The Transatlantlaticism of Billy Graham’s Visit to Poland in October 1978
The Transatlantlaticism of Billy Graham’s Visit to Poland in October 1978

Summary/Abstract: Billy Graham, one of the most recognisable American preachers, was known primarily for his large-scale evangelisation projects, organised initially in the United States and Western Europe, and then on other continents. In a favourable situation of political détente between the USA and the Soviet Union, Graham, in October 1978, visited Poland, delivering a number of sermons to the faithful of the Catholic Church and Protestant denominations. From a religious point of view, Graham’s teachings bore clear features of evangelical Protestantism, weakly rooted in Poland. Teaching also had a cultural dimension, trying to instil in the faithful such character traits as the courage to make decisions, being guided by Christian values, the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and openness to other people. Graham’s charisma and unquestionable missionary zeal thus became an opportunity to present the values of American evangelicals and, for Poles, an extremely rare opportunity to encounter a different religious culture that carries values so important to Americans as freedom, liberty, searching for one’s identity and deepening spirituality. In the reality of the Polish communist state, this religious message also had a deeper dimension, being a breath of freedom flowing from the USA.

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