93619 - Christianity

Learning outcomes

The course provides the foundations for a historical and anthropological knowledge of Christian communities and denominations in their multiple relationships with the main religious cultures of the Mediterranean from late antiquity to the contemporary age. The student, at the end of the course, possesses the methodological tools for the adequate critical evaluation of the theological and sociological issues that still today invest the relationships between Christian communities, doctrines, mentalities and institutions with the movements, ideologies, political bodies and economic-social dynamics of the Mediterranean basin.

Course contents

The course will have a seminar character and will be devoted to the theme: Forms and Patterns of Christianization between the Ancient and the Modern World

Readings/Bibliography

A) Handbooks:

It is required for attending and non-attending students to have a thorough knowledge of one of the following handbooks:

R. Rusconi, Storia del cristianesimo e delle Chiese. Dalle origini ai giorni nostri, Brescia, Morcelliana, 2019

P. Cozzo, A. Nicolotti, Storia del cristianesimo e delle Chiese, Milano, Le Monnier Università, 2025

B) Reading books:

J. Assmann, La distinzione mosaica ovvero il prezzo del monoteismo (2003), trad. it. a cura di A. Vigliani, Milano, Adelphi, 2011

P. Brown, La formazione dell'Europa cristiana. Universalismo e diversità, trad. it. a cura di M. Sanpaolo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2006

E. De Martino, La terra del rimorso. Contributo a una storia religiosa del Sud (1961), a cura di C. Gallini, il Saggiatore, Milano 2008 (nuova ed. a cura di F. Dei e M. Massenzio, Einaudi, Torino 2023)

C. Ferrari, Santi e sciamani. Una lettura storico-religiosa della Gallia tardoromana, Mimesis, Milano 2022

A. Funkenstein, Teologia e immaginazione scientifica dal Medioevo al Seicento (1986), trad. it. a cura di A. Serafini, Torino, Einaudi, 1996

M. Gauchet, Il disincanto del mondo. Una storia politica della religione (1985), trad. it. a cura di A. Comba, Torino, EInaudi, 1992

C. Ginzburg, I benandanti. Stregoneria e culti agrari tra '500 e '600 (1966), nuova ed., Adelphi, Milano 2020

S. Gruzinski, La colonizzazione dell'immaginario. Società indigene e occidentalizzazione nel Messico spagnolo (1988), trad. it. a cura di D. Sacchi, Torino, Einaudi, 1994

J.-Cl. Schmitt, Il santo levriero. Guinefort guaritore di bambini (1979), trad. it. Einaudi, Torino 1982

 

Teaching methods

The traditional lecture format will be supported by texts and images, which will be shown and made available online to students on the Virtual Learning Environment of the University website.

Students who are affected by learning disability (DSA) and in need of special strategies to compensate it, are kindly requested to contact the Teacher, in order to be referred to the colleagues in charge and get proper advice and instructions.

Assessment methods

For attending students:

choose one handbook (A) and one reading book (B).

Instead of the reading (B), attending students also have the opportunity to submit a final paper (approximately 5000 words) on a topic agreed upon with the instructor. The paper must be sent by email at least fifteen days before the examination.

and must comply with the editorial criteria indicated on the Virtuale Course Page.

The evaluation of the paper will constitute the starting point for the oral examination that will assess:

- basic knowledge of the course program;

- the ability to understand the problems faced during the lectures;

- the ability to frame the sources examined in class in their context, and to discuss them critically;

- the quality of oral expression and the ability to construct a logical-argumentative type of speech.

In addition to the discussion of the paper presented, the examination will check the knowledge acquired during the course.

For non-attending students: for all those who cannot attend the course it is required to agree their syllabus in advance by contacting the lecturer via email or during the office hours.

To apply for the thesis, it is highly recommended to register on the website and take part in the workshops of the Laboratorio sulle fonti per la ricerca storica organised by Dr. Donatella Tronca.

As the timeframe for drafting a thesis needs to be carefully calculated, arrangements should be made with the lecturer well in advance: at least six months for a three-year degree. The most appropriate graduation session will be suggested by the lecturer on the basis of the work done.

The final evaluation will follow these criteria:

- insufficient grade: lack of basic knowledge and inability to produce a correct interpretation of the texts and / or problems;

- sufficient grade: possession of basic knowledge; mainly correct interpretation, but carried out with imprecision and little autonomy;

- good grade: possession of intermediate level knowledge; fully correct interpretation, but not always precise and autonomous;

- excellent grade: possession of high level knowledge; interpretation of problems not only correct but conducted with autonomy and precision. Excellent oral expression skills.

Teaching tools

The main teaching support tools, which will be illustrated in class and on the Virtuale course page, are available at the Campus Central Library (Palazzo Corradini) and at the website AlmaRe - the Library of Bibliographic and Documentary Electronic Resources of the University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Luigi Canetti