RLB44 Orthodoxy and Heresy in Early Christianity

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2021

The course is not taught in Spring 2021

Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Iva Doležalová (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Zbíral, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Ivona Vrzalová
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
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
Course deals with histories of early Christian heresies till the end of Ancient Time. Special attention is aimed at methodological problems of defining the concept of heresy/heterodoxy within the context of Ancient Christianity. Particular heresies (since 1 to 6 CE) are explained with regard to their relationship to theological, ritual or social level of rising Chrisitanity and consequencies for orthodoxy formation. Students also learn the historical sources text analysis.
At the end of the course students should be able to:
- explain main methodological problems with definig heresy within the history of ancient Christianity;
- recognize intelectual position of particular authors of historical sources
- compare and differentiate various standing points of information of heresiologists
- evaluate value judgements included in analyzed historical sources
- formulate differentiated views on praticular heresies
Syllabus
  • - Introduction
  • - Orthodoxy - heresy; basic characteristics of Christianity and its consequencies for understanding heterodoxy. Contextuality of heresies.
  • - Paul of Tarsos and his warnings against other teachers.
  • - Characteristics of gnosis in Christianity, gnostic texts and their theology/Christology
  • - Teachers of gnosis: Valentinos, Basilides, docetists. Marcion - gnostic?
  • - Historical sources and their analysis (Gospel of Thomas, Eirenaios, Hippolytos).
  • - First seminar discussion
  • - Image of heretics in Early Christian literature (Hippolytus, Refutatio VIII, 8,1-11,1; X 5,1-29,1; X 32,1-34,1, in: Vymítání všeho kacířstva, Praha: Bibliotheca Gnostica 1997, (Doketi) 238-244, (Souhrn vší filosofie a herezí) 293-308, (Pravé učení) 313-319.
  • - Christological controversies in Ancient Christianity (Arianism, Sabelianism, Apolinarism, Nestorianism, Monophysitism, Monoteletism).
  • - Second seminar discussion
  • - Ancient concils on heresies
  • - Charitas - potestas: Augustin and his antiheretical polemics. Priscilianism, Pelagianism, Manicheism, Donatism. Heresy and power.
  • - Third seminar discussion
Literature
  • CHADWICK, Henry. The church in ancient society : from Galilee to Gregory the Great. 1st pub. in paperback. Oxford: Oxford University Press. viii, 730. ISBN 0199265771. 2003. info
  • CHADWICK, Henry. Heresy and orthodoxy in the early church. Aldershot: Variorum. 1 sv. (rů. ISBN 0-86078-294-8. 1991. info
  • PAGELS, Elaine H. The gnostic gospels. Vintage books ed. New York: Vintage Books. xxxvi, 182. ISBN 0679724532. 1989. info
  • POKORNÝ, Petr. Píseň o perle : tajné knihy starověkých gnostiků. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad. 278 s. 1986. info
  • PAGELS, Elaine H. Beyond belief : the secret Gospel of Thomas. New York: Random House. 241 s. ISBN 0375501568. 2003. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, three seminar discussions, home readings, semester paper.
Assessment methods
Colloquium requirements:
- active participation in seminar discussions;
- preparation and passing of three commentaries (2 pages) based on home readings;
- semester paper (10 pages, notes, bibliography) and its defence in seminar discussion.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučující.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2002, Autumn 2004, Spring 2010, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2016.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2021/RLB44