Slavic Native Faith in Poland

Slavic Native Faith in Poland (Rodnovery; Polish: Rodzimowierstwo) has in 2007, according to Scott Simpson, between 2000 and 2500 "actively engaged and regular participants".{{sfn|Simpson|2017|p=82}} In 2020, Konrad Kośnik and Elżbieta Hornowska estimated that Rodnovers in Poland were between 7000 and 10,000.{{sfn|Kośnik|Hornowska|2020|p=74}}

History

In 1818, the Polish folklorist and Slavophile Zorian Dołęga-Chodakowski (pseudonym of Adam Czarnocki; 1784–1825) stated that Poland "must return to [the] native faith". According to that, he's recognised as precursor of the Slavic Native Faith in Poland.{{sfn|Simpson|2000|pp=50-51}} Another precursor in Poland was Jan Sas Zubrzycki (1860–1935), who elaborated the doctrine of Bogoznawstwo (Polish calque of theology).{{sfn|Simpson|Filip|2013|p=28}}

In the interwar period, a few movements emerged in Poland, recognized as early Polish Slavic Native Faith followers: the {{Lang|pl|Święte Koło Czcicieli Światowida}} ("Holy Circle of Worshippers of Svetovid"; 1921) of Władysław Kołodziej (1897–1978), Demiurg (1934), and Zadrugism (1937) of Jan Stachniuk (1905–1963).{{sfn|Simpson|2000|pp=67-80}} Another example is the pilot and army officer Zdzisław Harlender (1898–1939), who advocated Polish Native Faith in his book {{Lang|pl|Czciciele Dadźbóg Swarożyca}} ("Worshipers of Dadźbóg Swarożyc", 1937).{{sfn|Simpson|2012|p=11}}

The rapper and music producer Donatan is a self-declared adherent of Slavic Native Faith.{{sfn|Simpson|2017|p=77}} He released his debut album Równonoc (English: Equinox) in 2012 and is a prolific music producer in Poland; he produced the song "My Słowianie (We Are Slavic)" which represented Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014.{{sfn|BBC|2014}}

Demographics

In 2013, Simpson noted that Slavic Native Faith remains a "very small religion" in Poland, which is otherwise dominated by Roman Catholicism.{{sfn|Simpson|2013|p=120}} He suggested that there were under 900 regularly active members of the main four registered Polish Native Faith organisations,{{sfn|Simpson|2013|p=115}} and around as many adherents belonging to smaller, unregistered groups.{{sfn|Simpson|2013|p=118}}

In 2017, he stated that between 2000 and 2500 "actively engaged and regular participants" were likely active in the country.{{sfn|Simpson|2017|p=82}} In 2020, Konrad Kośnik and Elżbieta Hornowska estimated between 7000 and 10,000 Rodnovers in Poland.{{sfn|Kośnik|Hornowska|2020|p=74}}

Simpson observed that in the country, Slavic Native Faith's adherents were "still relatively young",{{sfn|Simpson|2013|p=119}} and saw an overlap with the community of historical re-enactors.{{sfn|Simpson|2013|p=118}} Kosnik and Hornowska observed that despite being young, Polish Rodnovers were spiritually mature and had joined the religion as it satisfied deep personal needs.{{sfn|Kośnik|Hornowska|2020|p=91}} They also observed that males constituted the majority of the community.{{sfn|Kośnik|Hornowska|2020|p=91}}

Rodnover organisations in Poland

File:V Ogólnopolski Zjazd i Wiec Rodzimowierczy.jpg

The major organisation of Rodnovery in Poland is the Rodnover Confederation.

There are five formally registered religious organisations:

Native Polish Church;
Polish Slavic Church;
Religious Organisation of Polish Rodnovers "Rod";{{cite web |url=http://duchtynia.pl/2017/06/powolanie-nowego-zwiazku-wyznaniowego/ |title=Powołanie nowego związku wyznaniowego |trans-title=Creation of a new religious association |date=13 June 2017 |website=Duchtynia |language=pl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627001737/http://duchtynia.pl/2017/06/powolanie-nowego-zwiazku-wyznaniowego/ |archive-date=27 June 2017}}
Rodzima Wiara ("Native Faith");
West-Slavic Religious Organization "Slavic Faith".

References

=Citations=

=Sources=

{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4zW5nHmh6xXv6ZjrZK4C4CQ/poland |title=Eurovision Song Contest - Songs 2014: Poland |year=2014 |author=BBC Online |ref=CITEREFBBC2014}}
{{cite journal |last1=Kośnik |first1=Konrad |last2=Hornowska |first2=Elzbieta |year=2020 |title=A Preliminary Quantitative Study of the Mysticism and Religious Maturity of Contemporary Slavic Neopagans in Poland |journal=Religio: Revue pro religionistiku |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=73–93 |doi=10.5817/Rel2020-1-6 |issn=1210-3640 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343999938|doi-access=free}}
{{cite book |last=Simpson |first=Scott |title=Native Faith. Polish Neo-Paganism at the Brink of the 21st Century |publisher=Zakład Wydawniczy Nomos |location=Kraków |year=2000 |series=Religiologica Juventa |isbn=8388508075}}
{{cite book |last=Simpson |first=Scott |chapter-url=https://www.academia.edu/16234511 |contribution=Strategies for Constructing Religious Practice in Polish Rodzimowierstwo |title=Walking the Old Ways: Studies in Contemporary European Paganism |editor=Anczyk, A. |editor2=Grzymała-Moszczyńska, H. |publisher=Sacrum |location=Katowice |year=2012}}
{{cite contribution |last=Simpson |first=Scott |year=2013 |contribution=Polish Rodzimowierstwo: Strategies for (Re)constructing a Movement |title=Modern Pagan and Native Faith Movements in Central and Eastern Europe |editor1=Kaarina Aitamurto|editor2=Scott Simpson |isbn=9781844656622 |location=Durham |publisher=Acumen |pages=112–127}}
{{cite contribution |last=Simpson |first=Scott |year=2017 |contribution=Only Slavic Gods: Nativeness in Polish Rodzimowierstwo |title=Cosmopolitanism, Nationalism, and Modern Paganism |editor=Kathryn Rountree |pages=65–86 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |location=New York |isbn=9781137570406}}
{{cite contribution |last1=Simpson |first1=Scott |last2=Filip |first2=Mariusz |year=2013 |contribution=Selected Words for Modern Pagan and Native Faith Movements in Central and Eastern Europe |title=Modern Pagan and Native Faith Movements in Central and Eastern Europe |editor1=Kaarina Aitamurto |editor2=Scott Simpson |isbn=9781844656622 |location=Durham |publisher=Acumen |pages=27–43}}