Forum Teologiczne

Book review and reports

Katarzyna Parzych-Blakiewicz — 2025-11-28

This section contains a review of the book:

Emil Kumka, OFMConv.: Transformed in Heart, Transformed in Body. The Stigmata of St. Francis in Translation from the Sources, Franciscan Publishing House "Bratni Zew," Kraków 2024, 289 pages, ISBN: 978-83-7485-542-6.

As well as reports from scholarly events:

- Conference Report: Does the Question of Meaning Still Make Sense? Toward an Argument from the Great Meaning (of Life and the World). 11th Edition of the Marian Rusecki Memorial Lectures (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, December 12, 2023)

- Report from the 8th International Symposium on Familiology, entitled "The Child in the Family." Searching for an Integral Platform for Familiological Research (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, June 12, 2024)

- Report from the 25th International Interdisciplinary Days entitled "Miracle – An Interdisciplinary Approach" (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, November 19-20, 2024)

- Scientific Seminars of the Society of Dogmatic Theologians – Colloquia Dogmatica 1 and Colloquia Dogmatica 2

"Holy Children" in the Context of Warmia's Hagiological Research

Ewelina M. Mączka — 2025-11-28

Holiness is understood as the fullness of Christian life; as such, it is the primary purpose of a believer's existence, and at the same time, a theological category with a rich tradition and complex content. Research encompassing aspectual hagiology leads to a description of the profile of holiness that has been formed in faith and worship. The interdisciplinary nature of the research involves specialists from various academic disciplines examining traces of memory of the saint found in sources specific to their respective disciplines. Research findings are presented at plenary meetings during the annual Warmia Hagiological Seminars. The study includes a detailed report from the Warmia Hagiological Seminar dedicated to holy children.

About Cardinal Stanisław Hozjusz (1504–1579) – as a theologian, humanist, diplomat and candidate for sainthood

Ewa Czaplicka — 2025-11-28

Cardinal Stanisław Hozjusz was born in Kraków in 1504 to a family of Prussian origin. He studied in Kraków and later in Italy (Padua, Bologna). In 1549, he was appointed Bishop of Chełmno and in 1551 of Warmia. In 1561, Pope Pius IV created him a cardinal. Cardinal Stanisław Hozjusz died in 1579 in Capranica, near Rome. He is buried in the Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere in Rome. He was a fervent defender of Catholicism during the Reformation. This study includes a report on a scholarly event devoted to the Cardinal's person, work, and legacy.

Mary Immaculate as a Model of Man’s Relationship to God in the Theological Thought of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe

Grzegorz Bartosik — 2025-11-28

In the Final Document of the 16^th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis stressed that during the deliberations of the synod, there was a call for the Church to better realise the relationship with God, between the members of the Church, and also the relationship with creation. At the same time, the Synod clearly emphasised and reminded that human salvation is realised through relationships.

These synodical indications compel Christians to seek personal models that can help build the right relationships with God and with others. In this context, we can find valuable guidance in the teaching of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe. For him, the most perfect model for building relationships with God and with people is Mary Immaculate. In this perspective of relationality, Fr. Kolbe showed the role of the Immaculate Virgin in the economy of salvation. It was also in this perspective that he prepared his textbook on Mariology, which was not completed due to his arrest by the Gestapo. The imitation of Mary’s relationship to God and people was the central idea of the spirituality and practiced by Fr. Kolbe.

The purpose of this article, entitled Mary Immaculate as a model of man’s relationship to God in the theological thought of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, is therefore to attempt to reconstruct the course of Fr. Kolbe’s thought on the topic formulated in the title, based on the scheme of the planned book preserved and based on his writings and conferences delivered. As a method, an analysis of his most important statements on the subject mentioned above was adopted, and they were arranged according to the scheme of the book left by Fr. Kolbe. Thus, the relationships of Mary with the whole Trinity and with the individual Divine Persons were discussed in turn.

