There is much said in today's world about the history of the Catholic Church - and much of it is said by those who are outside the Church! Register today for this Didache course and learn the story of our Church from its start to the present day. You will leave this course equipped to know and defend the truth of our history.

How to get the most out of History of the Church: Didache Series, Part One with Holly Vaughan:

  • First, read the course materials below before the first class meeting.

  • Then have a notebook ready and available for class notes each live session.

  • Read assignments before class meetings

  • Watch that week’s recording if you need to revisit information from our live session.

  • Do the assignments, quizzes, and any extra work assigned for that week.

  • Once the course is completed to the parent's and professor’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.

Special notes: Includes a writing component. This is Part One of a two-part course. Students are expected to register also for Part Two in the Spring. This is the third book in the Didache series. However, they can be taken in any order.

Total classes: 12

Duration per class: 55 minutes

Prerequisite: None

Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade

Suggested credit: One full semester Theology or Church History

Instructor: Holly Vaughan

Instructor email: mrsvaughanhsc@gmail.com

Course description: There is so much misinformation about the history of the Catholic Church, along with many events that are misinterpreted by those outside of the Church. This course aims to teach students the truth about our history, from the beginning of the Church to the present day, focusing on each time period and examining the good, as well as the mistakes, that are recorded in each. Students will gain an accurate knowledge of the past that will enable them to better live as part of the Body of Christ as we head into the future.

Course outline:

Session 1: The Background - the Roman World

Session 2: Jesus Christ and the Founding of the Church

Session 3: The Early Christians

Session 4: Persecution of "The Way"

Session 5: The Church Fathers and Heresies

Session 6: Light in the Dark Ages

Session 7: Conversion of the Barbarians

Session 8: Iconoclasm, Carolingian Renaissance, and the Great Schism

Session 9: Collapse, Corruption, and Reform in Europe and the Church

Session 10: The Crusades, Military Orders, and the Inquisition

Session 11: The High Middle Ages: Scholastic Development and the Flowering of Culture

Session 12: A Century of Suffering: Plague, War, and Schism

Course materials: The History of the Church - Didache Series; Rev. Peter Armenio; ISBN: 1-890177-46-6. Also try BookFinder.com for used books.

Homework: There will be 25 to 30 pages of reading each week. Homework will vary between online quizzes and written summaries. There will also be a final exam.