In his 2023 article, “Synodality and the Francis Pontificate: A Fresh Reception of Vatican II,” the late Catholic ecclesiologist Richard R. Gaillardetz notes that the great gift that Pope Francis has given to the Church is a fresh and coherent reception of the Second Vatican Council, and at “the heart of that reception, serving as its unifying center, is the theme of synodality.” As we reflect on the period between the opening of the Catholic synod on synodality in October 2021 and its projected close in October 2024, this session will explore the extent to which Gaillardetz’ claim is accurately reflected in the life of the global church. How does synodality advance the conciliar teachings? Does synodality go beyond the Council? What may be the limitations of synodality in light of the Council? Does synodality successfully achieve what Gaillardetz called a 'noncompetitive theology of church' inaugurated by the council?
The document proposes an outline for a synodal theology of the laity considering the historical-theological journey of the laity in Latin America after Vatican II and the current synodal process. The document is divided into three sections. The first explores the historical-theological balance of the role of the laity. The second section analyzes the experience of the synodal process up to the Continental Stage of the Synod. The third section proposes an outline of a synodal theology of the laity considering the two previous sections. In this way, the document will shed light on the following questions: how could the laity face the current threats to common life in the continent (criminality, inequality, etc.) from a renewed perspective of commitment to the world? How could the laity show/be an image of the Church as a community of hope and an icon of the coming Kingdom in Latin America?
The paper examines how Pope Francis uses synodality to promote the reception of Vatican II while considering the challenges posed by globalization and cultural diversity, especially but not exclusively at the European continental level. This is especially relevant because the 2023 Instrumentum Laboris focuses on the Church’s engagement with Western and other cultures while trying to avoid (neo)colonial tendencies. This inspires two approaches: the first path emphasizes cultural interactions within synodal processes, while the other scrutinizes the particularity and tensions of cultural identities. Following this second line, the paper critiques the continental dimension of synodal processes, warning against the essentialization of cultural narratives. By exploring tensions within European culture and drawing parallels with (past) synodal experiences, I aim to unravel ecclesiological implications. Finally, I conclude by proposing lessons learned from the European continental phase to improve future synodal efforts, mindful of the hope, tensions, and hurt generated by it.
My paper critically evaluates many of the volumes on Synodality coming out of Europe and North America. I use as test-case for European thinking on Synodality, the articles that appear in the Gregorianum and Louvain Studies. I use as test-case for North American thinking on Synodality, the writings on the subject by the US theologians Gaillardetz. Bradford Hinze, and Massimo Faggioli. All three thinkers speak glowingly of the synodal vision of Pope Francis, which they also uphold as transformative of Christian ecclesial life. But they also recognize some limitations. Thus, while my essay acknowledges the ferment in Synodality-discourse as presently constituted, it also uses postcolonial optic to question whether the supreme power of the Church—legislative, administrative, judicial, and supervisory—resides only in the west. My conclusion is that for the Church to achieve a “noncompetitive theology of church,” that quest must begin with and be rooted in ecclesiastical decolonization.