This year’s session of the Synod on Synodality has introduced a lesser-known change: formal study sessions. These sessions aimed to provide deeper theological grounding and exploration of key topics that were up for discussion at the synod. Known as “theological-pastoral forums,” these sessions allowed members to choose between two concurrent two-hour meetings held on consecutive Wednesdays in the early evening, after a long day of discussions in the synod hall. They were also open to the public and posted to the Vatican’s website.
The forums were titled:
- “The People of God: Protagonist of the Mission”
- “The Role and Authority of the Bishop in a Synodal Church”
- “The Exercise of the Primacy and the Synod of Bishops”
- “Mutual Relationship Local-Universal Church”
The forums gave a formal platform for participants to deepen their understanding of longstanding church debates and connect theology with pastoral practice. They also allowed theologians to share some of the latest academic thinking. One organizer said this was meant to benefit bishops and priests whose seminary education was long ago and who may not have engaged with much theology since then. (Bishops still make up more than three-quarters of the synod membership.)
These study sessions were also intended to offer a venue for theological conversation for lay synod members who may never have had any formal theological training. The initiative sought to foster dialogue between theologians and synod members—an interaction thought by some to be neglected at last year’s first session. But given the events were open to the public, it suggests that they also intended to speak beyond those gathered in the synod hall.
I attended the first session, and despite my decade of philosophical and theological training, I left feeling more confused than informed, and defeated rather than encouraged about the synodal process. Part of this was likely due to my difficulty in understanding the different languages spoken by the presenters. In the forum I attended, “The Role and Authority of the Bishop in a Synodal Church,” there were no presentations in English, and the simultaneous translation was challenging to follow. At one point, I looked down at my notes and had scribbled down words like, “the process of the previous priestization” and “heterogenesis.”
I found myself transported back to my days studying academic theology, struggling to stay awake and engaged while a lecturer spoke at me for 90 minutes, using profoundly foreign vocabulary that made me question what I was doing with my life.
I found myself asking: Who, after all, is the synod for? We speak of a synod that is more inclusive, participatory, transparent and accountable, calling for shared responsibility among the people of God. Yet, how can we achieve this if the language of the synod remains impenetrable, accessible only to a select few?
As a teenager, and sometimes still today, I was criticized for using “big words” that nobody could understand. I took pride in this, viewing it as a testament to my love of English (and Portuguese) and my desire to use turns of phrase that were less common and more surprising to the ear. It got so bad that my mum would tell me she loved her birthday card and the beautiful words I’d written, even if they were too “expensive” for her to understand.
However, the truth is that my penchant tendency to use sophisticated vocabulary stemmed from deep personal insecurity. I often felt less intelligent than my peers, so I believed that if I spoke in ways they didn’t understand, they wouldn’t question the flaws or uncertainties in my thinking. I thought that if I spoke convincingly and eloquently enough, they would be impressed and start taking me more seriously.
While I had a gift for gab and seemed to easily out-talk others, my skills often emerged not just in debates but also as a way to silence those who were unkind and to impress those I felt I needed to win over. Unfortunately, this approach seldom succeeded in winning anyone over, silencing bullies or garnering sympathy for my needs. Instead of fostering understanding, it often created distance, leaving others feeling alienated rather than engaged and intrigued by my intelligent command of the language.
This struggle resonates with my experience of insider language in the church and how it can be wielded—particularly among the hierarchy and theologically trained—to exclude others. Even if it is not intentional on the part of bishops and theologians participating in these sessions, the effect of exclusion can still be the same. Just as I grappled with using language to shield my insecurities, the jargon and specialized terminology can create barriers for those seeking to participate, leaving them feeling like outsiders. This insider language can alienate individuals seeking meaningful interaction, making it harder to foster an inclusive community and achieve the deep unity we desire for our church.
It seems as though some of the synod delegates are aware of this tension. At a press conference on Oct. 16, Tom Reese, S.J. asked “Is there a danger here that [the final document is] going to be so general and high level that, frankly, it's going to be boring for the normal people in the pews? Is this document going to be able to be read by normal people in the pews, or is it simply for the educated elites in the theological community?”
Father Reese is a longtime journalist and the former editor in chief of America. He knows the importance of communicating complex or dense theological concepts in terms that make sense to readers. Most of us don't understand Karl Rahner or Elizabeth Anscombe, after all, without their language and thinking being parsed for the regular reader.
Paolo Ruffini, the head of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication, responded: “Several interventions pointed to the importance of the fact that a document has to be drafted in a language that is understandable to the people of God. Of course, the document is addressed to the pope, but if it's made public, as it's always been the case, it must be understandable to the people of God.”
The work of theologians is essential for the church. Indeed, as Pope Francis told the International Theological Commission in 2019, “You are mediators between faith and cultures, and in this way you take part in the essential mission of the Church: evangelization. You have a mission to generate the Gospel: you are called to bring the Gospel to light.”
Their work ensures that the church’s teachings remain relevant and grounded in sound theology. Their expertise bridges the gap between ancient doctrines and contemporary issues, fostering a deeper understanding of faith and informing our pastoral practice in today’s world.
Yet, Pope Francis also told theologians in 2023, “it is essential that you theologians do this in tune with the People of God.” I pray that the experience behind closed doors and around the tables in the synod hall is intelligible and inviting for those lacking theological knowledge.
Or, if some insider language is needed during discussions between bishops and theologians, I hope the final document will be simple and clear enough for my mom and me to understand.
