HIS 101: History of Western Civilization. "All things, all history converges in Christ....  Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, Lord of the new universe, the great hidden key to human history and the part we play in it” (Paul VI).  Human history is a crucial subject for Christians, for we believe in a God who entered into history and thereby sanctified the historical process by his presence. Christ is at the heart of history, giving meaning and purpose to the story of mankind.  Therefore, our study of history helps us understand God and his plan for us.  But history also gives us a deeper understanding of ourselves and our society, because our faith and liturgy, culture, literature, philosophy, and political systems have all been shaped by the ideas and decisions of our forebears.  This year-long course traces Western history from the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia and Egypt to the present day. Students will be introduced to key people, events, and themes as they read a variety of primary texts from the ancient world, classical Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Modern Age. (6 Credits, Full Year. Pre-requisite: none. Freeburn)

HIS 131/THE 131: Church History. (6 Credits.  This course has been replaced in the core by HIS 101)

HIS 220: Introduction to the Medieval World. This course is an introduction to the history of Medieval Europe from the latter days of the Western Roman Empire to the Hundred Years’ War. The class will examine the nature of medieval society and the medieval worldview through a variety of primary and secondary sources, with a particular focus on developments within the Church. The rise of the Germanic kingdoms, the foundations of monarchy, the development of the papacy, societal ties, chivalry, crusading, monasticism, and heresy are among the many topics which will be covered. (3 Credits. Pre-requisite: HIS 101 or HIS 131.  Next offered in 2008-2009.  Freeburn)

HIS 230: Renaissance and Reformation. As tensions within Western culture mounted, religious division exploded across Europe. Nevertheless, new challenges to the Church encouraged the growth of new forms of religious expression that begin to purify medieval Catholicism of some of its weaknesses. This course covers the rise of humanism, the breakdown of medieval unity, the age of exploration and missionary activity, Luther, Calvin, Henry VIII, and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. (3 Credits. Pre-requisite: HIS 101or HIS 131. Next offered in 2008-2009.  Freeburn)

HIS 240: Introduction to North American Civilization. “Reflect on America as a single entity, by reason of all that is common to the peoples of the continent, including their shared Christian identity and their genuine attempt to strengthen the bonds of solidarity and communion between the different forms of the continent’s rich cultural heritage” (John Paul II, Ecclesia in America). There has been much interaction between the U.S. and Canada over the world’s longest undefended border. To understand the development of one either country, one should study the other. Likewise, the U.S. and Mexico share much history in common. This course will trace the colonial and national histories of all three nations, and so provide a background for understanding a future in which the people of these three nations seem likely to be drawn ever more closely together. Emphasis will be placed upon events in history that are shared and political developments that are distinct among these countries, allowing students to appreciate what is common and what is unique. (3 Credits. Pre-requisite: HIS 101 or HIS 131.  Fall, Freeburn)