Abstract

The text is a report on the National Scientific Conference entitled "The Church as an Initiator of Social and Cultural Transformations in Silesia Throughout the Centuries," which took place on June 16, 2026, in Opole. The main objective of the event was an interdisciplinary reflection on the multifaceted role of the Catholic Church in shaping the cultural, social, economic, and political identity of Silesia from the Middle Ages to contemporary times. Within the conference structure, which included an inaugural lecture, a plenary session, and a student-doctoral session, 12 papers were presented. The speakers represented diverse methodological approaches, including historical-factographical analysis, archival research, biographical perspectives, pedagogical analysis, as well as historical-sociological and theological studies. The presented research demonstrated the significant impact of ecclesiastical institutions on the civilizational development of the region. The topics discussed included medieval agrarian innovations and the economic background of religious orders, the humanitarian involvement of the clergy during the Silesian Uprisings, the role of religious rituals in the integration of the post-war community of Opole, the educational contribution of the Jesuits, and the specifics of migration and settlement of female religious orders and Greek Catholic communities after 1945. Phenomenological aspects of folk art and the evolution of the liturgy were also recognized. The conference confirmed that the religious factor was a key element determining historical transformations in Silesia. The event integrated the scientific communities of the Opole region and indicated new, interdisciplinary research paths within the study of the identity of this multicultural borderland region.