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[History]
The history of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland is closely connected with the Reformation movement which was started in Germany by pastor Martin Luther and was spreading gradually over other European countries. Reformation doctrines reached Poland very early. Merchants and students coming back from Wittenberg and Konigsberg were bringing Luther's works with them.
Evangelical sermons were already preached in 1518 in Gdansk and Jawor in the Lower Silesia region. At the very beginning Reformation ideas were adopted by scholars and middle-class and a little bit afterwards by the nobility. In some regions of our country they also appealed to a great number of country folk.
The Wittemberg Reformation doctrines reached Silesia exceptionally quickly. In 1523, only five years after pastor Martin Luther had opposed the medieval practice of selling indulgences and two years after the Diet of Worms had taken place, the Municipal Council in Wroctaw appointed a previous monk, Jan Mess who used to preach according to Wittenberg Reformation ideas, as the Evangelical rector by Mary Magdalene's church.
The Reformation doctrines spreading from Krakow and Lower Silesia were finally extended to Teschenian Silesia and became quite popular during the last years of the Teschenian duke Kazimierz 11's reign, especially among the country folk. Therefore the Counter-Reformation, which took place during the Habsburgs' rule, did not manage to uproot them.
Luther's Reformation took a different course in the Masurian Lakes Dis|trict. The last Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, duke Albrecht, having learnt a great deal about the Reformation and under Luther's persuasion, dissolved the Order, announced himself a secular duke and in 1525 in the Krakow Market paid tribute to the Polish king, Sigismund Stary. Although Polish kings did not join the Reformation, they protected Lutheranism and let it develop in East Prussia. In 1569 King Sigismund August obliged himself to preserve religion in East Prussia according to the doctrines of The Augsburg Confession.
The Lutheran movement was spread over the whole Pomerania district as well.
The nobility also started accepting Luther's and Calvin's teachings which was of great political importance. Shortly afterwards the majority of members of Parliament belonged to the Evangelical Church which resulted in editting the statute of liberty of the press and worship and also helped to abolish ecclesiastical courts and censorship. It, in turn, led to the introduction of equality of religions in 1573 (Warsaw Confederation).
Reformation made it clear that ordinary people were allowed to and even should read the Bible. Evangelical schools were distinguished by high level of teaching. Educational activity was conducive to cultural development. "The golden age" of culture in the history of Poland
took place during the times of Reformation on our territory; printing developed and national
literature was started. In 1551 Jan Seklucjan published four gospels in Polish, a year later the New Testament and in 1563 the whole Bible (the so-called Brzesc or Radziwill
Bible).
Postils were printed and religious literature was developing as well. Three great composers of Polish Renaissance: Wactaw from Szamotuty, Cyprian Bazylik from Sieradz and Mikotaj Gomotka, were writing hymns for the Evangelical Church.
The characteristic feature of the Polish Reformation was a religious tolerance. Synods, having introduced a democratic system within the Church, also opposed social inequality and defended middle-class and peasants. Poland remained a country without stakes while Europe was covered in blood. Reformation on our territory gave rise to the development of ecumenical movement which might be proved by the unifying synod of the Reformed and the Czech Brethren (churches in Kozminek in 1570. During the synod in Sandomierz in 1570 the two unified churches were joined by the Lutheran Church.
The period of the develop| ment of Reformation was closed by the act of Warsaw Confederation in 1573 introducing religious equality and peace. The Counter-Reformation in Poland was started after the Confederation Act had been excommunicated. Despite a great deal of religious persecution the evangelical movement managed to survive on the Polish territory. However, it was King Stanistaw August Poniatowski in the 18th century who was the first to allow members of the Evangelical Church to erect the Holy Trinity church in Warsaw. Additionally, emperor Joseph I, after the treaty in Altransztat in 1707, allowed to build six churches on the Silesian territory: in Zagan, Kozuchow, Jelenia Gora, Kamienna Gora, Milicz and Teschen. They were called churches "out of grace" as the monarch was not obliged by the treaty to grant a licence to erect them. The next emperor Joseph II's, tolerance patent made the revival of ecclesiastical life in Teschenian Silesia possible.
