RRE4206 – Ritual in Early Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

Religious ritual practices and concepts are an essential part of the three Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This course is an investigation of the worship traditions of these three religions as they appear throughout the first millennium CE.

The first part of the course is intended to give students a general knowledge of ritual theory and terminology and of methods in ritual studies. This part of the course will also contain a mapping of the ritual landscape of these three Abrahamic religions, how they differ and how they overlap. Lastly, the first modules will introduce central theoretical concepts such as sacred space and sacred time, and how they are perceived in the three worship traditions.

During the second part of the course, we focus on selected themes in a comparative perspective. What comprises daily worship for Jews, Christians and Muslims during the first millennium CE? How are ordinary and extraordinary life events framed and affected by ritual practices? How do ritual practices impact lived and embodied experience, gender roles and social hierarchies?

Themes for analysis and discussion are ritual meals and fasts, purification, initiation and rites of passage, prayer, pilgrimage, mortuary ritual, hymns, ritual participation, ritual efficacy and the relationship between ritual and materiality. The interrelationship, mutual influences and differences between the three worship traditions will be explored throughout the course, and there will be an emphasis on applying ritual and liturgical theory to the examples that we study.

Learning outcome

By the end of this course students will:

  • acquire knowledge and understanding of ritual practices and concepts in Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the first millennium CE.
  • acquire an understanding of how these historical practices and concepts relate to contemporary practices and concepts in Abrahamic religious traditions.
  • be able to compare these three Abrahamic worship traditions and recognize their similarities and differences. This will enhance the student’s general knowledge and understanding of these three religions.
  • acquire knowledge and understanding of ritual and liturgical theory and will develop a skill in applying this theory to concrete empirical examples.

Admission

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Students on the six year Theology Programme must be on the master’s level (i.e. completed the first three years of the programme). They may apply to the course by sending an email to info@teologi.uio.no by the same deadlines as for course registration for bachelor courses at TF.

Teaching

Teaching is offered in digital form as ten online learning modules, supplemented by a two-day compact seminar in Copenhagen, March 14-15, 2024.

Mandatory requirements

10 e-learning assignments throughout the semester. To qualify for the exam the students must complete 80% (min 8 out of 10) of the e-learning assignments.

Examination

The student writes a paper between eight and ten pages in length (19,200 to 24,000 characters including spaces and references but excluding bibliography and table of contents) on a subject, question or material chosen by the student and approved by the teacher.

Grading guidelines

Submit assignments in Inspera

You submit your assignment in the digital examination system Inspera. Read about how to submit your assignment.

Use of sources and citation

You should familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to the use of sources and citations. If you violate the rules, you may be suspected of cheating/attempted cheating.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Explanations and appeals

Resit an examination

Special examination arrangements

Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.

Facts about this course

Credits
10
Level
Master
Teaching
Spring 2024
Spring 2022
Spring 2021
Examination
Spring 2024
Spring 2022
Teaching language
English