July 25, 2014 • 30m
First, consider the huge historical significance of the Christian belief in Jesus’s divinity, in terms of its effects on Western c...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
In the ancient world, there were many accounts of “divine” mortals. Track this phenomenon in the Greco-Roman polytheistic religion...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Delve further into the interface between the human and the divine in pagan cultures. Examine narratives describing people born of ...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Here, discover accounts of divine humans and other godlike beings within ancient Judaism. In Genesis and Exodus, explore conceptio...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
In ancient Judaism, beings other than the one true God could be considered to be or even called God. Learn about the divine figure...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
In approaching the historical Jesus, consider why the New Testament Gospels are the only useful early sources on his life, and stu...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
This lecture explores what Jesus said about himself, as well as what he specifically preached. Grasp the nature and purpose of Jes...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Regarding Jesus’s final days, review the events that we know about with relative certainty. Learn about his reasons for being in J...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Look now at events surrounding Jesus’s death that we cannot know about with certainty. Assess the plausibility of the Gospels’ acc...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Jesus’s resurrection stands as the basis for the entire Christian faith. But what can we know historically about the resurrection?...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
What was it that caused Jesus’s followers to believe he had been raised from the dead? Investigate the disciples’ visions of Jesus...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
In exploring the first claims about Jesus’s resurrection, this lecture discusses the phenomenon of visionary experience as underst...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
What did the earliest Christians believe about Jesus’s divinity? Delve into Romans and Acts for what they may tell us about early ...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Over time, Christian thought pushed the origin of Jesus’s divinity further and further back in history. Trace this development by ...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Paul’s theology represents a transition between early conceptions of Christ as exalted by God upon his death and later views of hi...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
The Gospel of John differs significantly from the other three canonical Gospels in its conception of Jesus. Investigate John’s con...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
In the second and third centuries, Christian groups followed radically different beliefs and theologies. Learn about the “docetist...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Among early Christian groups, the Gnostics demonstrate yet another view of the divinity of Jesus. Explore the fundamental tenets o...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
By the fourth century, the theological understanding known as “orthodoxy” became predominant. Investigate the relationship between...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
The doctrine of the Trinity asserts that God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are all individually God. Look into the origins of this ...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
In the third century, sharp divisions existed between Christians, involving how to explain the relation of God the Father to Chris...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
The Christian conversion of the Roman emperor Constantine was a momentous turning point for the faith. Learn about the relationshi...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Constantine called the famous Council of Nicea in 325 CE, to resolve the conflicting views of Christ’s divinity. Examine the theol...Read more
July 25, 2014 • 30m
Conclude by considering the historical ramifications of the Nicean affirmation that Jesus was God. Learn about the growing Christi...Read more