Christian Theology and History

Study Notes

Apologetics: Defense of the Christian faith through reasoned arguments.
Augustine: Influential theologian and philosopher whose writings shaped Western Christianity and philosophy.
Biblical Hermeneutics: The study of the principles and methods of interpreting the Bible.
Biblical Literalism: Interpreting the Bible based on the literal meaning of its words
Aquinas: Medieval philosopher and theologian who integrated Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology.
Civitas Dei: Latin for "City of God" a concept and book by Augustine that presents a philosophical view of history.
Charlemagne: Medieval emperor who ruled much of Western Europe and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
Christendom: Refers to the worldwide body or community of Christians
Christos: Greek word for "anointed one," used as a title for Jesus in the New Testament.
Constantine: Roman emperor who legalized Christianity and played a significant role in its spread.
Donation of Constantine: A forged Roman imperial decree that was believed to have granted the Roman emperors large swaths of land.
Duo sunt: Latin phrase meaning "there are two," referring to the dual authority of the church and the state.
Edict of Milan: Proclamation by Constantine in 313 AD that legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire.
Edict of Thessalonica: Issued in 380 AD, made Nicene Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.
English Civil War: Series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists.
English Reformation: Series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church.
Gregory the Great: Pope who introduced reforms and promoted the spread of Christianity throughout Europe.
Harry Frankfurt: Contemporary philosopher known for his work on moral philosophy and the concept of "bullshit."
Henry VIII: King of England who initiated the English Reformation and established the Church of England.
Hobbes: Philosopher known for his political philosophy, particularly his book "Leviathan".
Historical Criticism: Analyzing biblical texts through historical and cultural context.
Investiture Controversy: Conflict between the papacy and European monarchs over the appointment of church officials.
Justin Martyr: Early Christian apologist who defended Christianity against pagan criticism.
Leo the Great: Pope who asserted papal authority and played a role in shaping Christian doctrine.
Letter to Diognetus: Early Christian text that explains and defends the Christian faith to a non-Christian audience.
Leviathan: Book Written by Thomas Hobbes concerning the structure of society and legitimate government.
Libido Dominandi: Latin phrase meaning "lust for power" or "desire to dominate," often used in political and theological contexts.
Magisterial Reformation: Reformation supported by the ruling civil authorities or magistrates.
Pentateuch: First five books of the Hebrew Bible.
Pliny: Roman author, philosopher, and naval officer.
Prima sedes a nemine judicatur: Latin phrase meaning "the first see is judged by no one," referring to the unique authority of the Pope.
Sophists: Ancient Greek teachers who emphasized rhetoric and argumentation.
Summum bonum: Latin phrase meaning "the highest good," referring to the ultimate goal of human life.
Summa theologiae: Comprehensive summary of theology by Thomas Aquinas.
Tertullian: Early Christian author known for his writings on theology and Christian practice.
Thomas Müntzer: Early German clergyman who was a radical German theologian during the Protestant Reformation.
Torah: Hebrew word for "instruction" or "law," referring to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.
Trajan: Roman emperor known for his military campaigns and public works projects.

Short Answer Questions

Biblical passages can be said to outline a "political" vision due to their teachings on justice, righteousness, and the proper ordering of society, as well as their emphasis on God's sovereignty over earthly rulers.
Constantine contributed to the rise of Christendom by legalizing Christianity, promoting its spread, and convening the Council of Nicaea, which helped standardize Christian doctrine.
According to Aquinas, the best form of government is monarchy, as it is most conducive to unity and the common good, while the worst form is tyranny, as it prioritizes the interests of the ruler over the welfare of the people.
Luther's "Two Kingdoms" model distinguishes between the earthly kingdom, governed by secular authorities, and the spiritual kingdom, ruled by God, with Christians subject to both realms but with different obligations in each.
Hobbes describes the "state of nature" as a state of war, where life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short," and advocates for a strong government to maintain order and security.