Module: Early & Medieval Church Writings

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Early & Medieval Church Writings
Module Code	RET1025 (ITS: TP140)
Faculty	Theology, Philosophy & Music	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	7.5

Description

This module introduces students to writings from the early church up to and including the medieval period, highlighting the rich theological, ecclesiological, and historical diversity in the first millennium of the common era. Students will develop skills in reading ancient primary texts in translation, as well as in engaging with important secondary sources. Key issues to be explored include early biblical interpretation, tensions relating to "orthodoxy" and "heresy," the development of significant spiritual practices, as well as important doctrinal and scholastic teachings.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a broad knowledge and understanding of key themes, concepts and methods in early Christian writings.
2. Engage with the early sources, beliefs and practices which have defined Christianity making guided use of primary and secondary documentation.
3. Evaluate a range of potential theological viewpoints from this era supported by relevant academic sources.
4. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of key thinkers from this period in early church history.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	No Description
Directed learning	74	No Description
Assignment Completion	50	No Description
Independent Study	39.5	No Description
Total Workload: 187.5

Section Breakdown
CRN	11516	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator		Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Essay	n/a	100%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

In the Beginning: Early Writings, Gnosticism, and Irenaeus of Lyon

Justin Martyr and Origen of Alexandria

The Council of Nicaea and Athanasius of Alexandria

A Cappadocian Trio: Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa

Christology and Heresy: Augustine, Apollinarius of Laodicea, Nestorius of Constantinople, and

Theodore of Mopsuestia

Cyril of Alexandria and the Chalcedonian Definition

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Augustine: 0, Confessions,
Justin Martyr: 0, First Apology,
Origen of Alexandria: 0, Homilies on the Psalms,
Origen of Alexandria: 0, On Prayer,
Ephrem: 0, Hymns on Faith,
Anonymous: 0, The Syriac Book of Steps,
Bonaventure: 0, The Breviloqium,
Ewet Cousins: 0, Bonaventure: The Soul's Journey into God, The Tree of Life, The Life of St. Francis,
David Hunter; Susan Ashbrook Harvey: 0, The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Studies, OUP,
Frances Young; Andrew Teal: 0, From Nicaea to Chalcedon: A Guide to the Literature and its Background, 2nd, Baker Academic,
James A. Walters: 0, Eastern Christianity: A Reader, Eerdmans,
JND Kelly: 0, Early Christian Doctrines, 5th, Continuum,
Henry Chadwick: 0, The Early Church, Revised, Penguin,
Dominic V. Monti, OFM and Katherine Wrisley Shelby: 0, Bonaventure Revisited, A Companion to the Breviloquium, Franciscan Institute Publications,
Jay Hammond, Wayne Hellmann, and Jared Goff: 0, A Companion to Bonaventure, Brill,
Ian P. Wei: 0, Intellectual Culture in Medieval Paris: Theologians and the University, CUP,
Anthony Kenney: 0, The Oxford Illustrated History of Western Philosophy, OUP,
David Luscombe: 0, Medieval Thought, OUP,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None