One, all, a few. Synodal dynamics and Christian unity
DESTIVELLE HYACINTHE, preface to metropolitan Job Getcha
Cerf, 296 p., 29 €
“The path of synodality is the path that God expects from the Church to the third millennium”, said Pope Francis in his speech for the 50e anniversary of the institution of the bishops synod. He is also convinced that the unity of churches will be done by the same path. It is this link between synodality and ecumenism that Explore Hyacinthe DESTIVELLE, Dominican, official of the dicastery for the promotion of Christian unity and appointed theologian expert in the two sessions of the recent synod on synodality (2023-2024).
Synodality, underlines the theologian long engaged in dialogue with orthodoxy, is not only a question of structures and institutional and decision -making processes, but it is “A Modus Vivendi and Operandi from the whole Church”, which dynamically articulates the three ecclesial dimensions of the community (all), college (some) and personal (primacy).
The ecumenical movement, a “synodality laboratory”
This triptych stems from the fundamental structure of the Church as evidenced by the Gospels: “She travels the whole New Testament: Jesus chooses the twelve (some) then the seventy (some) among his disciples (all) and, among the twelve, he distinguishes Pierre (only one). (…) This articulation also structures the liturgy, in particular the Eucharist where, “under the presidency of a single one and thanks to the ministry of some, all can participate in the double meal of speech and bread” “, notes the Dominican, citing elements of the summary report of the first session of the synod on synodality. The challenge of synodality is therefore a major ecclesiological issue, for all churches in the path they have to make towards full communion.
Over the chapters, DESTIVE Hyacinthe illustrates how a synodality better experienced inside the Catholic Church “Expresses himself and strengthens in his dialogue with other Christians” which she can learn a lot, especially from orthodoxy. As she can also receive “Synodality laboratory” What is ecumenical movement.
The theologian also shows how much, to renovate internally, the Catholic Church can not do other than dialogue with other Christians. And without waiting for full communion, the faithful of different traditions can already experience a certain synodality, praying, speaking, discerning and acting together, on the basis of a communion that they already have since it is rooted in Christ, even if it is still “Imperfect”. A stimulating book to relaunch the commitment to the unity of Christians.
(tagstotranslate) Religion and spirituality (T) Book Critical (T) Ecumenism (T) Synodality (T) Dynamic (T) Christians (T) Religion