In 1986, when the Lebanese Civil War had not yet come to an end, the late Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir called for changing hearts before texts. Today, in a troubled and unstable East, the Lebanese University of Wisdom seeks to transfer synodal thought from books to the minds of believers through a theological and pastoral formation titled "For a Synodal Church."
The formation is organized in collaboration with the New Evangelization Institute at the University of Sofia in Italy and the General Secretariat of the Synod in the Vatican. The sessions are held every Monday starting this evening, including 23 weekly meetings.
What distinguishes the sessions is that they are available for the first time in Arabic and holding them virtually will also allow non-Lebanese to participate. Indeed, the number of registrants has exceeded 400 Christians, including laypeople, consecrated individuals, and priests from various Arab countries and the diaspora. And these will not just be listeners to the lectures but active participants, as half of the meeting time is allocated for discussions and participation.
The Dean of the Faculty of Religious Sciences and Theology at the University of Wisdom, Father Tanios Khalil, explained through the Voice of Love that the idea stemmed from the recent documents issued by the Apostolic See of Rome, which recommended reintroducing the spirit of synodality into the circle of attention.
He emphasized that the goal of this initiative is to enter the synodal logic and attempt to build a synodal thought on solid and sound foundations, and that the approach to the matter should not be superficial or temporary. Khalil emphasized the necessity of possessing a faith-based culture in order to have a clear vision and a deeper Christian commitment so that we can walk with others and thus live a better life.
The formation includes three axes: "Paths opened by the General Assembly of the Sixteenth Synod"; "New practices in a synodal and missionary church"; and "The sacraments of Christian initiation and the transmission of faith in a synodal style." It will be preceded next Monday (November 11) by a meeting that includes interventions from representatives of the three organizing bodies, led by the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican, Cardinal Mario Grech.
As for the lectures, they will be delivered by a select group of Catholic experts and researchers from the Middle East and around the world. The topics will focus on the synodal church's mission (its history, foundations, dynamics, communication, and legal issues), as well as other related issues such as migration, the environment, women, artificial intelligence, civil society, family, youth, and more.