Open! Some Reflections on Literature and Christianity

Tomasz GARBOL

Ośrodek Badań nad Literaturą Religijną, Wydział Nauk Humanistycznych, Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II, ul. Norwida 4, 20-061 Lublin , Poland

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of Christianity as seen in most recent Polish literature. The author distinguishes two main intellectual and artistic standpoints. The first one manifests a strong belief in the power of the literary word, a conviction close to supplanting the belief in the existence of a transcendent point of reference. The second standpoint in turn is characterized by an unbelief in the salutary power of the literary word or in its self-reliance. The latter stance results in adopting specific religious attitudes by writers such as Przemysław Dakowicz, Marta Kwaśnicka, and Justyna Bargielska, who express disappointment in the secularism of the modern times.

Translated by Dorota Chabrajska

Keywords:

literature and religion, Christianity in literature, secularism, modernity