ENSn4670 Christianity and Environmental Ethics – Theological View on Human-Nature Relationship

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2022
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jan Zámečník, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Karel Stibral, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Kateřina Hendrychová
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Tue 8:00–9:40 P21b
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 18 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 3/18, only registered: 0/18, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/18
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main goal of this seminar is to acquaint students with one of the theological views on the human-nature relationship and to help them understand the basic concepts on which environmentally oriented theology is based. The seminar will explore the book Gaia and God: An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing by leading feminist theologian Rosemary Radford Ruether (1936-2022). Ruether served on the faculties of Howard University and Garret-Evangelical Theological Seminary and is the author of numerous books, including Sexism and God-Talk: Toward a Feminist Theology; America, Amerikkka: Elect Nation & Imperial Violence, etc. In Gaia and God, she addresses a wide range of issues such as evil, destructiveness, patriarchalism, the importance of relationships, and the Christian sources of ecological spirituality and practice.
Learning outcomes
After completing the seminar, students will be able to orient themselves in the basic topics of environmental theology and their deeper connections with the Christian tradition. They will also gain experience in reading theological texts in English.
Syllabus
  • 1) Introductory seminar lesson 2) Introduction to ecotheology and the doctrine of creation 3) Three classical creation stories 4) Does science have a new creation story? 5) Religious narratives of world destruction 6) New narratives of world destruction 7) Classical narratives of sin and evil 8) Paradise lost and the fall into patriarchy 9) Constructiong the systems of domination 10) Healing the world: the covenantal tradition 11) Healing the world: the sacramental tradition 12) Creating a healed world: spirituality and politics 13) Concluding reflections on the seminar
Literature
    required literature
  • RUETHER, Rosemary Radford. Gaia & God : an ecofeminist theology of earth healing. 1st ed. San Francisco: Harper, 1994, 310 s. ISBN 0060669675. info
Teaching methods
Discussion with students, analysis of texts, feedback on presentations
Assessment methods
Presentation and seminar essay
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Minimální počet zapsaných studentů 5.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2022/ENSn4670