HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

COURSE OUTLINE

1. COURSE TITLE

Introduction to Christianity and Civilizations

2. COURSE CODE

RELI2006

3. NO. OF UNITS

3 Units

4. OFFERING DEPARTMENT

Department of Religion and Philosophy

5. PREREQUISITES

Nil

COREQUISITES

Nil

6. MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

English

7. AIMS & OBJECTIVES

(1) To introduce the Christian religion holistically to beginners by exploring the richness
and diversity of the Christian traditions.
(2) To conduct an impartial examination of some multi-faceted impacts, positive and
negative, of Christianity upon the Western and Chinese civilizations.

8. COURSE CONTENT

This course is an introductory survey of the vast influences that Christianity has had on
Western as well as Chinese civilizations. Both its successes and failures will be
scrutinized. Topics to be discussed include higher learning, art, modern science, politics,
society, war and cross-cultural exchange. It also provides an overview of the major
phases of development of Western Christianity.

Outline Content:
 I. Brief Overview of Historical Christianity
a. Early Church
b. Medieval Christianity
c. Reformation
d. Christianity and Modernity

II. Christianity and Institutions of Learning and Scholarship,

a. monasticism
b. the rise of universities
c. the rise of modern science

III. Christianity and Art

a. visual arts
b. music
c. architecture

IV. Christianity and Violence

a. the Crusades
b. Just War Theory
c. Pacifism

V. Christianity and Society

a. slavery and anti-slavery
b. role and status of women
c. Postures of Adaptation and Nonconformity

VI. Christianity and Politics

a. rise of liberal democracy
b. intolerance and tolerance
c. Postures of Domination and Withdrawal

VII. Christianity and Chinese Civilization

a. Ming-Qing Dynasties Jesuits in China as agents of cultural exchange
b. Spread of Western Civilization in China
c. Spread of Chinese Civilization in Europe

VIII. Christianity and Chinese Society

a. Twentieth century Protestant missionaries as social reformers and as "running dogs" of
imperialism
b. Social role of Christianity in Hong Kong

9. COURSE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (CILOs)

CILO By the end of the course, students should be able to:

CILO 1 Articulate multiple perspectives of the impacts of Christianity on Western and
 Chinese civilizations with illustrations.
CILO 2 Analyze and critically evaluate the interactions between Christianity and
philosophy, science, art, politics, economics, warfare, government, and society.
CILO 3 Provide rational justification for their own views on Christianity, and respect
views different from their own.

10. TEACHING & LEARNING ACTIVITIES (TLAs)

CILO Type of TLA

alignment
1,2 Interactive lectures with PowerPoint to explain concepts, historical
understanding, reasoning and critical assessment.
2,3 Group discussions on readings and lectures so that there will be a deeper
understanding of the various modes of interaction between Christianity
and civilizations.
1,2 Watching relevant documentaries to deepen their historical understanding
of the issues involved.

11. ASSESSMENT METHODS (AMs)

Type of Weighting CILOs to be Description of Assessment Tasks

Assessment addressed
Methods
Quizzes 15 % 1 Very short questions and answers to assess
students' basic knowledge of lectures and
readings.
Tutorial 15 % 1-3 Active learning in discussions and presentations.
Mid-term 20 % 1-2 One-page answers to several questions; a
test midway assessment of how well students have
achieved their ILOs so as to provide feedback for
teacher and students alike.
Examination 50 % 1-3 Long essay answers to comprehensively assess
students' achievements of all CILOs.

Last Update: 2019-06-03

Published Date: 2021-06-30

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