Browse Hierarchy HIST4013: The Faiths of the West

This module provides a general overview of the religious dialogues that shaped the history of the West from Constantine the Great to the twentieth century. It focuses on religious groups, doctrines and organizations, religion in the media and in everyday life and on interreligious exchange. While the primary focus will be on Christianity the roles played by other faiths such as Judaism and Islam will be considered, as will the rise of secularism. The module discusses the religious structures and conflicts upon which Western identity is based. Instead of focusing on any particular epoch, it follows the development of world history over a period of more than 1500 years. The module will familiarize you with a variety of sources from different historical contexts and will introduce you to central topics of cultural history. The module complements the other level four modules, in particular U67513 What's the Big Idea, and is designed to lay the foundation of all further debates about the religious history of the West in second and third year modules. It particularly prepares you for the level five modules U67621 Conflict and Belief in the Early Modern World and U67821 A History of Modern Ideas.