On October 27, 2024, the Second Session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops1 concluded the Church’s official exploration of synodality. For the first time, lay and religious women and men joined the episcopacy as official and voting members of the meetings. Begun in 2021, the synod process included reflections by members of the church community from parishes, religious congregations, ad hoc ecclesial groups, diocesan gatherings, continental assemblies and culminated in two worldwide sessions. Never has the Roman Church or any other body involved such a broad consultation of its members.
The synod process, which began as a worldwide consultation process, touched deeply into the experience of church members. Some of the laity reported that this was the first time anyone had asked for their input on ecclesial issues. As such, the synod raised expectations that this inclusive process could be the way forward for the church.
Conclusions:
The first and most far-reaching conclusion was that synodality is a constitutive element of the church in mission. “It is essential to how the church understands itself.” It means that from this point forward, the church must be more participative on every level; that there is a need for greater accountability, transparency, and evaluation of individuals and structures; that conversion of relationships, processes and bonds is essential.
Picking up themes from the Second Vatican Council, the synod stressed the baptismal roots of all in the life and mission of the church. It reiterated that local churches (read: diocesan churches) are fully church, and that it is in the communion of local churches that the one, universal Church of Christ is made. The synod reaffirmed the authority of bishops, bishops’ conferences and the papal office as inalienable, but noted it was not without limits. The whole baptized community has a sensus fidei or a sense of the faith, and “[t]hose with pastoral authority are obliged to listen to those who participate in the consultation and may not act as if the consultation had not taken place” (Final Document #91). Structures and processes at the institutional level must be inclusive, especially of those at the margins of church and society.
The synod participants stressed that the church is always lived at the local level. The particularity, the diversity, the richness in culture, history and context of local churches are a sign of the catholicity of the church. Plurality is not an absolute obstacle to unity so long as this does not mean differences in doctrine, discipline, and communion.
The synod addressed the worldwide issue of the lack of full participation of women in the life of the church. It noted that there are no obstacles that prohibit the participation of women in church leadership, but that all opportunities were not being taken advantage of. The issue of clericalism (the attitude of privilege, status, and superiority of clergy) was acknowledged for the first time at a worldwide level. Conversion of these attitudes and formation programs for clergy that promoted a more relational model of ordained ministry were recognized as essential.
Issues needing further development:
Some hoped that issues such as the ordination of women deacons, married clergy, LGBTQ+ concerns, and polygamy would be addressed and resolved. Others fear that the diversity of opinion on these issues would divide the church; accordingly, these and other issues were sent for further development to the 10 study groups that will continue their work until July 2025.
The recognition of the plurality of local churches is a relatively new insight, but the implications of that plurality on doctrine and discipline remain problematic. Can the churches of Central Africa have a different approach to polygamous marriage than the churches in Europe? Can the churches of the Amazon have married deacons or ordain women deacons while others do not? The issue of the inculturation of the liturgy or its adaptation to local cultures was also relegated to a study group for further development.
The Final Document, which was accepted by Pope Francis as part of the ordinary magisterium, notes that “without concrete changes in the short term, the vision of a synodal church will not be credible.” Affirming this position, Pope Francis said in the final Mass of the synod, “Now it is time for the church to ‘get its hands dirty’ and carry the joy of the Gospel through the streets of the world.”
1 An Episcopal Synod is a formal gathering of bishops to address issues of concern to the church.
