A comprehensive academic study of Christian theology throughout history. Trace the development of key doctrines from the apostolic era through the early church fathers in this college-level course from Zollikon Institute.

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More lessons are coming soon. The remaining sessions are planned for a future release. Their timing depends on the college’s schedule, so they may be added over the next few years. Thank you for your patience—we look forward to sharing them as they become available.

Course Content

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The Apostolic Quadrilateral (Intensive Week – Day 1a)
The Apostolic Quadrilateral (Intensive Week – Day 1b)
St. Vincent of Lérins and the Vincentian Canon (Intensive Week – Day 2a)
St. Vincent of Lérins and the Vincentian Canon (Intensive Week – Day 2b)
The Didache (Intensive Week – Day 3a)
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The Didache (Intensive Week – Day 3b)
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Clement of Rome (Intensive Week – Day 4a)
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Clement of Rome (Intensive Week – Day 4b)
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Rome: The Empire (Intensive Week – Day 5a)
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Rome: The Empire (Intensive Week – Day 5b)
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Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition (Week 2a)
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Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition (Week 2b)
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Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition (Week 2c)
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Ignatius of Antioch (Week 2a)
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Ignatius of Antioch (Week 2b)
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Ignatius of Antioch (Week 2c)
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Polycarp & Martyrdom (Week 3a)
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Polycarp & Martyrdom (Week 3b)
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Polycarp & Martyrdom (Week 3c)
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2 Clement, Epistle of Barnabas, and Papias (Week 3a)
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2 Clement, Epistle of Barnabas, and Papias (Week 3b)
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Free Course Guide

What This Free Course Covers

Historical Theology I: MMT201, taught by Dean Taylor, introduces students to theological questions as they arose in the life of the church, rather than treating the course as a simple survey of church history. The opening lessons set out a working method called the Apostolic Quadrilateral: Scripture, Christocentric reading, antiquity, and the real witness of faithful communities across time.

From there, the course begins reading early Christian texts and asking how they help students think carefully about doctrine, practice, authority, and the apostolic faith. The transcribed lessons give special attention to how Scripture functions as the bedrock authority, why Christ-centered interpretation matters, how early testimony should be weighed, and why historical theology requires humility before the wider church. The lesson titles show the course moving through St.

Vincent of Lérins, the Didache, Clement of Rome, Rome as empire, the Shepherd of Hermas, Ignatius, Polycarp and martyrdom, 2 Clement, Barnabas, and Papias.

Historical theology Apostolic Quadrilateral Scripture and authority Christocentric interpretation Antiquity Living witness Vincentian Canon Apostolic Fathers Early Christian texts Rome and empire

What You Will Study

  • A working method for historical theology called the Apostolic Quadrilateral: Scripture, Christocentric, antiquity, and real
  • The distinction between historical theology and a basic church history class
  • How Scripture is treated as the primary authority for Christian faith and practice
  • Why Christ-centered reading shapes the interpretation of doctrine and practice
  • How early church testimony can support doctrine while still remaining under Scripture
  • St. Vincent of Lérins and the Vincentian Canon as a way of discussing catholicity and continuity
  • Early Christian writings named in the course sequence, including the Didache, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, and others
  • The importance of humility, community, and living witness when studying the faith across time

Questions This Course Helps Answer

  • What is historical theology, and how is it different from a general church history course?
  • What does Dean Taylor mean by the Apostolic Quadrilateral?
  • Why does the course place Scripture first when evaluating doctrine and practice?
  • What does it mean to read theology in a Christocentric way?
  • How should students use early church writings without treating them as equal to Scripture?
  • What is meant by antiquity in the study of Christian doctrine?
  • Why does the course warn against starting over with only private interpretation?
  • How does the living witness of faithful communities across time matter for theology?
  • What is the Vincentian Canon, and how does it define catholicity?
  • How did St. Vincent of Lérins think about continuity, error, and doctrinal claims?
  • Why do groups appeal to the Apostolic Fathers when defending doctrine?
  • How does the Roman Empire provide background for understanding early Christian history?

