RLB280 The Origins of Christianity

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2018
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Iva Doležalová (lecturer)
PhDr. Dalibor Papoušek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jana Valtrová, 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 of Seminar Groups
RLB280/01: each odd Wednesday 10:50–12:25 J22, I. Doležalová, D. Papoušek
RLB280/02: Fri 23. 2. 10:50–12:25 J22, Fri 23. 3. 10:50–12:25 J22, Fri 20. 4. 10:50–12:25 J22, I. Doležalová, D. Papoušek
Prerequisites (in Czech)
RLA06 Christianity I || RLKA06 Christianity I
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
Following the basic general course Christianity I (RLBcA006 or RLBcKA006), this course gives a deeper insight into the question of Christian origins and the earliest history of Christianity. The origins of Christianity are treated through five thematic sonds focused on textual criticism and the quest of historical Jesus, the ritual life of early Christians, the position of women within the early Christian communities, the perspective of the Roman world on Christians, and the earliest visual culture of Christianity. An important part of the course consists in panel discussions based on home readings and written commentaries on selected sources.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students will be able to:
  • demonstrate the basic factual knowledge of the formative period of Christianity;
  • apply the basic terminology used in the study of early Christianity;
  • analyze and interpret key literary and archaeological sources connected with the topic;
  • distinguish critically between the theologizing approaches to the origins of Christianity and the demands of their academic study
    • Syllabus
    • Introduction to the course.
    • The origins of Christianity in perspective of the academic study of religions.
    • Textual criticism and the quest of historical Jesus.
    • Class discussion I: Comparison of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
    • Ritual life of early Christians.
    • Class discussion II: Eucharist in the conceptions of Paul's letters and Didache.
    • The position of women within the early Christian communities.
    • Class discussion III: Women in the Paulian tradion.
    • Christians in perspective of the Roman world.
    • Class discussion IV: Correspondence of Pliny the Younger with the emperor Trajan.
    • Visual culture of early Christianity.
    • Class discussion V: Visual representations of Jesus' crucifixion.
    Literature
      recommended literature
    • Rané křesťanství : počátky a vývoj církve do roku 600. Edited by Ian Hazlett, Translated by Petr Kitzler. 1. vyd. Brno: CDK (Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury), 2009, 319 s. ISBN 9788073251598. info
    • VOUGA, François. Dějiny raného křesťanství. 1. vyd. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1997, 267 s. ISBN 8085959224. info
    • MACK, Burton L. Who wrote the new testament? : the making of the Christian myth. San Francisco: Harper, 1995, ix, 326. ISBN 0060655186. info
    • SNYDER, Graydon F. Ante pacem : archaeological evidence of church life before Constantine. Rev. ed. Macon: Mercer University Press, 2003, 311 s. ISBN 0865548951. info
    • STARK, Rodney. The rise of Christianity :a sociologist reconsiders history. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996, xiv, 246 s. ISBN 0-691-02749-8. info
    Teaching methods
    Lectures; semestral written commentaries on assigned sources; panel discussions; colloquial written commentary on sources of one's choice.
    Assessment methods
    Requirements for the colloquium:
  • five semestral written commentaries on assigned sources;
  • at least three presentations in panel discussions, based on semestral commentaries;
  • colloquial written commentary on chosen sources, including its defense.

    The final assessment includes: semestral commentaries and presentations in panel discussions (100 points in a ratio 60:40 = 50%, limit 60 points); colloquial commentary (100 points = 50%, limit 60 points); participation in the classes (extra points added to semestral commentaries and panel discussions).
    • Language of instruction
    Czech
    Follow-Up Courses
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    Study Materials
    The course is taught once in two years.
    Information about innovation of course.
    This course has been innovated under the project "Faculty of Arts as Centre of Excellence in Education: Complex Innovation of Study Programmes and Fields at FF MU with Regard to the Requirements of the Knowledge Economy“ – Reg. No. CZ.1.07/2.2.00/28.0228, which is cofinanced by the European Social Fond and the national budget of the Czech Republic.

    logo image
    The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2010, Autumn 2012, Spring 2014, Spring 2020.
    • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2018, recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2018/RLB280