A Synodal Church in Multi-Cultural, Multi-Religious Societies

Abstract

Premised on the fact that cultural and religious pluralism is a fact of life in most societies, the present article discusses what this means for the Synodal Church. It does this by exploring how the Church ministers to its members, especially those in interfaith marriages and also Christians embracing multiple religious practices. It also examines how the Church promotes interfaith learning in theological education, how Catholic schools attend to staff and students who are not Christians, and how the Church addresses the challenges of people moving across cultures and religions. Its thesis is that a Synodal Church has to be supportive of peoples crossing boundaries, encouraging them to live in harmony with those whose beliefs and practices may differ from that of the Catholic Church.