| Unit name | Russian Orthodox Culture |
|---|---|
| Unit code | RUSS20044 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Coates |
| Open unit status | Open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Russian |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The unit is predicted on the supposition that Russia's national religion has over the course of its history been one of the most significant influences on its cultural development, and that an adequate understanding of Russian inellectual history and Russian literature and the arts is not possible without a knowledge of the cultural forms, theology, and history of Orthodoxy. This course covers the most significant aspects of these, drawing on a range of audi-visual and written media. Topics include the adoption of Orthodoxy by Russia, the history and theology of the icon, the development of Russian church architecture, the symbolism of the church interior, ritual and liturgy, conceptions of sainthood, religious dissent and the 17C Schism, and the relationsip between Russian Orthodoxy and nationalism.
