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The Council of Nicaea (325) and the Fourth Century Church

Instructor: Glen Thompson

Description:
This course will study the state of Mediterranean Christianity in the first half of the fourth century. By focusing on Eusebius, Constantine, and Athanasius, and the “great and holy council” held at Nicaea in 325, we will investigate how a small, persecuted minority religion rose to a prominent part of Roman life, how its worship flowered, how its christology and ecclesiology developed, and how it struggled to maintain its unity of faith and practice. In addition to illustrated lectures, primary documents of the period will be studied in translation, and congregational Bible study materials will be shared for the 2025 celebration of the council’s 1700th anniversary.

During the Minnesota district-wide satellite event, choose this course as the main item of your agenda. You are welcome to take the course for credit (including assignments and readings outside of class) or you may audit the course (sit in for the material but without the work outside of class). The course will only cost $200 per credit if taken for credit and $100 if taken for audit. All retired pastors are welcome to audit any course free of charge.

Course registration will be available in the Student Information System (SIS) beginning February 4, 2025, and close April 1, 2025. Use the "Login with Office 365 button" once you've received a student account (if you don't already have one) and are logged in to Microsoft 365 with that student account. Need an account? Request one here.



For more conference information, please visit the district website. Financial assistance is also available. If your congregation is paying for your tuition, please submit a financial aid request form with that information so you may receive the tuition discount.

Area of Study: Church History
Tuition: $600
Course Number: CH5017
Course Credits: 1.5
Dates Term Location
10/30/2025 to 10/31/2025 Northern Wisconsin District Fall Satellite Event 2025 Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Appleton, WI View Courses
04/29/2025 to 05/01/2025 Minnesota District Spring Satellite Event 2025 Kahler Grand Hotel, Rochester, MN View Courses
01/06/2025 to 01/10/2025 Winterim 2025 Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary View Courses
06/17/2024 to 06/28/2024 Summer Quarter 2024 Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary View Courses