Formacja i współpraca ekumeniczna w Polsce

Abstract

The Secretary for Christian Unity Affairs organized in the period of 22nd to 27th of April 1985 a session entitled "Formation and Ecumenical Cooperation in the Local Church". Several dozen local Churches answered a special questionnaire prepared by the Secretary, which questionnaire concerned this matter. The following text is an attempt of a Polish response (part I and II) completed in the final part by the events from the later period and by the information of a résumé of answers to a questionnaire drawn up by the Secretary and its experts. The information of the ecumenical formation in Poland contains some data on the lectures "Ecumenical questions in Theological Seminaries in the Polish People's Republic on the basis of "Programmatic directions for ecumenical formation in Theological Seminaries and Theological Departments in Poland", on the ecumenism professors, lectures duplicator, sessions of ecumenism professors and diocesan reporters, the Ecumenical Centre in Warsaw, ecumenical magazines, ecumenical sessions of alumni in Theological Seminaries, ecumenical retreats in Laski near Warsaw, on the participation in the Week of a Catholic Prayer for Unity, a critical review of theological handbooks and catechisms, and, finally, on the basic difficulties in the domain of ecumenical formation (among others, lack of understanding for ecumenism among the superior and lower clergymen and a quantitative weekness of "other Churches"). The information on the ecumenical cooperation gives us some data which characterize the situation in the sphere of spiritual, doctrinal and practical ecumenism (among others, on the dialogue about baptism and mixed marriages, Ecumenical Institute, "The Temple of Peace", the ecumenical edition of the Bible, arguments on the Churches, proselytism, diocesan synods bringing up the ecumenical problems, and, finally, it informs about the pastoral letters of bishops. Bearing in mind the summary made by the Secretary for Christian Unity Affairs the paper points to a thesis of an urgent need for ecumenical formation of bishops and lower clergy.