Research Fellow in the Ecumenical Institute

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

• 2015: PhD in Systematic and Practical Theology, ETF UK. Thesis title: "Horizons of Human Understanding and Transcendence: Gadamer and Modern Orthodox Hermeneutics in Dialogue", supervisor: Prof. Ivana Noble, PhD., Opponents: prof. Assaad Kattan (University of Münster, Germany) and prof. Petr Pokorny (PTF, Prague)

• 2004-2006: Postgraduate studies at the Hermeneutic Institute in Tübingen, Germany (Lutheran Federation of the World Federation scholarship and the Ecumenical Scholarship of Evangelisches Stift, studies with Prof. Eberhard Jüngel, Prof. Oswald Bayer and Prof. Christoph Schwöbel)

• 2004: Master's degree in Evangelical Theology, Faculty of Evangelical Theology, Comenius University, Bratislava, master's thesis in the field of systematic theology "Luther on Prayer".

BIOGRAPHY

• 2021-2023: coordinator of combined study (VOŠ Jabok)

• 2021 - : coordinator of e-learning (Protestant Theological Faculty)

• 2021 - : research fellow and lecturer (Protestant Theological Faculty)

• 2012 - : projects researcher: UNCE, GAČR, GAUK (Protestant Theological Faculty)

• 2016 - : Moodle administrator (VOŠ Svatojánská kolej, VOŠ Jabok, Protestant Theological Faculty)

• 2018-2021: project coordinator and methodologist of project "Innovation in higher vocational education", 2018-2021 (VOŠ Jabok)

• 2016-2018: Head Librarian (Catholic Theological Faculty)

• 2012-2019: lecturer in the Institute of Ecumenical Studies (Protestant Theological Faculty)

• 2012 - : lecturer, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies (VOŠ Jabok)

• 2016-2018: lecturer in biblical studies and religious studies (VOŠ Svatojánská kolej)

• 2014-2016: English teacher, Department of Modern Languages (VOŠ Jabok)

• 2009-2014: Head Librarian and lecturer (International Baptist Theological Seminary, Praha).

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

• Research project "Evangelische Identität im orthodoxen Kontext", organised by the Zentrum für Evangelische Theologie Ost (ZETO, Sibiu, Rumunsko), 2021-2023, research fellow, member of Theologische Studiengruppe

• 2020 - : member of the editorial board of the journal "Nicholai Studies", ISSN: 2738–1064

• Research project Univerzitní výzkumná centra UK no. 204052 "Theological Anthropology in Ecumenical Perspective", 2018-2023, junior researcher

• Research project GAČR "Transformations of Tradition: implications for contemporary ecumenical theology", 2017-2019, Research Team Leader

• Research project GAUK č. 1088213 "Hermeneutics of experience and its use in Christology and ecclesiology", 2013-2014, Research Team Leader

• Specifický vysokoškolský výzkum, ETF UK, 2011-2012, "Horizons of Human Understanding and Transcendence: Gadamer and Modern Orthodox Hermeneutics in Dialogue"

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Publishing and other professional activities registered in database OBD.

Complete scientfic bibliography here.

Full texts here.

Books:

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko (ed.). Člověk, bohočlověk a církev: výběr ze spisů Justina Popoviće. Červený Kostelec: Pavel Mervart, 2022. ISBN: 978-80-7465-563-0. {Man, God-man and the Church: a selection from the writings of Justin Popović.}

• NOBLE, Ivana, ŠIRKA, Zdenko et al. Кто есть человек? Богословская антропология. (Серия «Современное богословие»). Москва: Издательство ББИ, 2022. ISBN: 978-5-89647-419-7.

• NOBLE, Ivana and Zdenko ŠIRKA (ed.). Kdo je člověk? Teologická antropologie ekumenicky. Praha: Karolinum, 2021. ISBN: 978-80-246-4779-1. {Who Is the Human Being? An Ecumenical Approach to Theological Anthropology}

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Transcendence and Understanding: Gadamer and Modern Orthodox Hermeneutics in Dialogue. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2020. ISBN: 978-1532678073.

