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The Synod of Bishops: Canon Law and Ecclesial Dynamics

Christians have had centuries of experience with a wide variety of synods or councils, and the establishment by Pope Paul VI in 1965 of the Synod of Bishops is one of the latest examples. It is already clear that with Pope Francis the Synod will increase its already great impact on the life and mission of the Church. This article will begin by presenting the current canon law governing the Synod, mainly from the 1983 Code of Canon Law. Particular attention will then be given to the ecclesial dynamics within which the Synod operates. This will involve considering papal primacy, episcopal collegiality, Ecumenical Councils, the College of Cardinals and the Roman Curia. While accepting that the Synod must be understood on its own terms, the concluding reflections will illustrate the need to state as a matter of theology and of history the foundations on which synodality and conciliarity rest.