Polarization but Not Pillarization Catholicism and Cultural Change in Post-Transformation Poland

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I liked the article, the introductions needs to talk about the structure of the paper, how the paper will proceed and with a few sentence, the methodology of the paper.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

I have a few questions and comments. The article has some inconsistencies that need to be corrected.
1) The title should definitely not be written in capital letters. In Netiquette, capital letters = shouting.
2) The first sentences give the impression that the author accidentally removed the initial paragraphs that put the beginning of the article in context. The question of the influence of Marxism on the shape of Polish science should be explained in more detail - although formally, more than 30 years have passed since the fall of communism. It should be clarified: What is the mechanism that causes that Polish science infected with the virus of Marxism has not free itself from it so far? Why, when explaining the situation in Poland, do we still have to refer to the mechanisms of several decades ago? A reader from outside of Poland does not have to understand this. It should be brought closer to him. In general, the introduction is very chaotic. Communism, Polish messianism... mixing up epochs and themes. What is this supposed to serve?
3) The expression "famous Rerum Novarum" is exalted, more suitable for a journalistic article than a scientific one (line 48).
4. the paragraph (lines 54-64) is in a smaller font than the rest of the article.
5. if we refer to various ideas of the influence of Catholicism on Polish society, we cannot omit the slogan "Pole-Catholic" by Roman Dmowski and its implications for the perception of the role of Catholicism in Polish society. In this context, the opinions in lines 203-204 sound strange. Catholicism as a criterion of national identity - we already know this from history. Already at the beginning of the twentieth century Rev. Ignacy Kłopotowski published a journal in Lublin and Warsaw with the title "Polak-Katolik" ("Pole-Catholic "). In the Russian partition, Catholicism was one of the essential criteria of Polishness. 
6. line 117: during communism, there was a Czechoslovakia state, not the Czech Republic, which later split into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Anyway, in these two countries, we see a completely different role and importance of Catholicism in society. Nevertheless, this thread is incomprehensible without (even a very brief) reference to the role that Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski and Cardinal Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II) played for Polish Catholicism.
7. line 143: in November 2020, the Pope established the third Eparchy of the Greek Catholic Church in Poland https://www.vaticannews.va/pl/kosciol/news/2020-11/nowa-eparchia-greckokatolicka-w-polsce-i-jej-nowy-biskup.html 
8. lines 166-182 The Concordat between the Republic of Poland and the Holy See should be mentioned.
9. line 405 - One should mention the protests of the supporters of abortion against the Constitutional Court ruling (2020).
10. the author ignores the fact that Catholicism in Poland is a heterogeneous reality. It shows a fundamental division into liberal and conservative trends, reflected in the statement about the "Church of Torun" and "Church of Lagiewniki. 
In conclusion, the article has great potential and attempts to interpret Catholicism in Poland and its position in society. However, the author does it very chaotically. It is more like a popular science essay than a typical social science article.  The author cites various statistical data, but I do not think he uses the full potential of his text. Discussion should be rethought and definitely deepened.

Author Response

The author thanks to the reviewer's comments and highlighted the changes in the article. Please see the attachment. The author also invite the native speaker to modify English, too.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

I thank the authors for the changes made, but I am disappointed in both the level and scope of the revisions. Indeed, the following points of the review were not realized:

5. if we refer to various ideas of the influence of Catholicism on Polish society, we cannot omit the slogan "Pole-Catholic" by Roman Dmowski and its implications for the perception of the role of Catholicism in Polish society. In this context, the opinions in lines 203-204 sound strange. Catholicism as a criterion of national identity - we already know this from history. Already at the beginning of the twentieth century Rev. Ignacy Kłopotowski published a journal in Lublin and Warsaw with the title "Polak-Katolik" ("Pole-Catholic "). In the Russian partition, Catholicism was one of the essential criteria of Polishness. 
6. line 117: during communism, there was a Czechoslovakia state, not the Czech Republic, which later split into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Anyway, in these two countries, we see a completely different role and importance of Catholicism in society. Nevertheless, this thread is incomprehensible without (even a very brief) reference to the role that Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski and Cardinal Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II) played for Polish Catholicism.

10. (...) Discussion should be rethought and definitely deepened.

I still find the article chaotic and its potential unfulfilled. The authors did not take the trouble to better explain the nuances of Polish reality to the foreign reader. Some changes are merely cosmetic, others (5,6) were ignored altogether.

 

 

Author Response

Thank you for your comments. Now I think included all your suggestions or even more. I've made not only substantial imputs but also restructured some parts and added new bibliography. I have highlighted new parts in green-yellow. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf