The Mission of a Teacher of Religion in the Contemporary Polish School

Abstract

Work in a contemporary Polish school puts before teachers of religion new challenges in the areas of teaching, care, education and prophylaxis. They arise not only from structural, but also from syllabus-related changes. A new approach to education and prophylaxis, especially placing the proper value on holistic education in the Polish school, based on universal values, helps to fulfil the mission and vocation of a teacher of religion. Because, along with transmission of religious knowledge and evangelisation, other important issues include supporting students in discovering general human values and their internalisation and in developing social attitudes, as well as in pro-health, ecological and patriotic education. These actions have an educational and prophylactic dimension. The way in which a teacher of religion performs educational and prophylactic tasks largely affects the quality of religious instruction in Polish schools. This study is based on the current Law on Education and catechetical documents. The importance of a teacher of religion's activity is emphasised as well as his personal traits and testimony of faith.