The Polish Church and John Paul II’s Evangelization Mission in Slavic Countries

Authors

  • Zbigniew Stachowski University of Rzeszow Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/rsth.v27i1.115

Keywords:

Pope John Paul II, Theology of the Slavic Nations, Evangelization

Abstract

Pope John Paul not only used his roots in Slavic culture for the political development of the Church, but gave a theological justification for the role he carved out for Poland. He saw Poland as “the chosen nation” for direct Church mission. In this article, I examine both Wojtyla’s theology of the Slavic “nations” and the specific role of the Polish people in his theory. I will survey the so-called “outstanding historic mission” of the Polish church in the re-Christianizing of Central and Eastern Europe…history for him was read in the light of the Gospel, which he believed provided a “hermeneutic key” to both world and human history. I argue that the Pope wished to extend this vision to all Slavic nations as a way of encouraging a Christian destiny “from the Atlantic to the Urals.” In my final assessment I note that this missionary vision of Pope John Paul II proved to be unsuccessful.

Author Biography

  • Zbigniew Stachowski, University of Rzeszow
    University of Rzeszow

References

Bernstein C. and M. Politi 1999 Jego Swiatobliwosc Jan Pawel II i nieznana historia naszych czasów, Warsaw: Da Capo.

Pope John-Paul II 1983 Akt europejski, “L’Osservatore Romano” No. 2, – hereinafter OR.

a Euntes in mundum, OR No. 2.

b Akatyst w lacznosci z Kosciolami Wschodu i Zachodu, OR No. 3–4.

c Moje rodzinne dziedzictwo pomaga mi odkrywac i rozumiec innych, OR No. 10–11.

Spotykamy sie dzis na ruinach wiezy Babel, OR No. 5.

Oto otwiera sie nowy rozdzial w planach Opatrznosci, OR No.6.

Trzeba na nowo ukazac Europie wartosci i piekno kultury chrzescijanskiej, OR No. 9–10.

Tertio millennio adveniente, OR No. 12.

Ecclesia in Europa, OR No. 7–8.

Pamiec i tozsamosc, Kraków, ed. Znak.

Ratzinger J. 2005 Droga krzyzowa w Koloseum w Wielki Piatek, OR No.6.

Wyszynski Stefan Prymas Polski 1990 Nauczanie spoleczne 1946–1981, Warsaw, Ed.. Odess.

Published

2008-08-19

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Stachowski, Z. (2008). The Polish Church and John Paul II’s Evangelization Mission in Slavic Countries. Religious Studies and Theology, 27(1), 115-125. https://doi.org/10.1558/rsth.v27i1.115