Course: Applied Ethics and Religions

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Course title Applied Ethics and Religions
Course code KCHP/KAPEN
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Master
Year of study 2
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech, English
Status of course Compulsory, Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction unspecified
Work placements unspecified
Recommended optional programme components None
Course availability The course is available to visiting students
Lecturer(s)
  • Šrajer Jindřich, doc. Dr. theol.
Course content
1) Man as a religious being. The basic definition of religion. The Issue of the sacred and the profane. Christianity versus neopaganism. Religion versus faith. 2) Categorization of religions. Introduction to world religions and beliefs (world religions, concepts of karma,theistic religions, new religious movements, atheism). 3) The anthropological and ethical dimension of major religions I. "Ethical break" - the characteristics and historical context. Greek Philosophy/Old Testament prophets, rationalization/refining ideas about God, introspection (zniternění). Differences between theistic religions and concepts of karma. 4) The anthropological and ethical dimension of major religions II. Biblical anthropology and ethics. Biblical anthropology - major characteristics. Biblical ethical inspirations - basic characteristics. The paradox of Christianity. 5) The anthropological and ethical dimension of major religions III. The concept of man and ethics in Islam. The concept of man and woman in Islam - basic characteristics. Ethics in Islam, the essential characteristics, justification. 6) Anthropological and ethical dimension of major religions IV. The concept of man and ethics in Eastern religions. The concept of man and ethics in Hinduism - basic characteristics. The concept of man and ethics in Buddhism - basic characteristics. 7) The new (wild) religiosity and its impact on social work I. Characteristics of postmodern man. Spiritual dimension of human existence. Prayer. Spiritual competence of a social worker. 8) The new (wild) religiosity in the Czech context. The new (wild) religiosity - basic characteristics. New religiosity in the Czech Republic. Types of new (wild) religiosity. 9) The new (wild) religiosity and its impacts on social work II. Spiritual competence of a social worker. Ethical dilemmas in the context of spirituality and social work with the client. 10) Ethics of world religions I. The concept of man and woman in major religions and cultures. Ethics of marriage and family. 11) Ethics of world religions II. Health and illness, quality of life in different cultures and major religions. 12) Ethics of world religions III. The issue of ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) and organ transplantation. Ethical attitudes of specific religions on these issues. 13) Ethics of world religions IV. Euthanasia - basic characteristics. World religions' positions on euthanasia.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic (reading, lecture, briefing)
Learning outcomes
The goal of this course is to introduce the student into the problems of relation of applied ethics and religion. The student is apprised of the world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and of the eastern religions (Buddhism, Hinduism). Then will apprised of ethos of particular religions and their different approaches and ways out to the area of individual and social ethics. Then is also apprised of the sense of institutions (Church, state) in ethical discours and of the variations of ethical paradigm.
The graduated student is able to distinguish specificity of the world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and of the eastern religions (Buddhism, Hinduism), can orientate himself in their ethos, perceives their different approaches and ways out to the area of individual and social ethics. The student understans the sense of institutions (Church, state) in the ethical discours and the variations of ethical paradigm.
Prerequisites
Philosophical Ethics, Theological-Ethical Criteria in Social Work 1, 2

Assessment methods and criteria
Combined exam

Work with literature, written or oral exam.
Recommended literature
  • Anzenbacher, A. Úvod do etiky. Praha, Academia, 2001.
  • Halík, T. Co je bez chvění nění pevné, labyrintem světa s vírou a pochopením. Lidové noviny Praha, 2002.
  • Halík, T. Prolínání světů: ze života světových náboženství. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2006. ISBN 80-7106-834-9.
  • Hošek Pavel. Islám jako výzva pro křesťany. Comáme tedy dělat tváří v tvář tomu, co vidíme kolem sebe?. Praha. ISBN 978-80-7255-375-4.
  • Klöcker, M., Tworuschka, M., U. Wörterbuch Ethik der Weltreligionen, Die wichtigsten Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten. Gütersloher, 1995.
  • Křišťan, A., Renöckl, H. Církev a společnost. České Budějovice: Setkání, 1999.
  • Laubach, Thomas (Hrsg.). Angewandte Ethik und Religion. Tübingen, 2003.
  • Linville, M.D. Je vše dovoleno? Morální hodnoty ve světě bez Boha. Návrat domů.
  • Papež František. O společnosti a politice. Otevřený rozhovor s Dominiquem Woltonem. Brno, 2018. ISBN 9788073640729.
  • Rotter, H. Sexualita a křesťanská morálka. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2003.
  • Rotter, H., Wirt, G. (Hrg.). Neues Lexikon christliche Moral.. Innsbruck, 1990.
  • Smékal Vladimír. Psychologie duchovního života. Brno, 2017. ISBN 978-80-7295-221-2.
  • Šrajer, J. Teologická etika a česká přítomnost. Teologické texty 1, s. 46-54, 2002.
  • Šrajer, J. Význam a poslání teologie v rámci jiných vědních disciplin aneb oprávněnost studia sociální práce na TF JU. Teologické studie 1-2, s. 67-71, 2007.
  • Weber, H. Všeobecná morální teologie, Vyšehrad. 1998.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Theology Study plan (Version): Free Time Education (2015) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Theology Study plan (Version): Ethics in Social Work (2013) Category: Social sciences 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Theology Study plan (Version): Teacher of Religion and Ethics (2016) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Winter