Przełom w polskim ustawodawstwie wyznaniowym

Abstract

On May 19, 1989 the Seym passed three acts on religious denominations: 1) the Law on Relations between the State and the Catholic Church; 2) the Law on Guaranties of Freedom of Conscience and Religion; 3) the Law on Social Insurance of Priests. The scope and contents of the three acts make them a turning—point in the State's policy on religious denominations. They mark the end of the period when relations between the State and religious institutions were shaped by the influence of ideological tenets of socialism, in the totalitarian version adopted in the USSR. The article discusses the course of legislative works on the three acts and characterizes a new model of relations between the State and the Church which emerged in consequence of the adoption of the new laws. The author presents basic assumptions of policy on religious denominations, the constitutional model of regulation of legal status of churches and religious institutions, the philosophy contained in the three acts in the context of individual freedom of conscience and religion and the legal position of churches and priests. The Acts adopted in May 1989 should be considered the turning point of political changes taking place in Poland. They determine the direction of future developments in the sphere of other constitutional rights as well.