Unit Weighting
9 cps
Type of Unit
Specialised
Prerequisite
H7231A
Academic Staff
Rev. Gerasimos Koutsouras, BA (Sydney 1998) MA (Sydney 2000) DipByzMusic (Thessalonica 2002) MTh (Thessalonica 2005), Lecturer
Curriculum Objectives
Building upon Byzantium: Resplendence and Twilight, this course unit examines the place of the Orthodox Church(es) in the historical context of the pre-modern and modern eras (1453-today).
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit students will be able to:
-
demonstrate a broad knowledge and understanding of important historical events and concepts of the period
-
appraise the role that major personalities have played in the flow of history
-
exhibit the capacity to critically interpret primary and secondary sources relating to this period
-
construct an argument that is supported with historical evidence
-
apply what is learned from a study of this period to the present experience of the Orthodox Churches.
Content
-
Historical method, themes, concepts and sources of the period
-
The aftermath of 1453 and the new world order
-
Life for Orthodox Christians under Turkish rule
-
Reformation in the West and its repercussions in the East
-
The phenomenon of competing missionaries (Catholic and Protestant) in the East
-
The age of reason and its effect on the Orthodox Church
-
Nationalism and its consequences
-
Orthodoxy under threat at home (Communism and Kemalism) and its blossoming abroad
-
Ecumenism, Union, Uniatism
-
Biographical studies of major personalities: leaders, intellectuals, saints, women
Assessment Profile
-
Review, summary or multimedia media presentation, with reference to the present experience of the Orthodox Churches, demonstrating an ability to critically engage with primary and secondary sources.
-
An essay assessing the key social, cultural, historiographical, and/or religious aspects relevant to the late Byzantine period.
-
An exam that interprets and appraises the key events and personalities in the early Byzantine period from the available literary sources.
Schedule
3hr lecture per week on campus