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko (ed.). Domov jako most: Festschrift k padesátinám prof. Ivany Noble. Studie a texty Evangelické teologické fakulty, 27. Jihlava: Jan Keřkovský – Mlýn, 2016. [ISBN 978-80-86498-59-1; ISSN 1805-2762] {Home as a Bridge: Festschrift for Fiftieth Birthday of prof. Ivana Noble}

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko, Petr JANDEJSEK a Cristian PANAITESCU (eds.). Hermeneutika zkušenosti v křesťanské tradici. Praha, Evangelická teologická fakulta, 2014. [ISBN 978-80-260-7183-9]. {The Hermeneutics of Experience in the Christian Tradition}

Articles/chapters:

• NOBLE, Ivana and Zdenko ŠIRKA,. "Integrating Hesychast Insights into Mainstream Western Tradition", in: Ivana NOBLE, Essays in Ecumenical Theology 2, Leiden: Brill, 2022, s. 103–128. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004518001_006

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. "Orthodox Reading of Martin Luther: Protestantism as a Pan-heresy according to St Justin Popović". Bogoslovni vestnik/Theological Quarterly 81 (2021) 3, 583—596. ISSN: 0006-5722.

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. "Člověk a řeč". In: NOBLE, Ivana a Zdenko ŠIRKA (ed.). Kdo je člověk? Teologická antropologie ekumenicky. Praha: Karolinum, 2021, s. 58-70. {Human and speech}

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Mission and reception of St Justin Popović. Nicholai Studies 1, no. 1 (2021), p. 189-202.

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Quo Vadis Ecumenical Hermeneutics: Challenges of the New Ecumenical Situation. Ecumenical Review Sibiu / Revista Ecumenica Sibiu 12, no. 1 (April 2020): 106–132. doi:10.2478/ress-2020-0006.

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. "Justin Popović o Luteru i protestantizmu", in: Vladimir Cvetković a Bogdan Lubardić (eds): Misao i misija svetog Justina Popovića, Beograd: Pravoslavni bogoslovski fakultet, 2019, p. 65-84. ISBN: 978-86-80484-47-1. {Justin Popović on Luther and Protestantism}

• NOBLE, Ivana a Zdenko ŠIRKA. Doctrine of Deification in the Works of Cardinal Tomáš Špidlík and His Pupils. Philotheos: International Journal for Philosophy and Theology. 2019, issue 1, volume 19, pp. 125-143.

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Hermeneutika Davida Tracyho: via media mezi Gadamerem a Ricoeurem. Studia Theologica. 2019, issue 2, vol. 21, pp. 153-175. {David Tracy's Hermeneutics: via media between Gadamer and Ricoeur}

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Transformation in the Theology of Tradition: A Study of Justin Popović and His Hermeneutical Presuppositions. Ostkirchliche Studien. 2018, issue 1-2, vol. 67, pp. 325-344.

• FISCHER, Ondřej, Ladislav HERYÁN, Petr JANDEJSEK, Zdenko Širka. Aspekty spirituality v příkladech teologicko-filosofického vzdělávání pro sociální práci. Fórum sociální práce. 2018, issue 2, pp. 9-24. ISSN: 2336-6664.

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Experience with Hermeneutics in Modern Orthodox Theology. International Journal of Orthodox Theology. 2018, vol 9, issue 2, pp. 58-89. ISSN: 2190-0582.

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Conceptul gadamerian de experienţă estetică: o posibilitate pentru teologia biblică ortodoxă. In: IONIŢĂ, Alexandru (Ed.). Interpretarea Biblică între Biserică şi Universitate: perspective interconfesionale. Sibiu: Editura Andreiana; Cluj-Napoca: Presa Universitară Clujeană, 2016, pp. 305-345. [ISBN 978-606-8602-68-4]

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Gadamer’s Concept of Aesthetic Experience as a Possibility for the Orthodox Biblical Theology. Revista Ecumenica Sibiu / Review of Ecumenical Studies Sibiu. 2014, vol. 6, issue 3, pp. 378-407. [ISSN: 2065-5940].

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. The Role of Theoria in Gregory of Nyssa’s Vita Moysis and in Canticum Canticorum. Communio Viatorum. 2012, ročník 54, číslo 2, s. 142-163. [ISSN: 0010-7133].

• ŠIRKA, Zdenko. Osoba interpreta v procese duchovného výkladu u Jána Cassiana. Teologická reflexe. 2008, vol. 14, issue 1, pp. 47-68. [ISSN: 1211-1872]. {The role of the Interpreter in the Process of Spiritual Interpretation by John Cassian}