RLBcB530 Christianization of Europe

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Jan Reichstäter, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. David Zbíral, 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
RLA06 Christianity I || RLKA06 Christianity I || RLB34 Prehistoric Religions || RLBcA006 Christianity I || RLBcKA006 Christianity I || RLBcB034 Prehistoric Religions
RLA06/RLKA06 Křesťanství I, or RLB34 Pravěká náboženství Evropy
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 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course focuses on one of the most important processes in cultural history of Europe – the spread of Christianity. A basic aim will be to introduce various forms of Christianization in particular regions of the European continent. On a base of primary sources (missionary reports, chronicles, and archaeological findings) the course ought to provide a basic typology of missionary strategies and consequent prosesses of adoption of the new religion, including related social, political and cultural changes. There will be also presented historical evidence of interrelations between Pagans and Christians – particularly their perspectives on each other, ways of mutual communication, and historical examples of religious syncretisms and fusions between the old and the new religion in various regions.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students will be able to:
  • demonstrate basic orientation in the history of Christianization in particular European regions;
  • analyze typologically the missionary processes and strategies in particular regions;
  • evaluate critically the selected sources concerning Christianization and its historical consequences in particular regions;
  • understand the importance of Christianization processes for the historical (trans)formation of cultural identities of the Europeans.
    • Syllabus
    • Introduction to the course: Basic terms and concepts in the study of European Christianity.
    • Roman Mediterranean: From Jesus to Constantine the Great. The roots of missionary ideology and the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire.
    • Franks and the restoration of the Roman Empire in the West: From Clovis to Charlemagne. The Germans and the Arian-Catholic Schism. Carolingian Renaissance and reorganization of the Church.
    • Ireland and Hiberno-Scottish missions: Patrick, Columba and Brigid of Kildare. Irish ascetic monasticism and missions to Britain and the Continent.
    • Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Britain: Christianity as a legacy of the Roman Empire. The Pelagian heresy. Aidan, Augustin and the dichotomy of Hiberno-Scottish and Roman-Frankish missionary work.
    • Missions between the Alps and the Northern Sea: Columbanus, Boniface and the Saxon Wars. The activities of the Hiberno-Scottish, Anglo-Saxon and Frankish missionaries in the area.
    • Slavs and Romano-Germanic missions: Bohemians between the Greek and Latin rites. Christianization of Poland. Christianization in the context of Saxon expansions to Serbs, Velets and Obodrites. The conquest of the Rani Arkona.
    • Slavs and Byzantine missions: the expansions of the Slavs into the Danube. Mission of Cyril and Methodius. Christianization of Moravians, Bulgarians and Russians.
    • Scandinavia: Ansgar and his mission to the "Vikings". The relationship between Christianization and the political unification of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
    • Iceland: Specifics of local settlement, cultural development and the path to Christianity.
    • Eastern Baltic area: Missions of Adalbert and Bruno of Querfurt. The crusades of the Sword and Teutonic Knights. Pagan Lithuania between Livonia, Russia and Poland.
    • Finland, Lapland and the Volga region: Baltic Finns and Sami between Catholicism, Lutheranism and Orthodoxy. Christianization in the context of Swedish and Russian expansions into the European taiga and tundra.
    • Final test.
    Literature
      required literature
    • BEREND, Nora. Christianizace a utváření křesťanské monarchie : Skandinávie, střední Evropa a Rus v období 10.-12. století. Translated by Milan Rydvan. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2013, 452 s. ISBN 9788025708354. info
      recommended literature
    • IVANOV, Sergej Arkad‘jevič. Byzantské misie, aneb, Je možné udělat z "barbara" křesťana? Translated by Michal Téra. Červený Kostelec: Pavel Mervart, 2012, 367 s. ISBN 9788087378458. info
    • PETTS, David. Pagan and Christian: Religious Change in Early Medieval Europe. Bristol: Bristol Classical Press, 2011. info
    • FLETCHER, R. A. The barbarian conversion : from paganism to Christianity. 1st pbk. print. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999, xiii, 562. ISBN 9780520218598. info
    • MACMULLEN, Ramsay. Christianizing the Roman Empire (A.D. 100-400). New Haven: Yale University, 1984, viii, 183. ISBN 0300036426. info
    Teaching methods
    Lectures; home reading; class presentations of the students with a feedback from teacher.
    Assessment methods
    1) Final test that verifies a factographic knowledge from both lectures and obligatory readings (limit for successful graduation: 60 points from 100);
    2) Seminar presentation of student on a chosen topic, accepted by teacher (limit for successful graduation: 45 points from 75; evaluation concerns: relevance of the content, factographic correctness, rhetoric qualities, ability to react on critical comments in a discussion);
    3) Submitted vizual form of seminar presentation (in PowerPoint, or other format) until the term of deadline (limit for successful graduation: 15 points from 25; evaluation concerns: structure of the content, factographic correctness, vizual clarity of the presentation and the correct style of citations and mandatory list of informational sources used in the presentation).
    Language of instruction
    Czech
    Study support
    https://elf.phil.muni.cz/24-25/course/view.php?id=813
    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 2025.
    • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2026, recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2026/RLBcB530