Piotr Kopiec

Some observers of the pontificate of the Pope Francis define it as determined by postcolonial critique. However, such opinions carry the risk of a conceptual mess, given that postcolonialism is a wide-term burden with methodological heterogeneity. The Bishop of Rome is being criticised for his utterances, raising hopes in some and doubts in others. In fact, he is the Church’s leader who has to balance between vocal and sometimes uncompromising groups of believers who differently define their Catholic faith. The Pope’s alleged postcolonialism is one of the strongest causes of such ambiguity. An accurate reading of this teaching needs a confrontation with a summary of a multidisciplinary discussion on postcolonial theory. Putting them together allows one to argue that the label of »postcolonial Pope« corresponds less to this pontificate than the »decolonial Pope«. In other words, the theory of decoloniality seems to be more relevant in explaining Pope Francis’ teaching on colonialism and its aftermath. The article aims to argue that Pope Francis is a »decolonial« rather than a »postcolonial«. Even though the difference between the two seems slight, it may cause severe epistemic shortcomings and abuses. The paper applies Walter Mignolo’s concept of decoloniality to explain Bergolio’s stance and juxtaposes it with a brief summary of postcolonial theory. Finally, it exemplifies Francis’s approach to colonialism/neocolonialism, considering two fields of his teaching: inculturation and ideological colonisation. Literary analysis is the research method used in this article.

Dewesternisation is a concept still undergoing conceptual clarification and refinement. It is used in different theoretical approaches, often differently meant and assessed. Irrespective of its still uncertain theoretical scope, it appears to be a valuable tool for denoting the phenomena and processes taking place in global Christianity, especially in the ecumenical movement, including the World Council of Churches (WCC). The article aims to identify the crucial field of the WCC’ teaching that demonstrates and highlights dewesternisation processes within the ecumenical movement. Before tackling the main problem of this study, it discusses the issues ‘internal’ for dewesternisation and ecumenism, such as evolutionism, postcolonial theory and postcolonial theology. They all set a historical deduction that helps better comprehend dewesternisation within the ecumenical movement, as exemplified by the WCC. Literary analysis is the primary method employed in this study. Contribution: By identifying and exemplifying the term of dewesternisation within the WCC, the article contributes to its better comprehension, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation (the Lausanne Movement), representing global Evangelicalism, is becoming an increasingly important place for the conceptualisation of Christian social teaching. An analysis of the movement’s four international conferences, held in 1971, 1989, 2010, and 2024, shows a clear development in the scope and significance of systematic social thought within Evangelical theology. It is important because, until recently, Evangelicalism did not develop systematic social teaching, concentrating rather on evangelisation. In answering the question about the reasons for this development, it can be assumed that it is the result of the Christian mission encountering the social, cultural, political, and economic conditions of the places to which it is directed. Evangelical theologians are increasingly mindful that evangelisation also requires solid instruments to shape the social environment. One such instrument is systematic social teaching, which links the Christian mission with the quest for a more just and peaceful society that opposes poverty and exclusion. The article aims to present the social teaching of the Evangelical Churches as formulated by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, with special emphasis on the four core documents of the movement: the Lausanne Covenant, the Manila Manifesto, the Cape Town Commitment, and the Seoul Statement. Literary analysis is the primary method employed in this article.

Poland is still an exception on the European map of Christianity, although this exceptional position is increasingly fading away. Churches in Poland are facing the challenges known elsewhere in Europe. This matters when asking about Polish ecumenism. However, it is merely part of the picture. Global trends influence ecumenical and interconfessional relationships; nevertheless, some have a specific feature in Poland. This article attempts to map Polish ecumenism, with an emphasis on the most significant achievements and severe threats to interconfessional relationships. It also aims to bring to light what churches in Poland have in common and how they differ in their answers to the current problems.

Przyszłość ludzkiej pracy jest jedną z kluczowych kwestii, nad którymi zastanawia się ruch ekumeniczny w swej społecznej refleksji. Kwestia ta odgrywa na przykład istotną rolę w nauczaniu społecznym Konferencji Kościołów Europejskich. Oprócz wydania wielu dokumentów i oświadczeń, organizacja założyła Kościelną Akcję na rzecz Pracy i Życia (CALL), grupę roboczą powołaną do promowania światopoglądu chrześcijańskiego w europejskich i globalnych dyskusjach na temat sprawiedliwego porządku społeczno-gospodarczego, w tym zatrudnienia i pracy. Artykuł przedstawia nauczanie na temat pracy ludzkiej opracowane przez CALL, osadzając je w szerszym kontekście obecnej debaty nad przyszłością pracy. Pokrótce rozważono również podobieństwa między koncepcjami CALL a podejściami Kościołów w Europie, z naciskiem na Ewangelicki Kościół w Niemczech. Na koniec artykuł omawia koncepcję dobrej pracy i wytyczne dotyczące zrównoważonej cyfryzacji, które są głównym obszarem zainteresowania CALL i jego największym osiągnięciem.