Lesson-by-Lesson Guide

The Apostolic Quadrilateral (Intensive Week – Day 1a)

This opening lesson introduces Historical Theology as a study of theological subjects as they came upon the church, not simply as a church history survey. It begins framing the need for humility, primary sources, community, and a method for reading Christian doctrine across time.

  • What is historical theology meant to study?
  • Why are primary sources important for theological study?
  • Why does the course stress humility when reading the past?
  • How does community help guard against private or isolated interpretation?

The Apostolic Quadrilateral (Intensive Week – Day 1b)

This lesson presents the first parts of the Apostolic Quadrilateral through the acronym SCAR: Scripture, Christocentric, antiquity, and real. The transcript especially emphasizes Scripture as the bedrock authority and Christ-centered reading as essential to Christian interpretation.

  • What does SCAR stand for in the Apostolic Quadrilateral?
  • Why is Scripture treated as the sure authority for faith and practice?
  • How does Christ-centered interpretation shape theological reading?
  • How did early canon questions and figures like Marcion affect Christian reflection on Scripture?

St. Vincent of Lérins and the Vincentian Canon (Intensive Week – Day 2a)

This lesson continues the Apostolic Quadrilateral by developing antiquity and preparing students to read St. Vincent of Lérins. It also gives historical background on the Roman Empire, the church after the mid-third century, and the complications of appealing to early Christian testimony.

  • What role does antiquity play in evaluating doctrine and practice?
  • Why must early church testimony still be placed under Scripture?
  • How does the course use roughly the mid-third century as a point of change?
  • Why is the relationship between empire and church important for historical theology?

St. Vincent of Lérins and the Vincentian Canon (Intensive Week – Day 2b)

This lesson completes the Apostolic Quadrilateral with the theme of the real: doctrine and practice should be rooted not only in theory but in the living witness of faithful communities across time. It also introduces St. Vincent of Lérins, his setting, and his claim about the faith believed everywhere, always, and by all.

  • What does the course mean by the real witness of the church?
  • Why is it inadequate to start over with only one’s own reading and resources?
  • Who was St. Vincent of Lérins?
  • What is the Vincentian Canon trying to protect?

The Didache (Intensive Week – Day 3a)

This lesson begins the course’s study of the Didache, identified in the transcript as the first major text study after the opening methodological lessons. No transcript sample was provided for this lesson, so specific emphases should be reviewed.

  • What is the Didache?
  • How does the course begin reading an early Christian text?
  • What theological questions arise from the Didache?

The Didache (Intensive Week – Day 3b)

This lesson continues the course’s study of the Didache. Because no transcript sample was provided, the lesson-level details should be verified by an editor.

  • How does the Didache contribute to the course’s study of early Christian practice?
  • How should the Didache be weighed within the Apostolic Quadrilateral?
  • What questions does this early text raise for doctrine and practice?

Clement of Rome (Intensive Week – Day 4a)

This lesson begins the course’s study of Clement of Rome. The available transcript preview says students will engage theological points in Clement and compare later doctrinal claims with what Clement is actually saying.

  • Who is Clement of Rome in the course sequence?
  • What theological points does Clement raise?
  • How should students read Clement without forcing later debates onto the text?

Clement of Rome (Intensive Week – Day 4b)

This lesson continues the study of Clement of Rome. The transcript references discussion of how different groups appeal to Clement, including questions about Rome and election passages.

  • How have later Christian groups appealed to Clement of Rome?
  • What should students ask when reading election language in Clement?
  • How does Clement fit into the study of the Apostolic Fathers?

Rome: The Empire (Intensive Week – Day 5a)

This lesson turns to Rome as empire. Earlier transcripts indicate that the course plans to give students background on the beginning and development of the Roman Empire and how that history affects the study of early Christianity.

  • Why does the Roman Empire matter for historical theology?
  • How does imperial history provide context for the early church?
  • What background does the course give for reading early Christian sources?

Rome: The Empire (Intensive Week – Day 5b)

This lesson continues the course’s treatment of Rome as empire. No transcript sample was provided, so the exact historical details and applications should be reviewed.

