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The article discusses the role of the Church's Magisterium in the context of the 2021-2024 Synod and its connection with artificial intelligence (AI), particularly its place in practical pastoral theology. When the Church's Magisterium addresses AI, it primarily promotes dialogue on the ethics and morality of AI development. The article demonstrates how the Pope's guidelines concretely influence pastoral theology. The Pope emphasizes respect for human dignity, transparency, impartiality, reliability, as well as safety and privacy in the use of AI. Recently, Pope Francis has particularly highlighted the need for ethical regulation of AI to ensure it remains in service to humanity. Given that we are in the midst of the Synod (2021-2024), the article examines the role of AI in the context of the Synod itself. In conclusion, some specific pastoral guidelines are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issues of migration and refugees are currently major global challenges. They are also important aspects of the teachings of the Catholic Church, as evidenced by the many recent Church documents. These issues also came up in discussions at the Synod on Synodality convened by Pope Francis. This article attempts to analyze 24 synodal syntheses, created by European episcopates, in terms of their approach to contemporary migration phenomena and further consequences, which allows for the identification of the main themes and indications of both the religious and social aspects of the encounter with newcomers. A common theme of the syntheses analyzed was the conviction of the need to sensitize societies to the specific plight of newcomers, threatening to marginalize them. Accompanying newcomers and caring for their integration with local communities resounded in the syntheses both as a task and also as opportunities for host communities to actualize solidarity, fraternity, and cultural exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the reader will find the research conducted for the Conference held on September 5, 2023, at Itepa Colleges. Herein, we first present elements of Synodality in the praxis, words, and writings that are inherent not only to the current moment of the Church but also to the very personality of the Pope. In the second part, in light of the first universal stage of the Synod held in October 2023, we present the themes of convergence and challenges that emerged, and how these challenges, in particular, intimately affect the theological work that must contribute to their advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the Synod on Synodality (2023–2024) called by Pope Francis is meant to develop deeper unity within the Catholic Church, it has nonetheless provided an occasion to deepen tensions between the Church. While synodality has deep theological roots, its practical implications involve more than theology. Though the self-understanding of the Catholic Church and the meaning of synodality are naturally theological, they are expressed in historically embedded, socially constructed ways. The tensions experienced in the preparation and reception of the Synod on Synodality stem from implied structural changes. Conflict is normal when social change is involved, particularly when questions of power and meaning-making are involved, and all the more so when there is no certainty as to the outcome. Practical theology offers a means of understanding the Synod and the ways in which synodality may or may not be expressed within the contemporary Catholic Church. Such an approach brings theology and social science into dialogue for deeper ecclesiological understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to emphasize the beginning of the process of reception and the theological, cultural and pastoral horizon of Querida Amazonia, which marks a significant moment for the Latin-American Church. The intention is to highlight an ecclesiastical reform still in process and at the same time meant to shape the future ministerial-laical ecclesiastical, culture which will need to be more attentive to the context and to present pastoral challenges. The article begins by examining the social and environmental context in the Amazon, considers some new initiatives created as a result of the synod and of QA's proposals in Latin America. The article shows the continuity of QA with Vatican II and discusses possible ecclesial developments within the Latin-American Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Podbijając północną Anglię, Anglosasi niemalże przyczynili się (pośrednio) do zerwania przez jej mieszkańców więzi z Kościołem rzymskim. Lukę tę wypełniło chrześcijaństwo celtyckie. W efekcie doszło do chrystianizacji północnej Anglii przez misje: rzymską i celtycką oraz do konfliktu pomiędzy nimi. W momencie, gdy konflikt ten osiągnął swoje apogeum, zwołano w Whitby (Northumbria) synod, który przyczynił się znacząco do zatriumfowania opcji rzymskiej. O tym traktuje niniejszy artykuł.

The aim of the article is to present the use of synodal method in building the family community. The method was developed for the use of the Synod about the synodality, initiated in 2021 in the Catholic Church. Documents of the church indicate the need for using the method within the universal Church as well as the local Churches. However, due to the fact that a Christian family is also a domestic Church, the method can also be used in building the marital-family community. The research conducted for the use of this article was based mainly on the documents of the Catholic Church devoted to the synod on synodality. They became the source of the undertaken analyses. The authors also used the elaborations regarding the research problem and the marriage and family issues. The aim of the article and the nature of the source materials suggest the use of the adapted research methods. The leading method was the monographic method in some of its dimensions. Moreover, the other research methods include: descriptive method, the method of the analysis of documents and the analysis of the contents. The article consists of three parts. The first part presents the novelty and characteristics of the synodal method. The second part was devoted to the applicability of the method in building the community of marriage and the third part was devoted to the applicability of the method in deepening the bond between parents and their children.

