Courses in English and German in the academic year 2016/2017
(last updated 12 January 2017)

*The summer semester 2017*

Courses intended for all students

Czech for Foreign Students - Beginners - RET9534
Practice, 2 hours/week, 4 credits, Teacher: Dr. Hana Slavíčková
Information about the nature and characteristics of the language, pronunciation, spelling. Comparison with English (language the course is taught in). The aim is to cover the material in the first 7-8 lessons of the textbook New Czech Step by Step (greetings, numbers, months, colours, time….. basic grammar) in written and spoken form.

Courses recommended for students of Theology

Old Testament Theology: From the Kingdom of Israel to the Province of Samaria – RET10422
Lecture + Practice, 2 hours/week, 2 credits, Teacher: Associate Professor Jan Dušek, Th.D.
Our objective is to scrutinize the Old Testament texts which concern the period of the Iron Age in the light of the North-West Semitic epigraphic sources. We will study selected inscriptions written in Aramaic and in Canaanite languages, which concern the texts of the Old Testament.

The Apostolic Creed - RET2062 (Biblical Foundations)
Lecture, 1 hour/week, 2 credits, Teacher: Professor Petr Pokorný

Church History: Churches in the Cold War - RET3054 or RET3054A 
Seminar, 2 hours/week, 6 credits, (RET3054A  - 4 credits), Teacher: Dr. Peter Morée
The communist regime after the Second World War had the aim to suppress and eventually ban religion and churches from society. They implemented a system of oppression, but they also successfully used the churches for their aims of propaganda. Which were the main stages, how did the churches in Czechoslovakia or in other European countries react? The goal: To gain knowledge about the situation of the churches between 1945 and 1989 and the specific dilemmas this reality put before them, i.e. especially in communist Czechoslovakia, with some comparison to other European countries. 

Practical Theology: The History and Celebration of the Eucharist - RET6052 
Seminar; 2 hours/week, 6 credits, Teacher: Professor David Holeton
"The best way towards unity in Eucharistic celebration and communion is the renewal of the Eucharist itself in the different churches in regard to teaching and liturgy." (Baptism, Eucharist, Ministry - Eucharist III, 28) Over recent years, most churches have undertaken a significant renewal of their Eucharistic rites and the manner in which they celebrate the sacrament. Through lectures and assigned readings in primary sources the student will become familiar with the historical development of the Eucharist and its various theologies through the ages as well as pastoral questions facing the churches today. By the end of course students should have a solid background with which to engage the contemporary reforms of the Eucharistic rites and practices of their own church as well as an understanding of the practices of other churches.

Theological Ethics Seminar - RET5058 (Global Ethics (H. Küng) and Human Rights)
Seminar; 2 hours/week, 6 credits, Teachers: Mgr. et Mgr. Kristýna Pilecká, Th.D., ThDr. Pavel Keřkovský
The first part of the course examines the reasons for the theological legitimacy of human rights and provides an overview of the historical development of human rights in Euro-American culture. We will examine and interpret the basic international documents, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and also specific Czech documents, such as Charta 77. The second part of the course provides a general introduction to the development of Küng’s thinking about ecumenical theology, extended to include interreligious dialogue. The course will give an overview of the terminology which is essential in order to understand the global ethic, including ethical standards and strategies to apply it. In discussing these themes relating to the global ethic, based on texts taken from books written by Küng, we will explore how religions, human rights, and human responsibilities are brought into symbiosis. This will be observed and assessed with reference to Küng’s 3 key statements: There will be no peace between the civilizations without peace between the religions. There will be no peace between the religions without a dialogue between the religions. There will be no new world order without a new world ethic (a planetary ethic). Recommended Literature: Komárková, Božena, Human Rights and the Rise of the Secular Age, Eman 2003, Heršpice Küng, Hans and Kuschel, Karl-Josef. A global ethic: the declaration of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, 1993. Küng, Hans, A global ethic for global politics and economics , London 1997.

Seminar Philosophie (Deutsch) - RET7059 (Jan Patočka - Einführung in die tschechische Philosophie)
Seminar, 2 Stunden/Woche, 6 Kredite, Lehrer: Jan Kranát, Ph.D., Olga Navrátilová, Ph.D.

Systematic Theology Seminar - RET40508
Seminar, 2 hours/week, 6 credits, Teacher: Associate Professor ThDr. Petr Macek, Ph.D.

Humanity and Transcendence in the Works of Rowan Williams - RET40510
Seminar; 2 hours/week, 6 credits, Teacher: Prof. Ivana Noble, Ph.D.
The course is focussed on the evolving theological work of a former archbishop of Canterbury and one of the most important British theologians, Rowan Williams. After an introductory lecture the seminars will consist in reading extracts from his works, as they chronologically evolved, starting with his unpublished doctorate on Vladimir Lossky, till the most recent works, like /The Edge of Words/, or /Faith in the Public Square. /While reading and commenting on extracts from various books by Williams, the following two themes will be followed: What does it mean to be human; and How can we treat transcendence as transcendence.

Shusaku Endo's "Silence" and Christian Mission - RL0331
Seminar; 2 hours/week, 6 credits, Teacher: Dr. Tim Noble

Courses recommended for students of Social Work

Social Work in the Czech Republic I; Current Situation and Challenges – RPZ02B
Lecture and Seminar, 2 hours/week, 5 credits; Teachers: PhDr. Eva Křížová, PhD., Mgr. Daniel Bartoň, PhDr. Hana Janečková, Ph.D., PhDr. Jaroslava Šťastná. Ph.D.
The course aims to introduce major social issues and concerns in CR which are closely associated with social work: socio-economic development after 1989, current social structure and emerging problems, approaches to solving them and basic coping strategies. The course will explore theories and concepts related to social exclusion and integration, legal concerns and provide examples of practical applications to be analysed and discussed by the course participants. The course is taught over a semester (12 sessions) with one lecture or seminar each week. 

Health, culture and society; Social, cultural and religious aspects of health and health care – RPZ01
Lecture + Seminar, 2 hours/week, 5 credits, Teacher: PhDr. Eva Křížová
In this course various links between human health, disease and socio-cultural conditions will be studied. Health, disease and health care will be explored in the historical and cultural perspective. Paradigms of health and disease in ancient and modern cultures will be compared. Religious and spiritual aspects of human illnesses and treatments will be investigated. Concept of hagiotherapy will be examined. Focus on health and health promotion in religious systems will be discovered. A special focus will be paid to extreme and life changing situations like dying, suicide, lethal illness, stillbirth, abortion, loss in the family, injury etc. Archaic, traditional and modern medical systems will be compared and discussed. Medicalization of modern society will be demonstrated. Emerging model of integrated medicine of the postmodern era will be outlined and discussed. Students will be encouraged to contribute actively to the course content by means of their written essays, presentations and group discussions. This course is suitable for Erasmus incoming students who can contribute to the intercultural and international perspective in perceiving health and disease as cultural phenomena.

Person Centered Approaches and their Use in Working with Frail Old People - RPZ102 (Validation, pre-therapy, basal stimulation, videotraining of interaction, reminiscence)
Lecture and practice, 2 hours/week, 5 credits, Teacher: PhDr. Hana Janečková, Ph.D.
The course is intended for future pastors, social workers, and pastoral workers, who want to be prepared for the demographic development currently taking place, which involves a rapid increase in the number of very old people in our society, in congregations and in local communities. Students will become familiar with the social consequences of the demographic ageing of the population. The course will also provide concrete examples of appropriate working methods and approaches that will help maintain contacts for senior citizens with reduced independence, promote their dignity, and integrate them into society, while at the same time helping family members who care for them.