The issue of the Church’s involvement in public life of the nation has always generated debate. Particularly under communism, when the Church had to resist the dominance of an atheistic doctrine, the Church was relied upon to articulate the value of religiosity without running afoul of the authorities. It was, in essence, valuable to ordinary Poles who respected its social and cultural importance for their lives. As the analysis here shows, the situation faced by the Church has changed dramatically; it faces the challenge of remaining relevant in a society switching to democratic and culturally secular assumptions. Just how this relationship will develop and what the role will be for the Church in the future is a central concern of this paper.


Traduit par Marzena Adamska-Pytko