Course: Church and Ecclesiastical Law

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Course title Church and Ecclesiastical Law
Course code KTP/MCKP
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 2
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Menke Monika, ThLic. Mgr. Th.D.
  • Osina Petr, JUDr. Ph.D.
Course content
Lecture topics Introduction, method of learning. Jewish rootage of the church law. Christianity, Church and churches. History of the science of canon law. Christian churches in the Czech Republic. Actual codices of the canon law of the Catholic Church. Modifications of Church-State relation during the history - monism and dualism in the politic-religious domain, Byzantine Caesaropapism, German Caesaropapism, Papalism, protestant and catholic modality of supremacy of the State over the Church, state religion. Systems of Church-State separation, system of coordination, totalitarian regimes. Principles of the 2nd Vatican Council (1962-1965) for Church-State relations and their realization. Legal representation of the whole Catholic Church, the Holy See and the Vatican City State in the international law, active Pope legacy, introduction to concordats. Czech (or Czechoslovak) ecclesiastical law since the 17th century to the end of the 2nd World War, Modus vivendi between the Holy See and Czechoslovakia of 1927/1928. Czech (or Czechoslovak) ecclesiastical law after the 2nd World War, contemporary intrastate legislation, Proposal of the Convention between the Holy See and the Czech Republic of 2002. Rites in the Catholic Church, general norms - specifics of the canon law. Personal law - belonging to the Church, clerics and lay Christians, associations of Christian faithful, religious, government of the Catholic Church of Latin rite. Most important topics of discipline of sacraments (baptism, confirmation, sacrament of penitence, sacrament of anointing of sicks, orders). Financial issues, penal law (1st part). Penal law (2nd part), processes. Legal system of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, especially the structure of governement Legal system of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church, especially the structure of governement

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training)
Learning outcomes
Basic information about the juridical system of the greatest churches in the Czech Republic and introduction to legal principles, structures of government, sacramental discipline, financial issues, penal law and processes of those churches, with the special focus on the Catholic Church. Characteristics of systems of Church - State relations with emphasis to the Czech countries. Specifics of Church activities in the public international law (diplomatic relations, concordats).
Students who have completed this course will gain the basic knowledge of legal system of the greatest churches in the Czech Republic and of their operation in the national and international law, with special focus on the Catholic Church.
Prerequisites
Completion of this course is not conditional upon completion of some other courses.

Assessment methods and criteria
Dialog, Seminar Work

To gain the colloquium, it is necessary the accomplishment of oral discussion in a small group of students (usually three questions on issues discussed), or to compose a thesis.
Recommended literature
  • (1989). Code de droit canonique annoté. Paris/Bourges: Cerf/Tardy.
  • (1994). Kodex kanonického práva. Úřední znění textu a překlad do češtiny. Zvon, Praha.
  • Code of Canon Law, a text and commentary. (1985). Code of Canon Law, a text and commentary. New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press.
  • Hrdina, A. I. (2004). Náboženská svoboda v právu České republiky. 265 s.. Eurolex Bohemia, Praha.
  • Hrdina, A. (2002). Kanonické právo. Eurolex Bohemia, Praha.
  • Hrdina, A. (2007). Prameny ke studiu kanonického práva. Plzeň: Aleš Čeněk.
  • Hrdina, A. Texty ke studiu kanonického práva.
  • Listl, Joseph ? Schmitz, Heribert (Hrsg.). (2015). Handbuch des katholischen Kirchenrechts. 3., grundlegend neubearbeitete Aufl.. Regensburg: Friedrich Pustet.
  • Robbers, G. (2002). Stát a církev v zemích EU. 367 s.. Academia, Praha.
  • Robbers, G. (2005). State and church in the European Union. 589 s.. Nomos, Baden-Baden.
  • Tretera, J. R, Horák, Z. (2021). Církevní právo, 2. přeprac. vyd.. Praha.
  • Tretera, J. R, Horák, Z. (2015). Konfesní právo. Praha.
  • Tretera, Jiří Rajmund. (1997). Konfesní právo a církevní právo. Praha: Jan Krigl.
  • Tretera, Jiří Rajmund. (2002). Stát a církve v České republice. Kostelní Vydří: Karmelitánské nakladatelství.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Law Study plan (Version): Law (2019) Category: Law, legal and public administration proceeding 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Winter