Synodality: Call for A Participatory Church ‘Journeying Together’

Abstract

This paper aims at presenting synodality as a call for a participatory church journeying together and pointing some concerns for theological ethics. This is undertaken in six steps: (i) Clarifying the terms ‘synodality,’ ‘participatory church,’ ‘journeying together’; (ii) Bringing to light the biblical foundations of synodality; (iii) Discussing the development of synodality in history; (iv) Establishing the theology of synodality; (v) Reviewing the present discussion on synodality; and (vi) Meeting synodality and theological ethics at the crossroads. From being an external event, synodality has to take root within each member of the Church as an attitude—an attitude of sharing, speaking out courageously, humility to listen, dialogue leading to newness, openness to conversion and change, leaving the prejudices and stereotypes behind.