One of the most important challenges of the pontificate of Pope Francis is the confrontation with new religious movements, the increasing number of which takes the form of “new Reformation”. A pentecostal movement in which the issue of “prosperity theology” (also known as the “prosperity Gospel”) is an important theological problem, has gained many followers within various Christian denominations. Proponents of the trend which dates back to the turn of the century claim that health and wealth on earth are guaranteed by professing faith in God and praying to Him. The purpose of the article is to explain the essence of this phenomenon and its historical genesis, and to outline its geographical scope. The subsequent section presents a critical assessment of “prosperity theology” in the teaching of Pope Francis. The final stage of the reflection outlines the most important ethical challenges arising from the spread of this “false Gospel”. On the positive side, it is advisable to appreciate the value of the Holy Scriptures. Negative aspects of “prosperity theology”, however, include the false vision of God and man, the revival of the ancient heresies of gnosticism and pelagianism, or incorrect theological interpretation of health, illness and death.

Stefan Żeromski and Florian Znaniecki, perceived by many of their contemporaries as undisputed moral authorities, warned in the fi rst period of the existence of the Second Polish Republic against the danger of infl uence of Bolshevik ideology. They undertook issues of fundamental importance for the understanding of mutual relations and conditions between the socio-economic world, art, material prosperity, revolution and progress in the period after the First World War (1914–1918), when the power of the Bolsheviks had strengthened in Russia, and the Poles formed the foundations independent homeland. This text is an attempt to approximate the position of Żeromski and Znaniecki in this matter.

This article is devoted to the subject of age and the elderly in the Middle Ages, and the manner of viewing elderly people in those times. The author uses Jan Długosz’s Annals, books 9–12, as his basic source. His analysis concentrates on the following questions: Whom did the Polish historian consider worthy of remembrance in his Annals? How did he describe those figures? What words did he use to describe the phenomenon of age or aging? The author analyses the Latin terms used to describe specific older persons, and also presents the perceptions of older women, older men, and elderly people as a group. An attempt is made to answer the question of whether old age was a period of well-being and prosperity in medieval times.