The Religious Element in the Educational Concept of Władysław Marian Borowski (1875–1939)

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the role of religion in the pedagogical views of Władysław Marian Borowski. The subject of the research is Borowski’s educational concept with particular emphasis on its religious aspect. An analysis of source materials and the literature on the subject is conducted. The structure of the argument unfolds as follows: first, the text presents a synthetic overview of the premises of national pedagogy; second, there follows a discussion of Borowski’s educational concept; and third, the concept is set in the perspective of spiritual development.

The research confirms the significance of the religious element in Borowski’s educational program, which is revealed not only in the ideological assumptions of his concept, but also in his educational ideal. The spheres constituting this concept—the intellectual, emotional, and volitional—clearly emphasize the presence of the religious dimension. Borowski gave fundamental importance to the emotional sphere, considering it both integrative and primary in relation to the other two. He also considered that imbuing the emotional layer with religious content was one of the conditions for achieving the fusion of individual and collective life, as postulated in his educational ideal. For Borowski, the integration of the individual and social elements was a fundamental aspect of the educational concept and religion itself was an immanent element of the Polish tradition, a condition for its continuance and development. The holistic nature of Borowski’s educational program, as well as the wealth of ideas contained in it, not only strengthens the achievements of Polish pedagogy, but can also serve as inspiration for contemporary educational theory and practice.