- UCAS course code
- VL66
- UCAS institution code
- M20
BA Comparative Religion and Social Anthropology / Course details
Year of entry: 2024
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Course unit details:
Introduction to Christianity
Unit code | RELT10131 |
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Credit rating | 20 |
Unit level | Level 1 |
Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
Why do Christians believe Jesus to be the Son of God? What do Christians mean when claiming God is one God, yet three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? In what sense is the Bible the Word of God? Why do Christians practise baptism and do they really believe they are consuming Christ’s body and blood when receiving Communion? Why are so there many different forms of Christianity across the world and what are their similarities and differences? What do Christians get up to in their churches and what is the point of prayer? How, why, and what do Christians worship? This course unit provides the answers to such questions. Part One focuses on the core doctrines of Incarnation, Trinity, and the Bible as the Word of God, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life, while Part Two focuses on such Christian practices as worship, spirituality, mysticism, prayer, and the sacraments.
Aims
- To introduce students to the major Christian doctrines
- To introduce students to some of the distinctive practices of the Christian faith
Knowledge and understanding
- A grasp of the doctrines of the Incarnation, Trinity, forgiveness of sins, and everlasting life
- An understanding of the practices that emerge from the Christian understanding of God and his revelation of himself in Jesus of Nazareth
- An awareness of the different denominations in global Christianity
Intellectual skills
An ability to:
- engage with primary theological texts
- identify the principles that gave rise to Christian doctrines
- evaluate critically the practices in which Christian beliefs manifest themselves
Practical skills
- Independent research skills
- Essay writing skills
- Seminar presentation skills
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- Critical analysis
- The interpretation of primary and secondary texts
- An ability to engage empathetically with different beliefs
Employability skills
- Other
- 1. Empathy with a range of different religious and intellectual viewpoints and their ethical and cultural implications 2. The ability to frame critical and constructive arguments
Assessment methods
Assessment Task | Formative or Summative | Length | Weight |
Draft introduction and essay plan | Formative | 750 words | 0% |
Essay | Summative | 1500 words | 50% |
Online examination | Summative | 4 ½ hour Open Book Exam over a 48-hour period (1500 words) | 50% |
Feedback methods
Feedback method | Formative or Summative |
Written essay feedback | Both |
Written online exam feedback | Both |
Essay tutorials | Formative |
Recommended reading
- Ford, David F., Theology: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013)
- MacCulloch, Diarmaid, A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years (London: Viking, 2010)
- McGrath, Alister E., Christian Theology: An Introduction (Oxford: Blackwell, 2017)
- Woodhead, Linda, Christianity: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014)
Study hours
Scheduled activity hours | |
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Lectures | 22 |
Seminars | 11 |
Independent study hours | |
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Independent study | 167 |
Teaching staff
Staff member | Role |
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David Law | Unit coordinator |