Towiański i towianizm w kontekście kryzysu modernistycznego na ziemiach polskich na przełomie XIX i XX wieku
Towiański and Towianism in the context of the modernist crisis in Polish lands at the turn of the 20th century

Summary/Abstract: At the turn of the twentieth century, Polish Modernism reinterpreted the Romantic heritage, viewing it not merely as a literary movement but as a foundation for spiritual renewal. The figure of Andrzej Towiański became a significant point of contention in debates over the shape of Polish Catholicism. In seeking a way out of the crisis of institutional religiosity, Modernists revisited the question of whether Towiański was a dangerous heretic or a prophet heralding a new era of the spirit. Towianism, with its emphasis on inner perfection (the 'Cause of God'), resonated strongly with the Modernist longing for a living, personal religion. However, his purportedly 'pernicious' influence on the national bards—Mickiewicz and Słowacki—was subjected to critical scrutiny, particularly through analyses of how mystical engagement affected their later works. During the Modernist crisis, Towianism functioned both as a warning against sectarianism and as an inspiration for synthesising faith with modernity, thus becoming a key element of intellectual debate in the Polish lands of the period.

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