PSY425 Psychology of Religion

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2010
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 3 credit(s). Recommended Type of Completion: z (credit). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Vladimír Smékal, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Martin Krajča (lecturer)
Mgr. Jan Krása, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Ing. Josef Stuchlý, M.A. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jiří Vander, DiS., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Bc. Marie Traxlerová (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Vladimír Smékal, CSc.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Bc. Marie Traxlerová
Timetable
Mon 12:00–13:30 U23
Prerequisites
General knowledge about world religions and about the study of religions approach to religions. Understanding basic concepts and systems of general psychology, personality psychology, psychopathology, developmental psychology and social psychology.
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 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
At the end of the course student should:
know different opinions on redemption and liberation, life style, and ways of experiencing and deepening faith;
be able to approach religion from the psychological point of view;
be able to explain the meaning of religion for people who accept faith;
be able to consider what leads people to reject religion;
comprehend function of religious experience for quality of life;
be able to analyse religious phenomena from the standpoint of psychology of religion.
Syllabus
  • 1. The object of psychology of religion
  • 2. Psychological structure of religion
  • 3. Unstructured religions
  • 4. Tribal religions and related cultural systems
  • 5. Function of religion in human life
  • 6. What do particular religions expect from believers and what do they offer them
  • 7. Spirituality and religiosity
  • 8. Initiation ceremonies and transitory life events
  • 9. Spiritual life paths
  • 10. The relationship between psychology and religion
  • 11. Psychopathology and religion
  • 12. Near-death experience
  • 13. Research methods in psychology of religion
  • This is the main part of the course syllabus. The whole syllabus containing a list of particular terms, instructions, and recommended literature will be available (in Czech) – in the folder “Study materials” in the Information System of MU. It is also a preliminary outline of topics that may change a little bit according to the students’ questions and interests.
Literature
  • C. G. Jung a křesťanská spiritualita :sborník reflexí teologů, psychologů a religionistů. Edited by Robert L. Moore. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 1998, 194 s. ISBN 80-7178-195-9. info
  • FONTANA, David. Cesty ducha v moderním světě :možnosti duchovního růstu z pohledu psychologie a spirituálních tradic. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 1999, 231 s. ISBN 80-7178-239-4. info
  • FONTANA, David. Kniha meditačních technik :psychologicko-duchovní uvedení do západních i východních meditačních tradic. Translated by Renáta Mlíkovská. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 1998, 243 s. ISBN 80-7178-258-0. info
  • FONTANA, David. Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. Oxford: BPS Blackwell, 2003. info
  • GOLEMAN, Daniel. Meditující mysl : typy meditační zkušenosti. Vyd. 1. V Praze: Triton, 2001, 212 s. ISBN 807254165X. info
  • Handbook of the psychology of religion and spirituality. Edited by Raymond F. Paloutzian - Crystal L. Park. New York: Guilford Press, 2005, xvii, 590. ISBN 1572309229. URL info
  • YALOM, Irvin D. Lži na pohovce :román o psychoterapii a psychoterapeutech. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 1999, 384 s. ISBN 80-7178-393-5. info
  • HOLM, Nils G. Úvod do psychologie náboženství. Translated by Karel Balcar. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 1998, 157 s. ISBN 80-7178-217-3. info
  • MAGUIRE, Anne. Stíny duše :temné stránky lidské psychiky z pohledu hlubinné psychologie a spirituálních tradic. Translated by Pavel Klepáč. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 1999, 219 s. ISBN 80-7178-341-2. info
  • PECK, M. Scott. Lidé lži :psychologie lidského zla. V Olomouci: Votobia, 1996, 294 s. ISBN 80-7198-148-6. info
  • ROHR, Richard. Všechno má své místo : dar kontemplativní modlitby. Translated by Petr Jelínek. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2003, 119 s. ISBN 8070215844. info
  • ŘÍČAN, Pavel. Psychologie náboženství. 1. vyd. Praha: Portál, 2002, 325 s. ISBN 80-7178-547-4. info
  • UGRINOVIČ, Dmitrij Modestovič. Psychológia náboženstva. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Nakladateľstvo Pravda, 1989, 283 s. info
  • WULFF, David M. Psychology of Religion: Classic and Contemporary. 2nd edition. New York: John Wiley, 1997. info
  • MARSHALL, Ian. Spirituální inteligence. Edited by Danah Zohar. Vyd. 1. Praha: Mladá fronta, 2003, 278 s. ISBN 8020410309. info
Teaching methods
Lectures; class discussion; literature reading; semester paper, in which student carries out an analysis of a religious text using the method of reproduction, reconstruction and interpretation on the basis of internal and external criteria given by theory and methodology of psychology of religion.
Assessment methods
The credit is given on the basis of active class participation and semester paper – analysis of a religious text from the standpoint of psychology of religion.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2000, Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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