Controversy about the apostasy of faith and church

Abstract

A recent ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) on the apostasy of recommendation to the Chief Inspector for Personal Data Protection (Inspector) edition pastors order recorded in the church books of the baptism act of apostasy that occurred from the Church by a formal act, causes confusion, surprise and raises concern in ecclesiastical circles. Causes fact, that may be an instance of the Church and note this fact in the book of baptisms for the parish priest not on the basis determined by the Conference of the Polish Episcopate canonical proceedings, but on the basis of the decision and order of the Inspector General. Thus is launched a new, secular act of apostasy procedure relating to the occurrence of the Church, which will be determined by the Inspector General, and not a particular procedure Church. This change introduced by the ruling Supreme Administrative Court, will replace the existing procedure for persons who wish to withdraw from the Church and undermines existing procedures Church in this regard. It is therefore a threat to the sovereignty and autonomy of the Church, as is evident interference with the procedures of the laity in the Church administration. It allows state authorities, in this case the decisions of the Inspector General, interference in church documents and adjudicate who performed an act of apostasy from the Church.

Decisions of the Supreme Administrative Court and the Inspector General made the confusion arose around the apostasy – deviations from the faith and of the Church and ecclesiastical proceedings on the formal act of the Church and save this fact in the book of the baptism of the person making the act. These decisions indicate that the matter of apostasy, may regulate the law of the state, not the church, as it was previously, and the Church – in terms of their own sacramental and use its internal law – may be subject to decisions of the state. It is a bizarre situation, violating the applicable legal situation in Poland, especially the Constitution and the Concordat. It is hoped that pastors to challenge the decision of the Inspector General ordering them recorded in the church books of the baptism act of apostasy, the NSA will once again clarify the matter thoroughly and carefully and in accordance with applicable law, which enables the Church to be guided by its internal law, and thus approves of sovereignty and autonomy of the Church.