In Search of Redemption: Poland-A Bird's Eye View

The workday is finally over, and Basia, a young Polish psychologist, is free to enjoy a well-deserved cup of spicy Mexican chocolate in a cozy downtown cafe. Nestled comfortably on a couch right next to her sits her friend, a Protestant actively involved in her church’s ministry. Over the course of their casual conversation, Basia learns about her friend’s denominational background, jolts up right, and immediately asks about the Protestant church’s stance on premarital sex and contraceptives. (She herself has cohabitated with her boyfriend for the last couple of years, a fact she has never tried to hide as a matter of course). But now she wants to know if it is “acceptable”. Basia’s eagerness to receive absolution for her lifestyle is remarkable and telling: it shows that the conscience of a modern Pole, though affected by secular mores, is still looking for redemption by following religious mandates and rituals.

The assumption that religious values have ceased to be relevant in today’s world has been spreading like wildfire in Polish society ever since the Iron Curtain fell in 1989. After more than 40 years of being isolated from the rest of the world by the communist rigor, Polish people fell for the seductive images of carefree life as presented by the Western media. As Poland becomes more and more like its Western European neighbors, memories of empty shelves in shops, food coupons, strict censorship of literature, florid language of political propaganda, and absurdities of mammoth bureaucracy are slowly going grey. Today’s capitalist reality and the daily exigencies under the communist regime are as polar opposite as day and night.

At the same time, the Christian legacy in Poland will hardly be disposed of so quickly. Throughout the tumultuous years of the country’s history – partitions, occupations, two world wars and the communist regime – the Catholic Church in Poland has always played one of the key roles in the nation’s resistance to foreign dominance. The last bastion of sanity and morals, the Church preserved and upheld Polish culture and traditions. Now, on the threshold of the 21st century, the signs of the Church’s influence are still everywhere to be seen. Church holidays are national holidays, Catholic doctrine is taught as a subject in schools, and celebrating one’s name’s day (the day of one’s patron saint) is more important than celebrating birthdays. A cathedral wedding is a must, even for professed nonbelievers, and civil marriages are not accepted by the Church. Needless to say, Sunday masses continue to be widely attended.

Appearances, however, are deceptive. Today, Poles are careful to keep their religious front from interfering with their everyday morals. Although the overwhelming majority holds there is a God, hell as a place of punishment for sins is given much less credit. A Catholic magazine shares that for 97 % of Poles, “being a Christian” means vaguely “believing in the existence of God”, while others stress “following the ten commandments”, “prayer” and “Sunday mass” (attended mainly “for conscience’s sake”). Personal, love-based relationship with God, enabled by the work of His Son and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is seldom spoken or thought of as a part of a normal person’s thought process. One Polish believer makes the percipient observation, “I was raised in a religious family, but the place we assigned God was not the one He wanted to have”.

Religious rites and regulations without a relationship with Jesus, are lost on the more ignorant of the parishioners. Reality shows that the country which owes so much to the Catholic Church has minimal regard for its guidance. In today’s Poland, the Catholic Church’s stance notwithstanding, premarital sex and cohabitation are common practice, like in the rest of secularized Europe. Similarly, abortion is becoming more and more acceptable. Moreover, although the Catholic Church bans all mechanical means of birth control apart from natural methods, the country’s birth rate remains one of the lowest in Europe (-0.05). A child’s First Communion is regarded as pivotal by 80% of Polish Catholics, but its practice of choosing godparents – a godly couple who actively foster the child’s spiritual growth – does not seem to translate into a Spirit-filled lifestyle of the young generation. As a matter of fact, Poland has recently been shaken time and time again by frightening stories of youngsters’ misbehavior. Earlier this year, in a major Polish city, Ania, a junior high girl, committed suicide after she was raped in a classroom by a bunch of her classmates.

“I was constantly haunted by the feeling that something was wrong”, shares a Polish teenager. “Where does this overwhelming emptiness come from?” The lack of consistency between outward religious rites and everyday practice is not, however, the only source of angst in the soul of a modern Pole. Unstable economic conditions, exorbitant housing costs, rampant unemployment, currently hovering around 12%, are other disquieting factors. Driven by the desire to lead a decent life, the unemployed thousands – even those with high qualifications – pin their hopes on work abroad. But the self-fulfillment which was supposed to be achieved through “having” more and more things, mysteriously eludes them. “My friends see me as a daring, self-confident person, one that takes life by its horns. Business career, trips to distant lands, physical activity, my own apartment and vehicle – I have it all”, confesses a Polish high flyer. “But the truth is hidden deep within me, down at the bottom of my heart. It pains me till I start to cry. I can deceive the world, but can’t deceive my own soul. What am I doing wrong? I have everything, and still I feel like a beggar. Why does it seem like my life is slipping through my fingers?”

To fill the gaping hollowness inside, Poles typically pick and choose plausible notions from the available religions and denominations. Many feed – also selectively – on the wisdom of Eastern religions, drawn by the insightful metaphors and parables. The more radical are rediscovering Slavic paganism. But ultimately, it is a relationship with Jesus that will bring the answer for hearts yearning after the honesty of true worship. Recognizing this truth, many Catholic priests seek to expand its outreach and discipleship programs. Protestants projects, such as ITMI’s Bread of Life, ITMI's Poznan International Church, ITMI's Gospel Joy Ministries, and ITMI's Bible Translation Project can be counted among them. Gospel Joy sets a great example by seeking to partner with the Catholic Church to see more people saved by holding concerts Catholic cathedrals and featuring new-born Catholic soloists. Because be it the revivalist initiatives functioning under the auspices of the Catholic Church, or the evangelical enterprises, they all share a common goal, best summarized by these brief notes, scribbled on worn-out pages of a Poznan believer’s diary:

“March 21, 2004. I went with Gospel Joy to a concert in Konin. A guest singer stood up and talked about God. She talked wondrously.

March 24, 2004. I have found God. Life began for me that day.”

Next month, we explore how YOU have been INSTRUMENTAL in meeting these needs in Poland through your partnership with ITMI!

by Carolyn Zaremba