A. Early Christianity: the Creeds. Why exactly was it important for early Christianity to get clear on its creeds, and what it claimed was necessary to be a "believer"?

What are the issues about what was considered "non-negotiable" and (arguably) what was not? With reference to the Nicene Creed, should the "filioque controversy" be an adequate reason for the "split" between Orthodox Christianity and Western, pre-Reformation Catholic Christianity?

B. The Reformation and Afterwards. What were the major issues that led to the Protestant Reformation in the West? Do you think that the issues were merely theological, or do you suspect that the Renaissance and the rise of the authority of reason (sometimes erroneously thought, contra-Rome) was the true explanation?

How did Rome respond? And in what way (if at all) is an understanding of the Reformation necessary to grasp the current practice of Christianity today?

Here are the chapters from the books from which you must derive that information:

1. Christianity by Molloy

2. Christianity by Van Voorst

References to be used in this post:

Molloy, M. (2012). Experiencing the World's Religions: Tradition, Challenge, and Change (6th ed.) McGraw-Hill Education.

Van Voorst, R. E. (2015). Anthology of world scriptures, 9th edition. Cengage Learning