ŚLĄSKIE STUDIA HISTORYCZNO-TEOLOGICZNE

Pope Francis’ teaching about family in the context of its vocation to evangelization and upbringing
An issue which is of particular importance in the teaching of pope Francis is the reflection on the role of the family in the process of evangelization and the formation of faith. The starting point here is a proper anthropology (the complementarity of man and woman, the appropriate roles in the family) and theological foundations (the experience of God, family rooted in the grace of the sacrament of matrimony).
The awareness of this foundation is indispensable in the context of the difficulties and dangers affecting contemporary families. These negative influences include, above all, consumerism, materialism, a godless lifestyle, modern idols, social and economic problems, as well as ideologies attacking the family and affecting the social shape of reality.
From such a perspective, it becomes even more necessary to highlight the key challenges facing the family. It is therefore a school of humanity, spiritual and ecclesial life, social life and evangelization. The family should be supported in a multidimensional way by the whole Church in the implementation of this mission. Catholic movements and societies are especially helpful in this regard.

Mystery and community. Around the encyclical “Lumen fidei” by Pope Francis
The word mystery occurs numerous times in the contents of the encyclical of Pope Francis and refers to various realities. It is closely correlated with the community of the Church, which is the proper place to make experiencing God’s mystery more accessible, which takes place in the most distinct manner in the sacraments. God’s mysteriousness must be distinguished from the notion of mystery. The mysteriousness is not eliminated by Revelation, as this is of a practical nature and is fulfilled in the covenant of God and human. Each human word is imperfect when compared with God’s mystery, therefore also theological statements are only a hermeneutic element of the polemics of the history which brings God closer, yet it cannot and will never be able to encompass it in its expressions.