 for an individual, and £18 for a member of a group of at least 3. Discounts are also available for partner organisations.
Building on what you learn
If you take this course, you might also be interested in our two Christian Doctrine modules. Look at our full list of Foundation courses.