The research indicated that the fundamental relationship between Mary Immaculate and the individual Persons of the Holy Trinity is rooted in love. The most significant expression of this relationship is seen through Mary’s obedience and her commitment to doing God’s Will. This vision of building a relationship with God (enriched by the detailed guidelines provided in the various sections of the article) can also be useful in the 21st century for fulfilling the tasks set by Pope Francis and the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Church.

“Contemplation of the Achievement of Love” as a Source of Inspiration for Open-Eyed Mysticism in the Works of Benjamín González Buelta

Orlando Solano Pinzón — 2025-11-28

Contemplation of the Achievement of Love in St. Ignatius of Loyola’s “Spiritual Exercises” is a source of inspiration for open-eyed mysticism in the work of Benjamín González Buelta. The “Spiritual Exercises”, as the author understands them, constitute a testing ground for the open-eyed mystic, leading one to a horizon of ordering feelings and expanding one’s senses, in order to perceive God in reality and, through His gaze, to engage with it. Contemplation of love is the culmination of a process that unfolds in the experience of being observed, of allowing oneself to be looked at, and of the desire to look, to embrace one's entire being with God’s gaze and to collaborate with Him in a world that, for open-eyed mysticism, is a sacrament.

A Hagiological Profile of the Late Rev. Ryszard Bugajski (1962-2024) Based on His Book of Condolences – as a Visualisation of Papal Teaching on Holiness

Katarzyna Parzych-Blakiewicz — 2025-11-28

The purpose of the paper is to show how the theoretical vision of priestly holiness, based on the teachings of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, is realised in concrete pastoral circumstances. The main themes focus on the biblical understanding of holiness, the Christological foundation of the presbyter’s ministry, and the practical manifestations of evangelical radicalism and mercy in a priest’s life. The issue under study involves an analysis of testimonies concerning the life and pastoral ministry of the late Rev. Ryszard Bugajski, a parish priest in Straszyn, whose spiritual profile is depicted by entries in the Book of Condolences. These parishioners’ accounts portray him as a priest completely dedicated to God and to people, fully embodying the papal guidelines regarding priestly holiness. The conclusions indicate that Rev. Bugajski’s example confirms the coherence of the Church’s teaching with everyday pastoral practice and may inspire further reflection on the essence of the presbyterate.

What is the Sacrifice of the Mass? Martin Luther's Challenge

Adam Kiełtyk — 2025-11-28

During the Reformation period, Eucharistic doctrine and its associated practices were the subject of intense controversy. Martin Luther developed a conception of the Lord’s Supper that distanced himself from the Church, accusing it of imprisoning “our most exalted treasure” in the straits of a papist doctrine. Thus, in his work De captivitate babylonica Ecclesiae, he speaks of the threefold captivity in which the Roman tyranny (the Papacy, the kingdom of Babylon) allegedly confined the sacrament of the Eucharist, and from which it must be freed: a) the denial to the laity of communion under the two species; b) the imposition as dogma of the Thomistic doctrine of transubstantiation; c) the desire to have made the Mass a sacrifice. The present article aims to deal with this third subjugation. An elucidation of Luther's position on the sacrificial character enables an understanding of the subsequent development of sacramental theology, which, since the Council of Trent, has sought a deeper articulation of the link between the Golgotha offering and the altar offering.

The Taming of Chance: Towards the Semantic Perspectives of Miracles

Wojciech P. Grygiel — 2025-11-28

This paper explores the understanding of miracles in light of contemporary scientific progress, which integrates chance into the rational framework of probability theory. The study highlights the shift from an ontological interpretation of miracles, defined as unique, supernatural interventions by the Divine that transcend natural laws, to a semantic perspective, in which miracles are events imbued with special meaning by their observers without requiring supernatural causation. Through a critical examination of the philosophical and theological traditions of Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, the paper demonstrates how the Thomistic ontological framework, rooted in an Aristotelian understanding of chance, encounters significant conceptual difficulties within the probabilistic paradigm of modern science. In contrast, the semantic interpretation of miracles aligns more coherently with scientific advancements, including insights from the Law of Large Numbers and Shannon's theory of entropy, thereby offering a revised perspective on the nature of miracles. This work highlights the potential for a productive dialogue between theology and science, demonstrating how theological concepts can evolve in response to scientific knowledge while preserving their relevance and coherence in contemporary discourse.

