Z dziejów usuwania teologii / wydziałów teologicznych z uniwersytetów

Adam Kubuś

Abstract

On the fi rst place, author presents the situation of theological faculties before the II World War. Th e Roman Catholic Church in Poland had fi ve of them: in
Cracow, Wilnius, Lwow, Warsaw and within the framework of Catholic University of Lublin. Th e four of them developed their educational activity in many various
ways at the national universities. Aft er the II World War, due to the changing border lines of Polish country – the Roman Catholic Church lost theological faculties in Wilnius and Lwow. The Faculty of Th eology at the Wrocław University, existing since the year of 1702 and which was active even during the time of II World War (within the border lines of
the III Reich), could not exist aft er the end of the war. In the year of 1954 the authorities of People’s Republic of Poland – without the permission of the Holly See
liquidated theological faculties from the Jagiellonian University (founded by Saint Queen Jadwiga in 1397) and from the Warsaw University–removing it arbitrary
to the previously non-existent Academy of Catholic’s Th eology in Warsaw. Th e academy was a national school, and Polish Episcopal Conference, under certain
conditions, only acknowledged its foundation. Academic degrees and scholars titles of this academy were canonically invalid. Card. Karol Wojtyla creating the Episcopal Conference of Catholic’s Science and Council of the Polish Episcopal Conference caused reaction of the Holly See. Vatican’s authorities renewed the activity of Faculty of Th eology in Wrocław (the
year of 1968) and erected new – non-existent till now – Faculty of Th eology in Poznań. Moreover, the Holly See did not approve the closure of theological faculties
in Cracow and Warsaw. Th ank to that, in People’s Republic of Poland – there were fi ve theological faculties, under Church’s jurisdiction, in a similar way to the pre-war territory of the country. In 1974, they received the noble title of “Pope’s faculties”. Certainly, academic degrees and scholars titles, gained at these faculties by their graduates and scholars were invalid to the state authorities. Aft er long negotiations, the Deal (June 30th 1989) was accepted by the government of People’s Republic of Poland and Polish Episcopal Conference. Th e
Deal stated the approval of all Pope’s faculties and the faculty of philosophy of Society of Jesus in Cracow. In return, the Holly See resumed Academy of Catholic’s Th eology (ACT) and granted its canonical validation. Imposed Deal was a serious contribution to the normalization of Church-State relations in Poland. It is certain, that it was also a great achievement of the Roman Catholic Church, and was accomplished– as it is commonly considered – not without the infl uence of electing, on October 16th 1978, card. Karol Wojtyla for pope John
Paul II.

Keywords:

Poland 1954–1989, Faculty of Th eology, Cracow, Lwow, Poznań, Warsaw, Wrocław, the closure of theology