Islam in Europe from a Polish Conservative Viewpoint

Abstract

The article, based on the analysis of Polish conservative magazines from 2014 to 2016 (“DoRzeczy”, “wSieci”, “Gość Niedzielny”, “Niedziela”), reflects on the presence of Islam in Europe and the future of the continent in the context of the intensive migration of hundreds of thousands of people who have fled the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Unwise political and military interventions of the West have upset a fragile balance in the region and chaos and ruthless violence of clashing Muslim groups are the final straw. The first part of the text is devoted to the reflection on the Christian-Muslim dialogue and its perspectives in the context of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration Nostra aetate. Next, the relations between Islam and Europe are presented in the context of the clash of civilisations. Polish conservative opinion devotes much time to a social and cultural utopia implemented by Western European countries in an attempt to create a multicultural society. This experiment coincides with a serious spiritual and religious crisis of post-Christian nations of the Old Continent, which makes the Muslim immigration even more threatening. However, after a period of passivity, modest steps to solve the crisis undertaken by certain European countries which show some signs of waking up to the problem seem to be insufficient and long overdue. The perspectives which emerge from the encounter (confrontation) of the world of Islam with European civilisation are dark for the latter.