98959 - History of Interreligious Relations (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students are familiar with the main theoretical, methodological and technical tools of the historical-religious disciplines and the social sciences that deal with the study of religion. They evaluate religious phenomena and dynamisms in local and global contexts, identify connections, developments, persistence and transformations of religious phenomena in complex societies, focusing on the socio-political implications of interaction among religious groups. They are able to revise and update their knowledge and develop independent analytical perspectives, taking into account the scholalry and international debate relating to cultural and religious practices and changes in complex societies.

Course contents

The course intends to reconstruct in a historical key the relations between Christianity and other religions in the 20th century, in particular focusing on the relations between Christianity and Judaism in the framework of the debate that led to the approval in 1965 of Nostra Aetate, the declaration of the Second Vatican Council on the relations of the church with non-Christian religions. We will thus retrace the prodromes, prejudices, hopes, conflicts, and protagonists who worked to arrive at the document that, even if only qualified as a 'declaration', represents one of the most important documents of the council, as it defined a profound renewal of the Church's position with respect to the past, on a highly topical issue. Studying Nostra Aetate means talking about anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism, the relationship between the Churches and the Shoah, and Jewish-Christian dialogue: the declaration in fact constitutes a historical challenge of considerable proportions.

Readings/Bibliography

Both attending and non-attending students:

1. F. Iannone, Una chiesa per gli altri. Il concilio Vaticano II e le religioni non cristiane, Assisi 2014;

2. “Perfidi giudei o fratelli maggiori? La ricezione della «Declaratio Nostra Aetate» nella stampa cattolica italiana (1965-1974)”, in P. Bertilotti -B. Primerano (a cura di), “L'antisémitisme en Italie dans le XXe siècle”, numero monografico «Laboratoire Italien», 11/2011, ENS Éditions, Lyon, pp. 101-132.

3. A. Melloni, La Chiesa cattolica davanti alla Shoah (1945-2010), in Storia della Shoah in Italia: vicende, memorie, rappresentazioni, a cura di M. Flores [et. Al.], vol. 2., 2010, UTET, pp. 288-318.

Teaching methods

Lectures and workshop activities, on the historical-critical reading of primary sources and the analysis of typically twentieth-century sources, such as audiovisual sources. Attendance at lectures is not indispensable, but helps to better assimilate the contents that will then be examined.

Assessment methods

A student who participates in at least 75% of the lectures is considered to be attending. The course will start on 9 November 2022. That said, class attendance does not affect the examination except for differences in the syllabus (see the Texts/Bibliography section).
The examination will be an oral test. Both the ability to read the sources and the specific knowledge of themes, paths and questions on contemporary interreligious relations will be assessed. Students will be asked to prove their mastery of specific vocabulary and knowledge of diachronic data (dates and historical events).
Below is an example of possible questions (to be understood as a MERE general allusion to a much broader spectrum of questions): "Read and comment on the following passage", "Who was Jules Isac?".
No books or notes may be used during the test.
The questioning will take place following the order of entry in the Almaes exam application lists.
Assessment.
Excellence (grades 30 and 30L): achievement of an organic vision of the themes proposed during the lessons and critical use demonstrating mastery of the content and technical vocabulary.
Average assessment (grades 25 to 29): mnemonic knowledge and not entirely accurate use of technical vocabulary.
Sufficient assessment (grades 18 to 24): minimal knowledge of the topics covered (dates and names), without serious errors.
Insufficient: lack of minimum requirements (i.e. sufficient assessment).

Teaching tools

Power point projections; audiovisual, photographic and television materials.

Office hours

See the website of Federico Ruozzi