Christopher Dawson's "Outline of History"

     Teaching as one who desires to "think Christianly", the reality is that it is not merely the content, but the way one thinks about the content.  A Professor of Cultural History who is informed by Christian conviction will certainly cover many of the the same topics, eras, issues, and people that a non-Christian counter-part would cover.
    I remember hearing, years ago, about a rabid atheistic Professor of Philosophy who so disdained Thomas Aquinas, he refused to even mention him in his Survey class other than to dismiss the greatest Medieval Philosopher, arguably the greatest Philosopher of all time.  Obviously, his students were cheated of a full education.  Biases considered, as we all have them, when I teach Cultural History, my debt, respect, and gratitude is extended toward Christopher Dawson and explicitly stated..
     Dawson is most certainly correct when he expressed this conviction about the Christian view of history.  The Christian view of history is not a secondary element derived by philosophical reflection from the study of history. It lies at the very heart of Christianity and forms an integral part of the Christian faith. Hence there is no Christian “philosophy of history” in the strict sense of the word. There is, instead, a Christian history and a Christian theology of history, and it is not too much to say that without them there would be no such thing as Christianity.
    Due to the influence of Dawson's writings on my historical consciousness, I often begin by giving the widest parameters of Western Civilization by describing Pre-Christian; Christian; and Post-Christian phases. To provided more nuance, I again, borrow from Dawson's works. Any reader will note the central role that Religion, in particular, the Christian Religion, holds.  Dawson, like other great historians, spoke of discernible patterns or cycles in history.    The following is an outline of Western Civilization I have gleamed from several of Dawson's works.

A. Period of Growth. Dominance of the old synthesis in the young civilization.
B. Period of Progress. Disintegration of the old synthesis in the progressive civilization.
C. Period of Maturity. Rise of the new synthesis in the mature civilization.

The Hellenic world