Dr. Wilfred Graves is making available the full set of student notes from his American Church History course that was offered at Fuller Theological Seminary in 2014.  The course explored some of the major people, themes, and movements that have shaped Christian belief and practice in North America from the Puritan beginnings to the present day.  The course also covered several broad topics that have influenced the diverse American Christian landscape such as Revivalism, Liberalism, Modernism, Fundamentalism, and Ecumenism.  Lastly, students were given the opportunity to research their particular church tradition and discover its place in the story of North American Christianity.

Knowledge of basic themes, patterns, and events in the history of Christianity in America is indispensable for those who seek to be leaders of the church and reliable interpreters of the faith in the North American context.  Ministers with a sense of historical perspective on American Christianity are able to comprehend its current issues more thoroughly and address its present problems more effectively.  Furthermore, the study of one’s own tradition and related traditions will supply essential knowledge necessary for leadership in specific denominational settings.  The course consisted of ten major topics, the lecture notes of which may be accessed below.

Course Outline

LECTURE I
Part 1: Introduction to American Church History
Part 2: The Meaning of Puritanism in Old and New England

LECTURE II
Part 1: The Pilgrims and the Great Migration
Part 2: The Congregational Establishment 

LECTURE III
Part 1: The Baptists, Dissent, and Diversity
Part 2: The Colonial Church in the Middle and Southern Colonies

LECTURE IV
Part 1: Four Major Christian Renewal Movements
Part 2: The First Great Awakening
Part 3: Religion and the Enlightenment

LECTURE V
Part 1: Religion and Revolution
Part 2: The Enlightenment and Liberal Christianity
Part 3: The Challenge of the Frontier
Part 4: MIDTERM REVIEW

LECTURE VI
Part 1: Midterm Exam
Part 2: The Second Great Awakening and Christian Benevolence Movements

LECTURE VII
Part 1: The Origins of American Sectarianism
Part 2: The African-American Church and the Impact of the Civil War
Part 3: Major Philosophical, Scientific, and Theological Developments outside the U.S.

LECTURE VIII
Part 1: Important Contributions of the African-American Church to Christianity
Part 2: Revivalism after the Second Great Awakening
Part 3: The Modern Missions Movement
Part 4: Industrialization, Urbanization and the Social Gospel

LECTURE IX
Part 1: American Theological Liberalism
Part 2: The Church and the Challenges of Modernism
Part 3: The Fundamentalist Movement
Part 4: Neo-Orthodoxy
Part 5: The New Evangelicals

LECTURE X
Part 1: The Ecumenical Movement
Part 2: Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements
Part 3: Conclusion to the Course

Quick Links

- View timeline of important events in American Church History.
- Download the WGM mobile app.
- Watch academic lectures from Dr. Graves.
- Donate online.