RLB273 The Development of Christian Cult

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2015
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
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 of Seminar Groups
RLB273/K: Fri 27. 2. 15:50–17:25 J31, Fri 27. 3. 15:50–17:25 J31, Fri 24. 4. 15:50–17:25 J31, D. Zbíral
RLB273/P: each even Wednesday 14:10–15:45 J22, D. Zbíral
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 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, 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 the forms of major Christian rituals and the main lines in their development from their beginnins up to the present;
  • interpret the meaning of major Christian rituals from an anthropological perspective;
  • prepare and perform a presentation of a particular topic concerning Christian rituals;
  • discuss the presentation.
    • Syllabus
    • (1) Introduction.
    • (2) Starting points and theoretical orientation of the course.
    • (3) Common ritual meal and its development.
    • (4) Initiation rites.
    • (5) Introducing into functions.
    • (6) Words and time in the Christian cult.
    • (7) Motion, gesture and space in the Christian cult.
    • (8) Christian cult of the dead (including saints).
    • (9) Funeral rituals and deathbed customs; marriage rituals.
    • (10) Rituals of penitence.
    • (11) Women and spiritual offices in Christianity.
    • (12) “Heretical” rituals.
    Literature
      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
    • ADAM, Adolf. Liturgika : křesťanská bohoslužba a její vývoj. Translated by Václav Konzal - Pavel Kouba. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2001, 471 s. ISBN 8070214201. info
    Teaching methods
    Lectures, multimedia.
    Assessment methods
    Oral presentation of a particular topic, and participation in the discussion about the presentation (graded passed/failed).
    Language of instruction
    Czech
    Further Comments
    Study Materials
    The course is taught once in two years.
    The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2010, Spring 2012, Spring 2021.
    • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2015, recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2015/RLB273