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Course Modules in Church History - More Ideas for Assignments on Work

Seminary Curriculum / Produced by TOW Project
Church history

Here are more sample assignments to help inspire fresh thinking about how to incorporate a concern for vocation, flourishing and economic justice in a seminary course on Church History.

Unacceptable Jobs for Christians

Ask students to respond to the Apostolic Tradition’s list of unacceptable jobs for Christians (chapter 16 here.)

  • What is the context for this writing? (It will help to have students read the entire document – it’s not long – and/or use this at a point in the semester when you are studying the early church.)
  • Why are these jobs defined as unacceptable? What themes unite them? How did they function in Roman society?
  • Would you put forward a similar list of unacceptable jobs today? If so, why? If not, why not?

It may also help to introduce as resources some links from the Theology of Work Project and The High Calling:

Lesson Plan for Education at Church

Ask students to write a lesson plan – including modern-day application questions – for teaching in a church educational setting (Sunday School, small group, etc.) about some aspect of church history dealing with work, vocation or discipleship (whether this be a movement, figure, event or famous text).