…you are gay or you have an abortion. At least that's what a star preacher who is touring Poland thinks.
Thousands of evangelicals applaud at the Tauron Arena in Krakow Photo: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhotos/Picture Alliance
“Great things are coming in Poland,” beams a Polish student. “The country is hungry to feel God again.” The evening on April 13 in Krakow will show how popular the evangelical movement is in Poland, especially among young people. “Bóg Cię Kocha”, God loves you, is written in large letters on the Tauron Arena, the largest event hall in the city. Franklin Graham, son of the world-famous evangelical preacher Billy Graham, continues his international “God Loves You” tour here and invites you to a free evening full of promises of salvation. More than 13,000 visitors arrive. Where did this avalanche come from in John Paul II's country, the still safe haven of Catholicism?
Not all visitors actively participate in free churches; some are Catholics who have heard of “that American pastor.” But many sympathize with evangelicalism or have already been baptized in the free church. “Evangelical” is not a denomination-specific term, emphasizes Thorsten Dietz, a theology professor in Marburg who specializes in research on evangelicalism. “Classically, evangelicalism includes four characteristics of Protestant communities: conversion, the strong position of the Bible as an infallible foundation, the belief in Christ as Savior, and the activist and missionary aspect that seeks to convert dissidents and change society.”
In conversations with young Poles who make pilgrimages to the hall, it is repeatedly said that they were raised as Catholics and that from a certain point onwards they could not experience a deep faith or a feeling of belonging to this church. They converted and were even baptized in the free church. The parents are happy that their children have recovered their faith with such intensity; after all, they believe in the same God.
Join forces with Catholics
In Poland, as in the United States, there is a cultural war between left and right, making the country an attractive growth market for the evangelical movement, Dietz says. For this reason, he considers the decision to choose Poland as the headquarters “very strategic.” For this, solidarity between evangelicals and Catholics against the common enemy, the progressive liberal society that includes women's rights and marriage for all, is an extremely beneficial factor. Thanks to its more flexible and open format, evangelicalism can take advantage of these polarizing movements much more quickly than traditional churches.
According to Dietz, Poland is a great future market for strategically savvy evangelicals. And it is precisely this culture shock that Graham represents tonight, as soon as he takes the stage. Before, however, the room will be warmed up for almost two hours with Christian music performed, among others, by Taya Gaukrodger, formerly a successful singer in the controversial Hillsong Church, and Michael W. Smith, one of the most famous. Christian singers in the United States (and in 1992 by People voted among the 50 most beautiful people in the world). Deafeningly loud and with lyrics about guilt and redemption, it quickly creates a musical ecstasy typical of evangelicalism.
Between events, promotional videos from the humanitarian organization Samaritan's Purse are shown, whose president and CEO is Franklin Graham since 1979 and which also organizes the well-known fundraising campaign “Christmas in a shoebox” in Germany. The videos focus on portraying Samaritan's Purse helpers in action for Ukraine, distributing food on the front lines in the dead of winter and comforting children traumatized by war. There are quite a few Ukrainians in the audience. “The distancing of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church and the associated uncertainty among many Orthodox believers is currently making Ukraine a major missionary destination for some evangelicals,” explains Dietz.
Franklin Graham during his speech in Krakow Photo: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhotos/Picture Alliance
The audience, already excited and singing with a hoarse voice, awaits the appearance of the big star, who takes the stage after almost two hours' notice. Graham deftly introduces his half-hour message, translated sentence by sentence into Polish: His father, Billy Graham, whom Dietz describes as “as internationally influential as two or three popes at a time,” was a close friend of John Paul II. The crowd applauds.
Culture War Narrative
After Jesus' parable about the two sons, which Graham comments on with the clever words “The story takes place on a farm similar to the one in Poland!”, he comes to the classic culture war narrative: he thanks Poland for defending biblical values in an EU that wants to force the country to move away from them. Then he quickly moves on to sex: “God wants us to have sex,” Graham says. This must be followed by a “but”: “Of course, only between a man and a woman in a marriage. “Two men or two women, that is a sin.” So far the loudest applause is heard.
The second major issue in current evangelicalism follows immediately: abortion. “Murder,” Graham shouts. “There are definitely women here tonight who have had abortions. You are murderers!” This strong political position against the recognition of queer people and the anti-feminist fight against equal rights for women is a relatively new development in evangelicalism in the last forty years, Dietz says.
Her “sexual guilt” is repeatedly presented to Halle
In the 1950s and 1970s, evangelicalism seemed “clear on the issue, but more flexible in tone.” The recovery of an old aggressive tone and open solidarity with the Christian political right (Franklin Graham has repeatedly called to pray for Donald Trump in the past) can be observed again, especially since the 1980s.
Her “sexual guilt” is repeatedly presented to Halle. Each of them is evil anyway because of original sin. “A very negative view of humanity continues to play a central role in evangelicalism, unlike traditional churches,” Dietz says. For the feelings of guilt and shame that are evoked, Graham offers a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”: the invitation to come to the front of the stage and pray with him for salvation through Jesus Christ. Then the collective euphoria peaked: God hit the “delete button,” the preacher promises.
After this ritual of forgiveness, Graham leaves the stage, but no one should just go home. The name, age and address of everyone present, as well as the reason for their attendance, are carefully noted. “Seeking salvation” is one, “religious struggles” is another. Why data logging? “Their organization is also a media empire,” explains Dietz. Tailor-made offers would then be made to visitors: based on their needs, answers to existential questions, offers of help, invitations to community meetings or recommendations of other evangelical formats such as the successful series “The Chosen Ones.”
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association In contrast, what drives evangelicalism is the deep conviction that there is no more important task in life for believers than the conversion of unbelievers who still live in sin.
After the event, faces are radiant. Only one person can be seen, who remained completely impassive throughout the event. In the last row, an old woman snores to herself, having entered the hall with shopping carts and resting from the heat outside in the coolness of the building. So Graham can't charm everyone.