Module THEO2221: THE CHURCH IN IRELAND

Department: THEOLOGY AND RELIGION

THEO2221: THE CHURCH IN IRELAND

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To survey the history of the Irish Church from its origins to the modern era, examining the key events and processes which have affected religious belief and practice in Ireland, and identifying the distinctive elements of the Irish Christian tradition.
• To prepare students for the skills and knowledge needed to undertake a dissertation in the final year.

Content

• The module begins with the conversion of Ireland and the work of Saint Patrick in the fifth century, and then examines the formative phase of the early Irish church from the sixth to the Eighth centuries: its monasteries, its controversies, its superb religious art, and the distinct ways in which the church adapted to a society and culture untouched by the Roman empire. The course then investigates the impact of twelfth century reform, which aimed to bring the Irish church into line with the continental, but when the Tudors attempted to introduce the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, Ireland proved to be the only country in western Europe where Catholicism survived against governmental wishes. The course explores the causes and traumatic consequences of this unique process of confessionalisation and demonstrates the intense links between religion, culture and politics in the creation of twentieth-century Irish nationalism and unionism.

Learning Outcomes

• A knowledge and critical understanding of the development of the Irish Church within its historical context, and of the relationship between religion, culture and politics in Irish history.

• Appropriate skills in the use of primary historical sources.

• Skills in the acquisition of information through reading and research, and in the structured presentation of information in written form.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures convey information and exemplify an approach to the subject-matter, enabling students to develop a clear understanding of the subject and to improve their skills in listening and in evaluating information.
• Seminars enhance subject-specific knowledge and understanding both through preparation and through interaction with students and staff, promoting awareness of different viewpoints and approaches.
• Through small-group discussion, tutorials provide feedback on student work and the opportunity to discuss specific issues in detail, enhancing student knowledge and writing skills.
• Formative essays develop subject-specific knowledge and understanding, along with student skills in the acquisition of information through reading and research, and in the structured presentation of information in written form.
• Examinations assess subject-specific knowledge and understanding, along with student skills in the structured presentation of information in written form under time constraints.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Two 2500 word essays.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University