The Revivals of Children in the Canonisation Acts of Dorothy of Montau. A Theological Perspective

Marek Karczewski — 2025-11-28

The article is titled: The Revivals of Children in the Canonisation Acts of Dorothy of Montau. A Theological Perspective. The first section of this paper discusses the complicated history and composition of the source edition of the canonisation acts by R. Stachnik (1978). In the second section, attention is drawn to the significance of the acts as a source of theological information. In the third, and final, section, the 26 descriptions of the children’s revival are analysed. According to the church commission, these were miracles performed through Dorothy’s intercession. Particular attention is paid to the theological significance of the resurrections. The miracles of bringing children back to life complete the picture of Dorothy as a local saint and symbolic Mother of Prussia. She was not only a mystic, but also a wife and mother. The miracles of the resurrections are linked to God’s work and Dorothy's prophetic vocation.

Children’s Education for Holiness in Judaism: A Commandment and Absolute Dedication

Kotel Dadon — 2025-11-28

This article discusses the uniqueness of children's education for holiness in Judaism. The first part of the article analyses the obligation of children's education and its significance in Judaism, both parental and the communal responsibilities. The second and central part of the article examines the educational principles for holiness in Judaism, focusing on a number of aspects, including the importance of home and family; the relationship between home and school; the importance of individual education; motives of discipline, holiness and morality in early childhood education; the destructive effect of anger and the balance between authoritarianism and tenderness in education; and the importance of giving a personal example. In the final part of the article, the author emphasises the absolute devotion to education in Judaism, which is evident in the rights of teachers in Jewish law and in testimonies of Holocaust survivors about the Jewish devotion to learning in times of historical darkness. The author in this work analyses various Biblical and rabbinic sources from the Talmudic period to modern times. Much of this literature has been translated from Hebrew and Aramaic.

Samuel Heard of God: the Family Adventures of Elkanah and Hannah

Arkadiusz Krasicki — 2025-11-28

The family struggles of Elkanah and Hannah offer new perspectives on dealing with the increasingly common issue of infertility. This paper employs critical analysis to uncover the historical and geographical context of the biblical event of Samuel’s birth. Through hermeneutical analysis, it examines other biblical texts addressing infertility, questioning whether medicine truly fulfils the desire for a child. Additionally, a philological approach is employed to examine the meanings of place names and personal names, underscoring the symbolic significance of these events. The aim of this paper is to present the biblical example of confronting infertility, focusing on the story of Hannah and Samuel, while briefly comparing it with the infertility of Sarah and Rachel. The hypothesis states: Absolute trust in God and the dedication of one’s entire life to Him give meaning to every form of family struggle. Given the first divine commandment, “Be fruitful and multiply”, the question arises as to why God allows such struggles in the first place. Furthermore, it appears that a child is a reward for fulfilling a vow and that women have a diminished role in the reproductive process. Hannah’s story marks a shift in both the ancient and contemporary cultural and religious understanding of motherhood.

Jesus, the Eternal Child: The Veneration of the Infant Jesus as an Introduction to the Central Mystery of Christianity

Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki — 2025-11-28

The article titled “Jesus as the Eternal Child: The Veneration of the Infant Jesus as an Introduction to the Central Mystery of Christianity” examines the theological and liturgical significance of the veneration of the Infant Jesus, focusing on its role in understanding the essence of Christian faith. It explores biblical and apocryphal narratives, liturgical celebrations, and the popular devotion associated with specific representations and places of worship of the Infant Jesus, such as Pražské Jezulátko and Santo Niño de Cebú. The study emphasizes the theological depth of the devotion, presenting it as a pathway to comprehending both the Trinitarian Father-Son relationship and the divine childhood shared with every Christian.

The authors propose the thesis that the veneration of the Infant Jesus is not merely a devotional practice but a profound theological key to understanding the Incarnation and the relational essence of Christianity. The devotion, rooted in the mystery of Jesus' eternal childhood, draws believers into a filial relationship with God the Father.

