THEME: THE PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF SYNODALITY FOR WORLD CHRISTIANITY
The Synod on Synodality which started October 9-10, 2021 describes itself as “a process of listening, encountering, dialoguing and discerning.” It is designed to rejuvenate, renew, deepen communion, include all people of God, enhance mission, promote evangelization, practicalize ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, eliminate clericalism, bring about a more inclusive church where women and the marginalized are integrated in decision making and also foster cordial relationship of Churches across continents. The prospects of synodality as the new way of being church is unlimited. At the same time it is fraught with challenges emanating from the inner life of the church bordering on the scope of synodality, its relation to the teaching of the church and the exercise of ecclesial powers in both the universal and local churches. There are also fears about the influence of post-modernity, secularism, variety of contexts, ideologies: political, social, economic, etc. and the overall aim of the synod on synodality. This has polarized and divided attitudes towards the synod.

We invite papers on the three major questions of the Synod.
A. which intuitions resonate most strongly with the lived experiences and realities of the Church in your continent? Which experiences are new, or illuminating to you?” 

B.  what substantial tensions or divergences emerge as particularly important in your continent’s perspective?

C.  what are the priorities, recurring themes and calls to action that can be shared with other local Churches around the world and discussed during the First Session of the Synodal Assembly in October 2023?

And other related topics on synodality including but not limited to:
a.  Canonicity, Theology and Contextuality

b.  Synodal Spirituality

c.  Interculturality and Inculturation

d.  Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue

e.  Relations Between Universal and Local Church

f.  Women In Synodal Church

g.  Priestly Formation and Clericalism

h.  Liturgy, Pre-Conciliar Mass, Conflicts and Resolution

i.  Synodality And Doctrinal Development

j.  Human Sexuality, Inclusivity, Marriage and Sacraments

k.  Evangelization And Collegiality

l.  Tradition, Renewal and Conversion

m.  Relation Between the Western and the Majority World Churches

Please submit abstracts via the registration form below, maximum 300 words (1500 characters). 

Deadline for submission is May 31, 2023

This conference will be live streamed.