This article provides a nuanced perspective concerning the future prospects of Sino-Russian security cooperation. It examines the image of China in Russian strategic documents during President Putin’s rule and investigates potential points of conflict arising from Russia’s perception of the post-Soviet landscape as its exclusive sphere of influence. The study is based on a systematic analysis of Russian strategic documents, specifically focusing on how they address of Sino-Russian relations, as well as Russian security and foreign policy concerning Central Asia. The analysis reveals that actual Russian security policy exhibits caution in its cooperation with China. The research contributes to the field by delineating a significant discrepancy between the role ascribed to China in Russian state propaganda, and therefore in public perception, and the more measured and reasonable formulations present in Russian strategic documents. This divergence illustrates the complexity and caution that characterise genuine Sino-Russian relations, especially in the realm of security policy.

The global expansion of Evangelicalism raises essential questions about inculturation, social involvement and contextualising the Evangelical mission. The concept of an integral mission is an answer to these issues. However, when viewed from a non-Evangelical perspective, it is also an illustration of the dynamic changes that occurred in the Evangelical communities and of convergences with other Christian traditions or denominations. The article aims to present the concept’s significance and consider its contextualisation. Finally, it asks whether it could be explained in terms of an Evangelical answer for the growing need for theology in concert with the local and cultural contexts. Contribution: The concept of an integral mission contributes to the theological debate on mission and the meaning of Christian social involvement. The research addresses the focus and scope of the journal of the promotion of multidisciplinary aspects of studies in theology.

Differences in moral teaching deepen divisions between Christians, nowadays even more than differences in theological doctrine. Observations of ecumenists focusing on intra- -Christian ethical divergences have sparked a systematic ecumenical reflection on this phenomenon. One of the most significant examples is the study group of the “Faith and Order” Commission, which has since 2006 conducted research on the causes of moral and ethical differences and strives to lay theoretical foundations of the ecumenical dialogue on moral issues. As a result, the Commission released a series of documents concerning moral discernment in the Churches. The article presents the research of the study group of the “Faith and Order” Commission. It emphasizes the two crucial elements of the theory of ecumenical dialogue on moral issues: sources of moral discernment in the Churches and main factors of the differences in the moral teaching of the Churches. It also outlines a broader context of the ecumenical difficulties brought about by the ethical divergences. Różnice w nauczaniu moralnym przyczyniają się do pogłębienia podziałów między chrześcijanami. Konflikty etyczno-moralne dzielą dzisiaj bardziej niż różnice doktrynalne. Obser­wacje ekumenistów, zwracające uwagę na wewnątrzchrześcijański rozdźwięk w nauczaniu moral­nym, od lat dziewięćdziesiątych XX w. coraz bardziej prowokują do formułowania systematycznej refleksji ekumenicznej nad tym zjawiskiem. Do najważniejszych przykładów należy grupa studyjna Komisji „Wiara i Ustrój”, która od 2006 r. prowadzi studia nad przyczynami różnic w nauczaniu etyczno-moralnym i dąży do sformułowania teoretycznych podstaw dialogu ekumenicznego nad zagadnieniami etycznymi. W efekcie prac Komisja opublikowała serię dokumentów dotyczących rozeznania moralnego w Kościołach. Autor zaprezentował w artykule rezultat badań grupy studyj­nej Komisji „Wiara i Ustrój”, koncentrując się na wypracowanych przez nią dwóch ważnych ele­mentach teorii ekumenicznego dialogu nad zagadnieniami moralnymi: źródłach rozeznania moral­nego Kościołów oraz głównych czynnikach różnic w nauczaniu moralnym Kościołów. Prezentację osadził w szerokim kontekście trudności ekumenicznych wywołanych różnymi odpowiedziami na kwestie etyczne. Do osiągnięcia zadeklarowanego celu prowadzi kontekstowa analiza dokumentów będących najważniejszym rezultatem piętnastoletnich prac grupy. Należy zaznaczyć, że obecnie dokonuje się ich recepcja w poszczególnych Kościołach, stąd też przedstawione propozycje mają potencjał kształtowania nowych okoliczności dialogu ekumenicznego.

Representatives of the economic heterodoxy only occasionally mention proposals of churches and religious organisations concerning the socio-economic order. Yet, churches and their doctrines are abundant sources of reflection on social and economic matters. Theologians employ their religious knowledge and pastoral experiences in developing theological conceptions of the socio-economic models. Usually, they are rather critical towards global neoliberal capitalism when pointing out its disastrous consequences for entire societies and cultures. An example is the “convivial economy”, a concept developed within the Lutheran World Federation for the past eight years. Lutheran theologians use the term “economy” in a broader sense, enlarging the space of their reflection on culture, society, and environment. An essential part of this approach is migration, which is regarded as an inherent part of contemporary social reality and understood as both a challenge and an opportunity for society. The article outlines the meaning and dimensions of the convivial economy, including thetopic of migration. It employs the narration of economic heterodoxy/orthodoxy to highlight a dominant Christian position towards the prevailing economic order.