Kaznodziejstwo w Polsce XIX wieku

Abstract

Knowledge of the pulpit eloquence history may serve the contemporary ministry of the word. The 19th century is featured by coexistence of three overlapping homiletic trends: – of enlightenment, where the purpose of a homily was to bring up a good man and citizen, – biblical and kerygmatic, which is characterized in a return to the Sacred Scripture and the Fathers of the Church, – neo-scholastic, dominated by catechism sermons. The preaching renovation in Germany, England, France, and Italy affected the pulpit eloquence and religiousness in Poland. Some refreshing currents started to come to the Polish lands thanks to the so-called “Great Emigration”. The reason for improvement of the Polish preaching was getting acquainted with works of European preachers and a richer use of the Treasury of Scripture and the Christian tradition. The fruit were homiletic handbooks, first homiletic journals, and preachers’ works. In preaching handbooks and journals there were many guidelines concerning the construction of sermons, their typology, and the ways of their delivery. The article discusses the main forms of preaching in the 19th century Poland, and they were the proper sermon, the homily, the catechism teaching, and the missionary sermon. In terms of merits, most sermons can be accused of excessive didacticism and moralizing, but they should be appreciated for interest in homily. St. Józef Sebastian Pelczar, while assessing that period, demanded from preachers an increased zeal for the cause of God, a greater dedication to the service, and diligence at work. The postulates are still valid today, when the Church calls us to the New Evangelization.