RLB254 Contemporary Indian Christianity

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jana Valtrová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Dušan Lužný, Dr.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Timetable
Thu 16:40–18:15 zruseno D51
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Christianity and religions of India on the level of courses Christianity I and II, Buddhism I and II, Hinduism.
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 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course will present the state of Christianity in India today, on the institutional, geographical and demographical leves. In the first part of the course, the attention is paid to the development of Christian communities in particular regions of India with a special focus on the impact of colonialism. Second part of the course deals with particular groups and issues which are currently present in India, attention is also paid to the development within these churches. Main objectives of the course are as follows: to understand the historical and social context of Christian communities in India; to analyze main current issues of Indian Christians with regard to social and political situation - Hindu nationalism, Dalit movement, Christianity among tribes; to understand the process of inculturation both on the level of everyday life as well as on the normative level of Indian theology; to consider and critically reflect development of Indian Christianity with regard to the global situation.
Syllabus
  • 0. Introductory lecture; 1. Historio-geographical overview of Christians in India I - Thomas Christians and Indian Catholics; 2. Historio-geographical overview of Christians in India II - Protestant missions and HIndu reformism; 3. Christianity and Indian religions - theology and everyday life, cult of saints, pilgrimages, rituals; 4. Christianity among indigenous tribes; 5. Dalit movement and Dalit theology; 6. Indian Christians and Hindu nationalism; 7. "Indianization" and inculturation among Indian Christians; 8. Main issues of contemporary Indian theology, Indian Christology; 9. Indian Christianity as presented in the media and film; 10. Presentations of students works; 11. Presentation of students works; 12. Presentation of students works, concluding discussion.
Literature
  • PUTHER, Bosco. Inculturation and the Syro-Malabar Church. 1st Ed. Kochi: L.R.C. Publications, 2005, x, 305. ISBN 8188979031. info
  • Religious conversion in India : modes, motivations, and meanings. Edited by Rowena Robinson - Santhianthan Clarke. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2003, xv, 420. ISBN 0195663292. URL info
  • Popular Christianity in India : riting between the lines. Edited by Selva J. Raj - Corinne G. Dempsey. New York: State University of New York Press, 2002, xix, 284. ISBN 0791455203. info
  • DEMPSEY, Corinne G. Kerala Christian sainthood : collisions of culture and worldview in South India. 1st pub. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2001, xii, 213. ISBN 0195653599. info
  • WEBSTER, John C. B. The dalit Christians : a history. 1st pub. Delhi: ISPCK, 1992, xiii, 275. ISBN 8172141602. info
Assessment methods
Contents of the semester:
Lectures, class discussions, student presentations.
Requirements:
(a) active participation in seminars;
(b) written commentaries to given texts;
(c) presentation of a seminar work and its written form.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2017, Autumn 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2008/RLB254