In the 19th century there was a sudden influx of craftsmen and farmers from all over Europe to Poland which was conducive not only to the development of Evangelicism, but also of industry and agriculture. World War II hindered the process of gaining stability within the Church. In concentration camps approximately 30% evangelical clergy lost their lives, including the bishop of the Church, pastor Juliusz Bursche. After the war the policy of the government decreased a number of members of the Church and parishes. Due to systematic work and the effort of congregations the Church life gained stability and is developing all the time.
[Main Church Doctrines]
The Holy Scriptures is the only source of faith and life of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church. The Church rejects everything which is not in agreement with the apostolic tradition; it means which cannot be found in God's Word.
The basis of the faith of the Lutheran Church is the Palestinian canon of the Old Testament, that is the Bible that was used by Jesus Christ and His disciplines, and the New Testament, which is a collection of the apostles' and their disciplines' testimonies about Jesus from Nazareth as our Christ and Lord.
The explanation of the doctrines of the Evangelical—Augsburg Church can be found in
The Symbolic Books which, besides the old Christian symgbols of faith, consist of
The Shorter
Catechism, The Longer Catechism, The Augsburg Confession, The Defence of the Augsburg Confession, Schmalkaldian Articles
and The Formula of Agreement.
All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness
(2 Tim 3,16).
The testimony about Jesus Christ occupies a special position in the teachings of the Lutheran Church. Jesus Christ as true God and the true man is the only mediator between God and people. The saints are regarded as the pattern of behaviour and Christian life, but the Bible denies their
mediacy.
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus (1 Tim 2,5).
The Reformation faith grew out of the Biblical teaching, according to which
a man is saved by God only by grace, thanks to Jesus Christ's gift on the Cross. A man cannot take credit for his faith. It grows out of God's Word and a man receives the gifts of salvation through that I grace. Good works are a duty of a Christian. They grow out of faith and are the evidence that the faith is true.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast
(Eph 2, 8-9).
The Evangelical—Augsburg Church bases its teachings on two sacraments: Baptism and
Holy Communion. Through those two sacraments and God's Word, God endows the faithful
with His gifts of salvation which were obtained on the Cross by Jesus Christ for the
whole mankind. The believers receive true Jesus Christ's body and blood in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls
(Jas 1,21).
The centre of the religious life in Lutheran ism is a service which is the conversation between God and a man. God speaks to a man through His Word and sacraments, a man communicates with God
through prayer and songs. A service in the Evangelical-Augsburg Church consists of the Liturgy of God's Word and the Liturgy of Holy Communion. Therefore there are two climaxes in it:
a sermon which is the preaching of God's Word, and Holy Communion.
[Structure]
The Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland comprises the majority of Christians of the Lutheran confession and is organized on the basis of parishes and dioceses on the territory of the whole country. It has about one hundred thousand members. The majority of theChurch members live in Silesia.
The bishop is a spiritual leader of the Church. The Church Synod, whose tenure lasts for five years, guards all the Church rights and obligations. The Synod takes decisions on all the vital Church issues, puts forward the aims of its activity and protects its orthodogy.
The Consistory with the seat in Warsaw holds the highest administrative and executive power.
In territorial and administrative respect the Evangelical—Augsburg Church in Poland is divided into
dioceses. The representative a diocese is a Diocesan Synod, which exercises its authority through the Diocesan Council and ordinary. A diocesan ordinary supervises the priests working on the territory of a given diocese.
The basic administrative unit of the Church is a parish which as the local Church has all the characteristics of the
Christian Church. God's people gathered round Jesus Christ's gospel represent the Church on a given territory. A congregation is cajled to give the testimony of their faith. Rectors are spiritual leaders of parishes.
The Evangelical—Augsburg Church in Poland bases its internal activity on the rules of the Basic Internal Law which is established by the Church Synod. The Basic Internal Law organizes activity within parishes, dioceses and the whole Church.
The attitude of the State to the Evangelical—Augsburg Church is reflected in The Statute signed by the Polish Parliament on the 13th May 1994.