There are several lectures in Foundation Year Program that are infamous for being “impossible.” This is one of them. It is the only New Testament lecture in the year, but in addition to introducing the lives of Jesus and the Apostles, it is also the only lecture on the early church, the martyrs, and the emergence of an imperial church. Further, it serves the purpose of bridging our sections on the ancient and medieval world–a love letter and farewell to the Roman Empire that must also look ahead to Augustine, Dante, and beyond.

I assigned 3 readings:

  • Paul’s letter to the Galatians
  • The Passions of Perpetua and Felicity
  • The Nicene Creed and Chalcedonian Formula

The above aside, I had a great time writing this lecture and teaching this material. There is one moment that gets dangerously close to known heresy. See if you can catch it. We’ll make sure to fix that for next fall.

Also, what year did Jerusalem really fall?

“Christian Beginnings.” Lecture for Foundation Year Program, University of King’s College, October 6, 2025.

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Image: Jesus on the cross, fresco, St. Pierre le Jeune, Strasbourg, France