This course (RELI 189) explores how Christian identity was constructed, contested, and transformed amid the political, social, and cultural changes of late antiquity, from the fourth through the seventh century.  It examines interactions among contesting Christian theological communities as well as Christian interactions with Jews, “pagans,” Muslims, and still other religions.  The course examines how theological debates, legal frameworks, religious practices, and political institutions shaped boundaries of identity and belonging.  In this period emerged formative religious texts from the writings of the Church Fathers to the Talmud and Qur’an.  The course traces relationships between dominant and marginalized communities, processes of inclusion and exclusion, and the ways religious difference intersected with questions of moral order, authority, citizenship, and social hierarchy.  More broadly, the course invites students to consider how late antique societies negotiated religious difference during a period of far-reaching transformation. By the end of the course, students will understand the major historical, cultural, political, and theological forces that shaped religious identities and relations in the late antique Mediterranean.  

This RELI 189 seminar will be taught in Fall 2026 on Mondays, 3- 5:50pm. Note: This course is part II of the Early Christianity sequence.  I will teach the earlier phase, covering the period from the first through the fifth century CE, in Spring 2026.

Course Format

This is an in-person course that meets once per week. Students are expected to attend all class meetings and engage in the learning process through in-class writing, reflections, discussions, and structured activities. Assessments are completed in person. Consistent attendance and active engagement are therefore essential for success in the course.

To facilitate this engagement, computers, iPads, and other electronic devices may not be used during the seminar, except during group work—and only when authorized—to refer to assigned readings.  Apart from this specific activity, electronic devices too readily distract from active participation, careful listening, and engagement with one another.