Pillars of Orthodoxy – The Alexandrian Fathers (CT8530A)

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Semester: 1, 2022 (21 Feb – 27 May)

Time: 6:30pm-9:30pm

Campus: N/A

Mode: Online

Level: Postgraduate Foundational

Credit: 24

Census: 15 Mar 2022

13 weekly sessions offered in asynchronous and synchronous modes combining live and pre-recorded lectures, group discussions, readings and online forums

This unit will introduce students to the literary works of the early Fathers of Alexandria: Didymus the Blind, Clement, Origen, Cyril and Athanasius, in order to understand the historical and theological contexts in which the Fathers were engaged, against wider social, cultural and political forces operative at the time. Primary texts will be examined to explore the development of Alexandrian theology and the controversies in which the Fathers were engaged.

Learning outcomes
  • Explore a specific topic in a rigorous manner
  • Articulate a critical understanding of the key primary texts of the Alexandrian fathers.
  • Identify the distinguishing features of the works of key personalities with reference to their genre, historical context and theological contribution.
  • Evaluate the ways in which rhetorical devices are employed to advance a theological viewpoint
  • Develop a critical framework for reading and interpreting historical events contained in the primary sources
Assessment
Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Written assessment Book Review 2,000 35
Written assessment Tutorial/Seminar Paper 1,000 20
Written assessment Essay 3,000 45

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