RLBcA012 History of the Study of Religions

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s) (plus 1 credit for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Radek Kundt, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Radek Kundt, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Kristýna Čižmářová
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
RLBcA001 Introduction to Religion && ! RLA12 History of Religious Studies
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 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/50, only registered: 0/50, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course introduces BA students to the history of the study of religions. It outlines the main developments of the study of religions as a separate scientific discipline from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present day. It focuses on the main theoretical and methodological achievements and introduces arguments of individual approaches.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course successful students should be able to:
- understand and recall the study of religion as a discipline grounded on its own intellectual base and with its academic autonomy;
- describe the main traditions of this discipline, as they developed from the 19th century untill recent times;
- understand particular methodologiacal approaches created during the history of the study of religions;
- understand and interpret specific discussions within the field of the study of religions;
- apply the gained knowledge during their own research.
Syllabus
  • - Introduction
  • - Comparative mythology and the beginning of the study of religions as a scientific discipline
  • - Classical cultural evolutionism and dyfuzionism
  • - Phenomenology and hermenuetics of religions
  • - Psychology of religion
  • - Test I.
  • - Sociology of religion I.
  • - Sociology of religion II.
  • - Anthropology of religion I.
  • - Anthropology of religion II.
  • - Contemporary perspectives and Cognitive science of religion
  • - Test II.
Literature
    required literature
  • PALS, Daniel L. Osm teorií náboženství. Translated by Lucie Valentinová. Vydání druhé, opravené. Praha: Ex Oriente, 2021, 483 stran. ISBN 9788090521162. info
  • CHALUPA, Aleš and Tomáš HAMPEJS. Kognitivní věda o náboženství: Východiska, cíle a krátká historie (Cognitive Science of Religion: Theoretical Assumptions, Aims and History). Pantheon : religionistický časopis. Pardubice: Univerzita Pardubice, 2014, vol. 9, No 1, p. 10-43. ISSN 1803-2443. info
    recommended literature
  • The Routledge handbook of research methods in the study of religion. Edited by Michael Stausberg - Steven Engler. 1st pub. in pbk. London: Routledge, 2014, xxi, 543. ISBN 9780203154281. info
  • Contemporary theories of religion : a critical companion. Edited by Michael Stausberg. First published. London: Routledge, 2009, x, 309. ISBN 9780415463461. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, readings.
Assessment methods
Requirements during the course
Part of the home preparation for individual lectures is the reading of the given texts. Their detailed studying is compulsory and content of these texts will be part of tests, seminar paper and oral examination.

Requirements for course completion
Colloquim
Successful completion of:
(a) Test I.
(b) Test II.
When completing the course by colloquium, 100 percent of the assessment is based on successful completion of both tests.

Exam
Requirements for entering exam include:
(1) successful completion of Test I. and Test II.
(2) accepted seminar paper.

TESTS
Each test has 20 questions. There is just one correct answer to each question. For the correct answer, the student gets 1 point. A minimum of 60 percent (i.e., 12 points) must be achieved.

SEMINAR PAPER
There are nine texts in the obligatory course literature. After reading all of them, students choose three texts for the purposes of the seminar paper. The main objective of the seminar paper is a contrasting comparison of three different approaches to the study of religions. This goal is fulfilled by highlighting:
a) main assumptions (how theories build on the previous theories, where do they part)
b) main goals (what problems and questions theories tackle)
c) main methods (how theories achieve their goals).
Scope of work: 5-6 standard pages. Acception deadline: at least 3 work days before the oral exam.

Oral exam
Focuses on:
(A) testing knowledge, context and relation;
(B) testing interpretation and argumentation skills in the given area.
When completing the course by oral exam, 100 percent of the assessment is based on successful completion of oral exam.
Students of the Study of Religions programme are required to complete the course by oral exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Information on completion of the course: Posluchači religionistiky povinně ukončují zkouškou.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
Teacher's information
Information on completion of the course: Posluchači religionistiky povinně ukončují zkouškou. The course is taught annually. Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/RLBcA012