Openness to Belief in the Thinking of Stefan Szuman

1. The goal of this article is to present the openness to belief in Stefan Szuman’s thinking. 2. Methodology. The author uses the historiographical method. 3. The main results of the analysis. The author discusses the following philosophical (metaphysical and ethical) and pedagogical (educational) issues: the virtue of belief (the virtue of faith) and the  non-virtue of atheism (the un-virtue of atheism), and Szuman’s arguments concerning, among other things, the relation between man and God, the relation between belief (faith) and reason, and the relations of human rights to belief (faith) and to salvation. Quotations for the analysis have been taken from Szuman’s published works, written before, during or after World War II. The author also presents the influence of Szuman’s ideas on Karol Wojtyła (1920–2005), who was a participant in his 1949 university seminar on philosophical anthropology (i.e.: “characterology,” or personalism) at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. 4. Limitations of the analysis. This article encourages further discussion of the place of belief (faith) in the Humanities, albeit the discussion is limited to the ideas of Stefan Szuman. 5. Practical implications. The results of the analysis may be used as a rational argument for the greater presence of belief (faith) in the Humanities. 6. Social implications. The results of the analysis are of value to teachers. 7. The originality of the article (new value, novelty). The paper is the first to present a primary source and example-based discussion of Stefan Szuman’s ideas regarding belief and openness to God.

1. The goal of this article is to present the openness to belief in Stefan Szuman’s thinking. 2. Methodology. The author uses the historiographical method. 3. The main results of the analysis. The author discusses the following philosophical (metaphysical and ethical) and pedagogical (educational) issues: the virtue of belief (the virtue of faith) and the  non-virtue of atheism (the un-virtue of atheism), and Szuman’s arguments concerning, among other things, the relation between man and God, the relation between belief (faith) and reason, and the relations of human rights to belief (faith) and to salvation. Quotations for the analysis have been taken from Szuman’s published works, written before, during or after World War II. The author also presents the influence of Szuman’s ideas on Karol Wojtyła (1920–2005), who was a participant in his 1949 university seminar on philosophical anthropology (i.e.: “characterology,” or personalism) at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. 4. Limitations of the analysis. This article encourages further discussion of the place of belief (faith) in the Humanities, albeit the discussion is limited to the ideas of Stefan Szuman. 5. Practical implications. The results of the analysis may be used as a rational argument for the greater presence of belief (faith) in the Humanities. 6. Social implications. The results of the analysis are of value to teachers. 7. The originality of the article (new value, novelty). The paper is the first to present a primary source and example-based discussion of Stefan Szuman’s ideas regarding belief and openness to God.