Abstract: | Trust, sociologically speaking, is a foundation of social order. Not only does it function
to designate moral standards with reference to social relationships taking place between
individuals, groupings and institutions, but it also organizes diversified constellations of
interactions which relate particular actors to social groups or institutions. When defined
as an ethical category originating from the shared, community-wide acceptance of values,
trust is endowed with quantifiable consequences for the quality of social life. This article
comprises a brief presentation and subsequent sociological interpretation aiming to deliver
the results of the sociological survey research that are exclusively focused upon trust-related
considerations observed with reference to selected institutions, as well as chosen representatives
of ecclesiastical and secular spheres of social life. By way of conclusion, the paper postulates that social trust constitutes a moral dilemma which refers not only to the
functioning of public authorities and the applied standards of governance. Likewise, it is
also indicative of the Roman Catholic Church. Furthermore, it is argued that the significance
of trust cannot be downplayed either by political or ecclesiastical authorities. Nevertheless,
one is in a position to observe a significant difference between the two great social structures
encompassing the Polish society. This discrepancy is discernible especially when the
deficits of social trust are being measured. Poles, in the main, are willing to vest trust in
the Church. Yet, at the same time, the respondents remain distanced with regard to public
authorities, institutions, organizations, and individuals who fulfill the social role of leaders. |