The aim of this study is to highlight the spiritual and theological richness of the veneration of the Infant Jesus, demonstrating its centrality in the Christian mystery of salvation and its implications for liturgy, theology, and popular devotion. The article bridges the dimensions of Trinitarian theology and soteriology, emphasizing their cosmic and universal scope.

The research employs scientific methods of theological analysis, including textual and comparative studies of biblical, apocryphal, and liturgical sources, as well as historical and iconographic analysis of representations and traditions associated with the Infant Jesus. By integrating these approaches, the article presents a comprehensive reflection on the transformative power of the divine childhood for individuals and the Church as a whole.

Prevention of Children's Addiction to Computer Games in the Program Assumptions and in Selected Polish Textbooks for Teaching Religion

Adam Bielinowicz — 2025-11-28

The problem of addiction to computer games affects an increasing number of children. Religious education, with its unique perspective, can play a key role in preventing this phenomenon, as it conveys universal values that can serve as a counterbalance to the virtual world of games. The article presents content regarding the prevention of children’s addiction to computer games contained in documents on programming religious education in Polish schools and in methodological textbooks published by the “Jedność” Publishing House in Kielce, the “Święty Wojciech” Publishing House in Poznań and the Publishing House “Wydawnictwo Katechetyczne” in Warsaw. It then presents conclusions and postulates regarding the indicated content.

Retrospective Evaluation of Parents' Own Attitudes by Members of the Domestic Church Community

Cezary Wojciech Opalach — 2025-11-28

This article presents the results of an empirical verification of the hypothesis that spouses belonging to the Domestic Church Community (DC) evaluate their parents' parenting attitudes more positively than spouses who do not belong to any religious community.

Research based on the Retrospective Assessment of Parental Attitudes Questionnaire, by M. Plopa, negated this hypothesis and showed that members of the DC Community rated their parents' attitudes as less correct. In their view, during their childhood, they experienced less acceptance and autonomy from both parents, higher demands from fathers, less consistency from both parents according to wives and more protection according to husbands. This assessment of interactions with parents seems to be rooted in the lack of satisfaction with their parents' relationship, the 'warmer' assessment of mothers' attitudes by wives and husbands and of fathers' attitudes by husbands. However, it is not excluded that these results also depend on the personality and/or membership of the Domestic Church Community, of which DC members' religiosity is an operationalisation. These hypotheses call for further exploration.

Parental Responsibility for Media Education of Children: Trends and Directions in the Pastoral Reflection of the Church’s Magisterium

Andrzej Adamski — 2025-11-28

The article analyzes the Catholic Church's teaching on media education, with particular emphasis on the responsibility of parents to prepare children and youth for conscious and critical media use. The goal of the study is to systematize this teaching, identify dominant trends, and highlight existing research gaps.

The study employs the method of analyzing official Church statements, as found in publicly available documents, including encyclicals, exhortations, and papal messages. The authors compiled a database of official Church statements. The research procedure involved the selection of 104 excerpts from the Magisterium's statements, followed by their categorization based on tone (positive, negative, neutral) and type (calls to action, descriptive statements).

The findings indicate that the emphases in the discussed Church teaching are unevenly distributed. The most frequent themes include calling parents to screen media content, foster critical thinking in children, and collaborate with secular institutions to promote responsible media use. The Pope who placed the greatest emphasis on parents' roles in children's media education was John Paul II.

This study provides scientific value by systematically presenting the Church’s documents on media education in the context of parental responsibility and highlights the need for further interdisciplinary research combining media theology, family studies, and media studies.

“Mother complex” in the life and work of Lesia Ukrainka and Marina Tsvetaeva (an attempt of comparativetypological analysis)

Iryna Betko — 2025-11-28

The article is devoted to a comparative typological analysis of various manifestations of the mother complex in the process of personal development of Lesia Ukrainka and Marina Tsvetaeva, as well as its influence on some aspects of their literary work. The mothers of both writers played a deeply ambivalent role in their destinies. Also, in the nature of the experience of the mother complex of each of them, there is much in common. Both loved and admired their extraordinary mothers, as evidenced by their early lyrics. Nevertheless, the influence of Olga Kosach-Dragomanova and Maria Tsvetaeva-Mejn on their daughters also had its dark side.

