Krytyka Kościoła – źródła, prawomocność i ograniczenia
Criticism of the Church – sources, validity and limitations

Summary/Abstract: Criticism of the Church is one of the most urgent tasks to be undertaken as part of theological reflection. The point is to define its sources, legitimacy, and indicate the limitations to which it is subject. The source of the criticism of the Church is her very nature, which has an internal human and historical dimension that makes her inadequate to her ideal as revealed in Jesus Christ. The article focuses mainly on two dimensions of the criticism of the Church, that is, internal and external criticism. Within the framework of internal critique, which is the only one that is justified, there are two ways of making it. The first type of criticism that can be considered legitimate and extremely effective is that based on personal holiness, exemplified by St. Ignatius of Loyola. The second type of criticism is expressed in a strong admonishing and accusing word – an exceptional example of which is St. Catherine of Siena. External criticism loses its validity because it is most often associated with abandoning the Church and thus questions what it intends to achieve.

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