FF:RLB239 Hellenistic Religions - Course Information

RLB239 Hellenistic Religions

Extent and Intensity

1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).

Teacher(s)

PhDr. Iva Doležalová (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Šárka Londa Vondráčková
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts

Timetable

each even Wednesday 9:10–10:45 K33

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

there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

The course offers a comprehensive overview of religious believes and practices in the Hellenictic period (from the fourth century B.C.E. to the fourth century C.E.). During particular lectures is introduced a rich variety of Hellenictic piety, mystery cults, and gnostic traditions representing three types of discourse and practice as well as existence as a part of coherent system. This system incorporated many religious alternatives, including newly rising Mithraism or Christianity, is interpreted with regard to the new Ptolemaic construction of cosmos and changes in the roles and representation of feminine and masculine deities, to the concepts of destiny and salvation.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

to present and interpret particular aspects of Hellenistic religion

to interpret various forms of religious alternatives as a part of system which is characteristic for the time of religious and cultural change

to understand religion and culture of late Antiquity as a complex developing in particular historical and social kontext

to read with understanding historical sources and use academic terminology and methodolocical approaches of academic study of religion for interpretation in their contexts as well as understand the system itself

to differentiate academis approach to events and phenomena in the history of Late Antiquity from those of non-academic (apologetic, believers atc.)

Syllabus

• Syllabus
• Introduction: basic characterization and chronology of the Hellenistic period. Hellenistic religion. Syncretism
• Primary/historical sources for the study of Hellenism (Apuleius: The Golden Ass)
• Hellenistic religious strategies: pietas, mysterium, gnosis.
• Traditional pietas. Divination as an interpretation of cosmos (Cicero, De Divinatione); healing; magic
• Hellenistic Philosophy (Epicureism, Stoicism, Novoplatonism) – a way to formulation of a rational order of things?
• Problem of social formation: clubs, associations, confraternities (voluntary associations)
• Mysteries - matter of personal decission (anti-individualistic character of Ancient culture)
• Mysteries and the sovereignty of feminine: Fortuna and salvation; Demeter, Isis, Great Mother of Gods.
• Mysteries and innovations: Dionysos, Orfeus
• Hellenistic Judaism
• Innovations – a shift to the sovereign of masculine: Mithraism, Christianity
• Problem of the so called Oriental cults
• Hellenistic gnosis: Christian and non-Christian
• Manicheism, Hermetism
• Hellenistic religions as a system: strategies, transformations, new cosmic architecture
• Religious and cultural change

Literature

required literature
• MARTIN, Luther H. Helénistická náboženství. Překl. Iva Doležalová a Dalibor Papoušek. 1st ed. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 1997, xx, 161. Religionistika, sv. 4. ISBN 80-210-1702-3. info
• BURKERT, Walter. Ancient mystery cults. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1987, ix, 181. ISBN 0674033876. info

recommended literature
• DOSTÁLOVÁ, Růžena and Radislav HOŠEK. Antická mystéria. Vydání první. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1997, 365 stran. ISBN 8070212179. info

Teaching methods

Lecture, seminar discussion based on reading and written comments on given texts

Seminar presentation upon particular text of historical source (two presentation during semestr based on writen comments of historical source and reading)

Preparation of writen comments for colloqium

Assessment methods

Colloquim
Requests for colloquim:

Written test based on the required reading, lectures, and presentations (100 points each, the minimum of 60 points is required to pass the test, which is a prerequisite for the oral colloquim)

Two submissions of abstracts of source texts - for seminar discussions (see Study materials), evaluated 100 points each, the minimum of 60 points is required. This task is a prerequisite for the oral colloquim)

Active participation in seminar discussions based on reading and written comments on given texts

Before the colloqium term published in the IS MU, participants of the course submit an analytical comment on elected text of historical source and reading.

See Study materials for detailed information.

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučující.

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2017, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2017/RLB239