RLB273 The Development of Christian Cult

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2010
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. David Zbíral, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Dušan Lužný, Dr.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Timetable of Seminar Groups
RLB273/K: Fri 19. 3. 15:00–16:35 K32, Fri 16. 4. 15:00–16:35 K32, Fri 21. 5. 15:00–16:35 K32, D. Zbíral
RLB273/P: Mon 13:20–14:55 N41, D. Zbíral
Prerequisites (in Czech)
( RLA06 Christianity I && RLA07 Christianity II ) || ( RLKA06 Christianity I && RLKA07 Christianity II )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields 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
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course covers the development of the Christian cult from the beginnings to the present. It focuses on Christian ritual meal and its reformulation as the central part of the Mass, on Christian initiation (baptism, confirmation, monastic profession), on ritual introducing into functions, on prayers, curses and exorcisms, on the development of rituals of penitence and their transformation in confession, on the Christian cult of the dead (including the cult of relics), on burial rites, on the question of women holding spiritual offices during the history of Christianity, and on the forms and changes of Christian cult in the 20th century up to the present.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- describe very well the development of the Christian cult from the beginnins up to the present;
- apply general theories of ritual to Christian material and evaluate critically their usefulness;
- distinguish the Study of Religions' approach to Christian rituals and their development;
- process notes from a simple field observation.
Syllabus
  • (0) Introduction.
  • (1) Starting points and theoretical orientation of the course.
  • (2) Common ritual meal and its development.
  • (3) Initiation rites.
  • (4) Introducing into functions.
  • (5) Words and time in the Christian cult.
  • (6) Motion, gesture and space in the Christian cult.
  • (7) Christian cult of the dead (including saints).
  • (8) Funeral rituals and deathbed customs; marriage rituals.
  • (9) Rituals of penitence.
  • (10) Women and spiritual offices in Christianity.
  • (11) “Heretical” rituals.
  • (12) Test.
Literature
    required literature
  • ADAM, Adolf. Liturgika : křesťanská bohoslužba a její vývoj. Translated by Václav Konzal - Pavel Kouba. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2001, 471 s. ISBN 8070214201. info
    recommended literature
  • BERGER, Rupert. Liturgický slovník. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2008. info
  • PAPOUŠEK, Dalibor. Večeře Páně v Korintu : k archeologii sociálního konfliktu (The Lord's supper in Corinth : towards the archaeology of social conflict). Religio : revue pro religionistiku. Brno: Česká společnost pro studium náboženství, 2006, vol. 14, No 2, p. 207-224. ISSN 1210-3640. info
  • BRADSHAW, Paul F. Eucharistic origins. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, ix, 166. ISBN 0195222229. info
  • RUBIN, Miri. Corpus Christi : the Eucharist in late medieval culture. Reprinted. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002, xv, 432. ISBN 0521438055. info
  • BRADSHAW, Paul F. The search for the origins of Christian worship : sources and methods for the study of early liturgy. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002, xi, 244. ISBN 0195217322. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, multimedia, individual fieldwork.
Assessment methods
Fieldwork notes (minimum 9000 signs including spaces) or a detailed abstract of one of the titles of the recommended literature (minimum 12,000 signs including spaces); the quality is classified (passed - failed).
Written test (maximum 100 points, less than 60 points = failed).
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 vyučujícího.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2012, Spring 2015, Spring 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2010, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2010/RLB273