About the lecture
Mgr. Zdenka Bencúrová studied Religious Studies in Prešov (bachelor's degree) and at Comenius University in Bratislava (master's degree). At the time of the archived lecture, she was at the Department of Religious Studies, Masaryk University in Brno, completing a dissertation on The Reform of Church and Religious Life in the Works of Hungarian Enlightenment Thinkers.
She has taught at Masaryk University in Brno, its University of the Third Age, and Comenius University in Bratislava.
Her research focuses on the Enlightenment, Josephinism and the practical implementation of Josephine religious reforms, seeking a microhistorical perspective through contemporary authors' works.
The Enlightenment brought many changes across Europe, including the territory of present-day Slovakia. Under Maria Theresa, society encountered reforms of the judiciary, education, healthcare, land tenure and other areas. Joseph II continued this reforming approach, concentrating on religion. Major measures included the Patent of Toleration, recognising Lutheran and Calvinist denominations; a patent for Jews a year later; the dissolution of contemplative orders; and the creation of a religious fund. The April lecture examines the social processes surrounding these changes.
