LJMedB34 Reform and Heresy in 15th-Century Central Europe

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025

The course is not taught in Spring 2025

Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Petra Mutlová, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Petra Mutlová, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
None.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 12 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Course description: The course will discuss the manifold ways of reform that took place in Central and Eastern Central Europe in the 15th century. It will thematise different reform movements of the century in the Central European region, the regional specificities of the observant movement, and the effect of the church synods (Constance and Basel) and several other monastic reforms, such as the Raudnitz (Roudnice nad Labem) or the Melk reforms, and their impact on medieval society. In some detail, the course will present the case of the Hussite reformers in medieval Bohemia and subsequently focus on the mission of the key player in the papal response to the Hussite heresy, John of Capestrano. On a general level, the course aims to discuss how these reforms and reform movements influenced the religious life of the contemporaries on a long run. The course will cover a wide range of topics and for this reason is designed as a blended learning model with the involvement of various experts on individual topics, including lecturers from Palacky University, Olomouc and University of Vienna.
Learning outcomes
Upon the successful completion of the course, the students will be able to:
-understand the general historical context of late medieval reform movements;
-describe the most important fifteenth-century reform challenges, the most important players and their impact on contemporary society;
-understand the relationship between the early, fifteenth-century (e.g. Czech) reform movements and the European Reformation of the early sixteenth century.
Syllabus
  • 1. General introduction, key terms (reform, heresy) 2. Church in the 15th century (papal schism, conciliarism) 3. Monasticism, religious orders 4. Reform of religious orders, impact on society 5. Situation in Bohemia 6. Universities in Prague and Vienna (polemical exchanges) 7. Mission of John of Capestrano 8. Anti-Jewish preaching 9. Visual culture 10. Urban society and the impact of reform 11. Networks of readership NB: Nov. 16 is an official reading week; Dec. 21 is a final wrap-up session.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • A companion to the Medieval Papacy. Ed. Atria Larson and Keith Sisson. Boston: Brill, 2016.
  • A companion to Observant Reform in the Late Middle Ages and Beyond. Ed. James Mixson and Bert Roest. Boston: Brill, 2015.
  • A companion to the Hussites. Ed. Michael Van Dussen and Pavel Soukup. Boston: Brill, 2020.
Teaching methods
Students will be asked to read relevant secondary literature as well as excerpts from the original medieval sources for individual classes (these texts will always be available in English translation; knowledge of Latin or other languages is not required) and subsequently take an active part in a class discussion (on one occasion each student will be asked to moderate the class discussion). Moreover, each student will hold a short presentation of a selected reading assignment (15 mins).
Assessment methods
ECTS credits will be awarded based on the performance in the class discussions (incl. moderating class-discussion on one ocassion) and a successful presentation of the reading assignment (see above).
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/LJMedB34