  • How does the course continue its account of Rome and the early church?
  • What parts of Roman history shape the setting of early Christian theology?
  • How does empire affect the way students read early Christian texts?

Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition (Week 2a)

This lesson begins a section on the Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition. No transcript sample was provided, so the summary is limited to the lesson title.

  • What is the Shepherd of Hermas?
  • What does the course mean here by Apostolic Tradition?
  • How do these texts fit into the course’s study of early witnesses?

Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition (Week 2b)

This lesson continues the section on the Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition. Lesson-specific claims should be checked because no transcript sample was supplied.

  • How does the course continue reading the Shepherd of Hermas?
  • What questions about tradition arise in this section?
  • How are early witnesses evaluated in relation to Scripture?

Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition (Week 2c)

This lesson completes the listed sequence on the Shepherd of Hermas and the Apostolic Tradition. No transcript sample was available, so the specific content needs editorial confirmation.

  • What conclusions does the course draw from the Shepherd of Hermas section?
  • How does Apostolic Tradition relate to the course’s wider method?
  • What cautions are needed when using early post-apostolic writings?

Ignatius of Antioch (Week 2a)

This lesson begins the course’s section on Ignatius of Antioch. Since no transcript sample was supplied, the summary is limited to the title and sequence.

  • Who is Ignatius of Antioch in the course’s early church sequence?
  • How does Ignatius fit among the Apostolic Fathers?
  • What questions should students bring when reading Ignatius?

Ignatius of Antioch (Week 2b)

This lesson continues the course’s study of Ignatius of Antioch. Lesson-level details should be reviewed because no transcript sample was provided.

  • How does the course continue its reading of Ignatius?
  • What theological issues arise in the Ignatius section?
  • How should Ignatius be weighed as an early witness?

Ignatius of Antioch (Week 2c)

This lesson completes the listed section on Ignatius of Antioch. Without a transcript sample, the specific argument and applications should be confirmed.

  • What does the course conclude from its study of Ignatius?
  • How does Ignatius contribute to the larger study of antiquity?
  • How does this section connect to the Apostolic Quadrilateral?

Polycarp & Martyrdom (Week 3a)

This lesson begins the course’s section on Polycarp and martyrdom. No transcript sample was provided, so further detail should be verified before publication.

  • Who is Polycarp in the course’s early Christian sequence?
  • How does martyrdom enter the study of early church theology?
  • What does this section add to the theme of living witness?

Polycarp & Martyrdom (Week 3b)

This lesson continues the study of Polycarp and martyrdom. Because no transcript sample was included, the exact lesson content should be reviewed.

  • How does the course continue its treatment of Polycarp?
  • What theological questions are raised by martyrdom?
  • How does martyrdom relate to faithful witness across time?

Polycarp & Martyrdom (Week 3c)

This lesson completes the listed section on Polycarp and martyrdom. The summary is title-based because no transcript sample was provided.

  • What does the Polycarp section contribute to the course as a whole?
  • How does martyrdom function as historical witness?
  • How should students connect this section to the course’s method?

2 Clement, Epistle of Barnabas, and Papias (Week 3a)

This lesson begins a section on 2 Clement, the Epistle of Barnabas, and Papias. No transcript sample was supplied, so only the named texts can be identified with confidence.

  • What are 2 Clement, the Epistle of Barnabas, and Papias?
  • How do these writings fit into the course’s early Christian text sequence?
  • What questions should students ask when reading these sources?

2 Clement, Epistle of Barnabas, and Papias (Week 3b)

This lesson continues the section on 2 Clement, the Epistle of Barnabas, and Papias. Specific themes and conclusions should be reviewed because no transcript sample was provided.

  • How does the course continue engaging these early Christian writings?
  • What role do these texts play in understanding early theology?
  • How should students evaluate these writings in relation to Scripture, antiquity, and living witness?

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Historical Theology I : MMT201

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Course Includes

  • 21 Lessons
  • 1 Quiz
  • Course Certificate