CJp413 Literature in the context of religion

Faculty of Education
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Ondřej Sládek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Milena Šubrtová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Ondřej Sládek, Ph.D.
Department of Czech Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Petra Rozbořilová
Supplier department: Department of Czech Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The lectures, in the form of selected topics, cover the most important issues in academic research focused on connections between religions and literature. The course objective is to outline in this context 1) the main theories and methods used in the study of religions and literary criticism, 2) the canons of sacred texts in world religions, 3) the role and function of texts, especially literary texts, in world religions, and also 4) the problem of narrative and literary representation in religions. Students will learn about basic secondary literature which will enable them to complete and extend preceding lectures.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to identify and analyze the main sacred texts of judaism, christianity, islam, hinduism and buddhism.
Syllabus
  • 1. An introduction: World religons and literature. 2. Literature in religions: the sacred texts. 3. Religions in literature. 4. The issue of representation of the sacred. 5. Religions and writing. 6. Literature and mysticism. 7. Intercultural and literary communication. 8. Literary traditions and contacts between religions. 9. The West discovered the East: Hinduism and Buddhism. 10. Europe and the heritage of christian literature.
Literature
    required literature
  • PELIKAN Jaroslav. Komu patří Bible? Dějiny Písma v proměnách staletí. 1. vyd. Praha: Volvox Globator, 2009. 269 s. ISBN 978-80-7207-712-0
  • Lexikon světových náboženství. Edited by Christopher H. Partridge, Translated by Martin Ritter. V Praze: Slovart, 2006, 495 s. ISBN 8072097962. info
  • PADEN, William E. Bádání o posvátnu :náboženství ve spektru interpretací. 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2002, 179 s. ISBN 8021029773. info
    recommended literature
  • ANTES, Peter, Armin W. GEERTZ a R. R. WARNE. New approaches to the study of religion. Volume 2:, Textual, comparative, sociological, and cognitive approaches. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, c2008. Religion and reason. ISBN 978-3-11-020552-7.
  • KOLMAŠ, Josef. Suma tibetského písemnictví. Praha: Argo, 2004. 382 s. ISBN 80-7203-592-4
  • ZBAVITEL, Dušan – Vacek, Jaroslav. Průvodce dějinami staroindické literatury. 1. vyd. Třebíč: Ara JiMfa. 544 s. ISBN 80-85766-34-5
  • ANTES, Peter, Armin W. GEERTZ a R. R. WARNE. New approaches to the study of religion. Volume 1:, Regional, critical, and historical approaches. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, c2008. Religion and reason. ISBN 978-3-11-020551-0.
  • POKORNÝ, Petr: Literární a teologický úvod do Nového zákona. 1. vyd. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1993. 333 s. 80-7021-052-4
  • LANE, Tony. Dějiny křesťanského myšlení. 1. vyd. Praha: Návrat domů, 1996. 287 s. ISBN 80-85495-47-3
  • PUTNA, Martin C. Česká katolická literatura. 1918−1945. 1. vyd. Praha: Torst, 2010. 1390 s. ISBN 978-80-7215-391-6
  • KROPÁČEK, Luboš. Duchovní cesty islámu. 1. vyd. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1993. ISBN 80-7021-125-3
  • PRŮŠEK, Jaroslav. O čínském písemnictví a vzdělanosti. 1. vyd. Praha: Družstevní práce, 1947. 343 s.
  • SCHUBERT, Kurt. Židovské náboženství v proměnách věků. Zdroje. Teologie. Filosofie. Mystika. 1. vyd. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1995. 286 s. ISBN 80-7021-075-3
  • KOLMAŠ, Josef. Buddhistická svatá písma. 1. vyd. Praha: Práh, 1995. 92 s. 80-85809-23-0
    not specified
  • PADEN, William E. Religious worlds : the comparative study of religion. 2nd ed., with a new preface. Boston: Beacon Press, 1994, xiv, 192. ISBN 0807012297. info
Teaching methods
Students will get an insight into basic literary methods using in the sacred texts of the major world religions. Students will further develop their literary knowledge and interpretational skills with the aim to communicate with a literary work more efficiently. They will use their knowledge gained not only in the classes but also in their individual study of recommended literature which they will be able to discuss regularly with their teacher.
Assessment methods
Method of completion: examination (in the form of a test). For successful completion of the course, the student will write an essay on the assigned topic. The second condition is a good knowledge of the required reading (3 publications), which is tested in the exam. The third condition is the successful completion of the written test. The test is scored. Grading is based on the following grading scale: A=100-88; B=87-75; C=74-62; D=61-49; E=48-36; F=35-0 points.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2025/CJp413