Thomas Reese SJ believes that the Family Synod will fail to reach consensus on major issues currently in debate – but will help change the church nevertheless.
“The synod on the family has created a lot of interest in the church and spilled a lot of ink (or electrons) in the media, but there are five reasons that it was doomed to fail before the bishops even gathered in Rome Oct. 4. Perhaps Pope Francis can perform a miracle and save it, but the odds are against him.
“First, the topic of the synod, “the family,” is too broad…
“Second, the membership of the synod makes dealing with the topic of the family difficult…
“The third problem facing the synod is the synodal process itself…
“The fourth reason the synod is doomed to failure is that it is seriously divided on the question of what can and cannot change…
“The fifth reason the synod is doomed is the absence of theologians at the synod.”
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