Pope Benedict XVI’s Activities for the Protection of Minors and Abused Persons and His Response to the Disclosure of New Cases of Sexual Abuse in Selected Countries Between 2005 and 2013. A historical and Legal Analysis

Krzysztof M. Kiełpiński — 2025-11-28

Pope Benedict XVI, whose pontificate lasted from 2005 to 2013, ensured the protection and security of minors and vulnerable persons in the Catholic Church. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the activities of Pope Benedict XVI in the area of the protection of minors. The realisation of this objective was based on an analysis of source statements in order to present the quality and extent of the protection demanded by the Pope. The subjects of the analysis included papal documents, homilies, speeches, and acts issued by the various dicasteries of the Roman Curia. The above documents were responses to crimes committed against minors by clergy in the period 2005-2013 in selected European countries. The following methods were employed in the compilation of the sources: dogmatic-legal, historical-legal, philological and analytical. The historical-legal and dogmatic-legal methods were used in presenting the source materials and the different time periods, while the philological and analytical methods were used to demonstrate the scale of the problems, the papal response and the legal patterns. The research led to several conclusions; these are included in the conclusion of the article.

Protection of the dignity of the child in the amended penal canon law

Adam Jaszcz — 2025-11-28

The reform of the penal canon law introduced many significant changes, m.in. qualifying pedophilic acts as crimes against the dignity of a person. After the promulgation of the CCL/1983, attention in this matter focused on a clergyman who, by committing a crime to the detriment of a child, violated a disciplinary obligation. Meanwhile, thanks to dignity, optimal development of the child is possible, and its diminishment as a result of sexual violence is a most grave crime against a person. The amendment to Book VI took this truth into account, translating it into specific provisions. The author analyzes the protection of the dignity of the child in penal canon law, its scope, as well as the dignity of the child as an ontic value against the background of penal law provisions. A child is not able to fully protect himself. A special responsibility therefore rests on the community of the Church, in particular on the superiors who create laws and implement them.

Canonical and liturgical norms as an expression of the theological message using the example of canons 11 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and 12 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law

Dawid Mielnik — 2025-11-28

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to show how theological presuppositions influenced the formation of the legal norm of canons 11 of the 1983 Code and canon 12 of the Pio-Benedictine Code. In parallel, analyses were conducted to determine how the legal norm of these canons was indirectly realised within the Church’s liturgy in the rites of admission to the Catholic community. The analyses were divided into three parts. First, the legal norm was extracted from the two canons referred to. Then their theological background was shown. The third part shows the translation of these norms into the Church’s liturgy. In the light of the analyses carried out, a noticeable degree of correlation must be found between the understanding of baptism by non-Catholics as inclusive or not of the Catholic Church and the content of the analysed canons 11 of the 1983 Code and 12 of the 1917 Code.

Polish raison d'état and the nomination of the German clergyman Fr. Juliusz Dinder as Archbishop of Gniezno and Poznań

Marek Jodkowski — 2025-11-28

Following the resignation of Mieczysław Ledóchowski as Archbishop of Gniezno and Poznań, the procedure for the election of his successor began. The traditionally Polish archbishop's seat, historically linked to the title of Primate of Poland, had hitherto been occupied by representatives of that nation, most often from landed gentry families. The appointment of the German clergyman Rev. Juliusz Dinder as Ordinary of Gniezno and Poznań, which was announced at the end of January 1886, was met with dissatisfaction and disbelief in historically Polish areas. These opinions, expressed in the press, polarised Polish society. The article is based on an analysis of a wide range of press articles that dealt with the nomination of the new archbishop. The opinions collected made it possible to outline the reaction of the Polish people to the election of the German shepherd, as well as the actions of the Holy See regarding the creation of church policy in Prussia under Bismarck.