Theologian: Church reality far removed from synodal community

Theologian Antonio Autiero has drawn a sobering conclusion to the Synod on Synodality that ended in the Vatican on Sunday. During the consultations, he realised "that the reality of the Church is far removed from the image of a synodal community", Autiero said on Monday when asked by katholisch.de. The path to practising synodality in the Church is long, complex and difficult, according to the emeritus moral theologian from Münster. Autiero took part in the four-week second session of the Synod on Synodality as a theological advisor.

After the end of the synod, there were no "concrete fruits" of the consultations, the theologian continued. However, the church assembly had offered the opportunity to recognise the problems of the church in the various regional contexts worldwide and to see the differences not as a problem but as a resource. "But in my opinion, an overemphasis on the necessary 'unity' of the church, which tends to be understood as uniformity, is an obstacle to valuing the differences positively."

Rigid hierarchy in the church is the real problem

According to the theologian, many participants at the synod probably went home disappointed due to the lack of concrete resolutions. "But you can also see things from a different perspective: namely, go home and start afresh locally." The revaluation of the local churches was an important point of discussion at the Synod on Synodality. "This perspective, which stems from the Second Vatican Council, should inspire new church practice locally, generate new energies and create new structures." If this succeeds, it would be a concrete result of the synod.

"Of course, this requires courage and determination on the part of the local church as a whole community, including the leadership - especially the bishop," said Autiero. "The rigid hierarchical structure of the Church is the real problem." This structure could lead to clericalism, to the subordination of the people of God and especially of women in the Church. The 76-year-old Autiero comes from Naples and was ordained a priest in 1972. From 1991 to 2013, he was Professor of Moral Theology at the University of Münster. (rom)