The present volume aims at a clarification and a discussion of the church in the 16th century: What did the reformers think about the essence and origin of the holy, apostolic and Catholic church? What was seen as the aim of it, its task and mission? Can human beings see the true church or not? Does it have one existence in this world and another in the world to come? Furthermore, the concept of church is indissolubly connected to the theological concepts of sin, faith, justification, sanctification, and salvation, and the study of the church also involves reflection upon the nature and scope of the sacraments, the role of the clergy, the aim of church-buildings, the significance of church properties and upon the constituent parts of the mass/church service. Finally, and not least, it is important to investigate the role of the church in the societies of the 16th century, such as the impact of the ruling powers upon them, their significance for education and social cohesion, and the cultural significance of migrating believers, on the run within and beyond the borders of Europe. Together with theological, philosophical and art-historical questions, these issues are considered in order to create a much fuller picture of the church at the time of the Reformation.

The book presents many aspects of the phenomenon of translation and commentary work of the Bible in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th and 17th centuries. It contains studies of eminent scholars as well as of some young adepts, coming mainly from Poland, but also from Lithuania and Czech Republic. The texts present various aspects of the researches conducted on this phenomenon nowadays. As it was an exceptional movement, extremely varied and long-time lasting, it would be difficult to offer its complete synthesis in one volume. Though, the exhaustive presentation of the historical and linguistic contexts allows the reader to understand the phenomenon. Intensified interest in translations of the Bible is closely connected with the interest in the Polish language, its literary expression as well as its grammatical and orthographic standardisation that occurred just in the same time. The intellectual activity related to the Bible contributed simultaneously to the development of the Polish literary language and even inspired the translations of the sacred texts of other religions present in the country. Moreover, contacts between different languages of Central and Eastern European area, where many attempts of new translations appeared, are very important. A quick rise of the different Reformation movements contributed to a »natural« need for new translations and commentaries to be used by community members. These new currents, first easily accepted and spread in the country, even when suppressed, could not stop this activity, and later new Catholic translations and commentaries of the post-Trident period, both in Polish and Lithuanian, proved it. Big part of study is also dedicated to particular typographical realizations of this activity and an interesting example of the musical expression directly inspired by the biblical translation, is also provided.