Church History
Pages
Schism: Fall of Constantinople
WEEK 3: THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE
Historical perspective:
Review last week’s lesson with a special view to the 4th Crusade and the sack of Constantinople. How did this make things easy for the Turks? Why did it take them 200 years, then?
The act itself:
Protestantism
UNIT 10: THE PROTESTANTS
Objective: Students should be able to list each of the major Protestant denominations, the historical and theological basis for each, the major founders of denominations, and the similarities and differences between their beliefs and the Orthodox position. What’s a cult?
Slavic Churches: Cyril and Methodius/Baptism of Russia
UNIT 11: SLAVIC CHURCHES
Objective: Students should be able to identify Sts. Cyril and Methodius, St. Vladimir, St. Olga, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. Innocent, St. Herman of Alaska, St. Peter the Aleut, St. Tikhom, and understand their importance in Russian and American history, the development of the OCA and the Russian Orthodox Churches, and the present organization and leaders of the OCA.
WEEK 1: CYRIL AND METHODIUS/BAPTISM OF RUS
Slavic Churches: Church in Russia
WEEK 2: THE CHURCH IN RUSSIA
Each of these sections, divided by importance and presented chronologically, would make a good class presentation; as before, copy beforehand and cut apart, give each student 5 minutes to read his “piece” and present to the class in order, following on the maps the Russian and Mongolian places.
11th and 12th Centuries:
Slavic Churches: New World
WEEK 3: A New World
Historical Background:
National Churches: Antioch
UNIT 12: NATIONAL CHURCHES
Objective: For each church discuss its founding, its history since 1500, and its present status abroad and in the US. Students should understand the difference between culture and ethnic orthodoxy – Tradition vs. tradition.
National Churches: Greece and Constantinople
GREECE AND CONSTANTINOPLE
Geography:
National Churches: Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania
WEEK 3: ROMANIA, BULGARIA, SERBIA, ALBANIA
Try to spend a bit of time on each country, maybe with a student preparing each section in 5 minutes as before. At the end, take some time to compare and contrast these interesting countries.
ROMANIA
National Churches: Armenia, Georgia, Ethiopia
WEEK 4: ARMENIA, GEORGIA, AND ETHIOPIA
Just as with the last lessons, spend some time getting acquainted with these traditionally Orthodox nations. Perhaps you have someone in your parish who can share his or her own culture with your class.
ARMENIA
National Churches: Japan and Finland
WEEK 5: JAPAN AND FINLAND
Truly, there are Orthodox Christians all over the world. But, we will end our study with these two ancient national churches with long historical Orthodox traditions. Perhaps you have someone in your parish from one of these lands who can share his or her culture with your class. Or, since this is not geography class but Church School, someone in your parish is from a country not covered -- feel free to add another country or substitute.