No infallible Dordt Church Order of 1619: George Frans Gezelle Meerburg and the church order struggle after the 1834 Secession This article tries to find an answer to the question why George F. Gezelle Meerburg (1806-1855) took an independent position in the church orderly developments of the Secession (Afscheiding) of 1834. He was pastor in the Province of Noord-Brabant and the Seceders in this province considered him as their religious and church orderly leader. A biography on Gezelle Meerburg is included to understand better his position in the church orderly developments of the Seceded Church. He was not a strong leader, a great organizer or an inspiring entrepreneur, like some of his colleagues. Still, being more a strong preacher with a not so strong physical condition, he was not shy about taking position. A proof of this is his Brabant Church Order of 1843. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with materials related to the exclusion of expressions offensive to Muslims from liturgical books sent to Orthodox Slavs in the Balkans, and aims to introduce such materials into scholarly discourse. In order to avoid problems with Turkish customs officers, the Synod proposed to refrain from sending the Menaia and the Great Euchologion (Trebnik) to the southern Slavs and to exclude references to the Bulgarian martyr George the New from other books, as the very title of the service to this martyr refers to Yavuz Sultan Selim as 'impious king'. It is significant that the service to George the New containing extremely insulting anti-Muslim statements was composed in Russia, while Bulgaria used a different version of the same service, which was devoid of any derogatory characteristics of Muslims. The article confirms the assumption that it was primarily due to political concerns that harsh statements directed against non-believers were removed from liturgical books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public libraries, but also private ones, can be considered synodal workshops. A high synodal potential is preserved in them, in the sense that in them one can experience a fruitful inter- and trans-disciplinary dialogue. For theologians, in particular, libraries - rich in a plural and pluralistic book heritage - become places in which to carry out a cultural exercise of synodality, laboratories in which to start research on the ecclesial meaning of being and walking together with men and women of good will who yearn - albeit in different ways - to encounter the truth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of the Synod on Synodality, a gathering of experts and representatives of the Catholic Church to discuss various topics. It highlights the unique nature of the Synod, which includes non-episcopal and non-clerical members, and emphasizes the importance of representation and diversity within the assembly. The article discusses the consultation and preparation process of the Synod, as well as its significance in addressing issues such as the role of women and teaching on sexuality. It also raises questions about the structure and future of the Synod, its relationship with other institutions, and the balance between theology and sociology/leadership studies. Overall, the Synod on Synodality is seen as an experiment in creating a more global and diverse Church and redefining the relationship between papal primacy, episcopal collegiality, and ecclesial synodality. [Extracted from the article]

The review examines a monograph devoted to the history of the Orthodox parish in Russia in the late 19th — early 20th centuries. In fact, the author includes in his work an overview of a much broader time period: from the publication of the Spiritual Regulations of Theophan Prokopovich, to the present, which allows him to show how the synodal parish system was formed, what caused its crisis, how this crisis was overcome, and also briefly describe the history of the parish organization in the 20th — early 21st centuries. At the same time, the central part of the monograph is devoted to the period from the Great Reforms to the revolution of 1917. The book analyzes in detail the main components of the parish system crisis: the gap between the parish and the peasant community, deprivation of the parish’s independence with the constant increase in fiscal and administrative pressure on it, and growing social distance between parishioners and clergy. The main focus is on the attempts to resolve the parish crisis. The book examines both discussions on the parish issue and practical attempts to implement local transformations, as well as examples that supporters of parish reform could focus on. The discussion around the parish issue (as it is covered in the monograph) focuses on many social problems of the Russian Empire: it is not accidental that it was transferred to the official level during the revolution of 1905–1907. The monograph examines the positions of various actors involved in the struggle for the reform of the parish: parishioners (primarily peasants), parish clergy, episcopate, professors of the theological school, chief prosecutors of the Synod, zemstvo figures, deputies of the Duma, and representatives of the government. Various drafts of the parish charter are analyzed in detail, starting from the one proposed by the Pre-Council Convention and ending with that adopted by the Local Council of 1917–1918. The monograph contains vivid characteristics of various figures of the second half of 19th — early 20th centuries, given through the disclosure of a person’s position on the parish issue. The final part traces the fate of the Orthodox parish in the 20th — early 21st centuries.

Launched in the Catholic Church by Pope Francis on October 10, 2021, the Synod on Synodality is entering the next stages. Continental syntheses have already been published, preceded by diocesan and national syntheses. The nationwide synodal synthesis and individual diocesan surveys are valuable sources containing numerous opinions on the state of preaching the Word of God in Poland. Despite the noticeable lack of theological references, Polish syntheses are important for the theory and practice of preaching the Word of God. The syntheses were prepared based on the opinions of 65,000 people participating in parish and diocesan meetings and 42 thousand people who responded to surveys and written correspondence. This study aimed to extract from the syntheses mentioned above issues concerning the nature of the homily and its position in the liturgy, the preacher of the Word of God, the general assessment of preaching in Poland, as well as the assessment of the content and form of homily preaching. However, the opinions and proposals contained in the syntheses should be the subject of further, in-depth research in the theology of preaching the Word of God.

The pontificate of pope Francis has brought about a new momentum, an acceleration of the dynamics of the ecclesial conversation, and the Synod on synodality (2021-2024) is the culmination of this acceleration. At the same time, it is not clear yet whether Francis wants to bring this movement to a conclusion or if it will remain open in a process. This article gives some historical-institutional perspectives that are important for comprehending the contours of this question central to Francis’ pontificate but also for the Catholic Church in the 21st century.

The church's synodal conversion requires a reform of its decision-making processes. Facing the challenge of keeping in balance the common dignity of all the baptized and the value of the hierarchical structure of the church, the participation of all the faithful in decision-making processes is grounded in biblical and theological arguments and defined as a co-responsibility in taking joint decisions. The analysis of two synodal bodies recently established within the Catholic Church in the Amazon and Germany delineates new directions for the renewal of decision-making structures in the church. These directions entail reforming the existing participatory structures and creating new deliberative bodies in the church. Looking at church reality and the practice of consultation and decision-making, synodal conversion ultimately requires the reform of training for church leaders with a view to changing church mindsets and culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to contribute to an intelligent examination of Pope Francis' magisterium and to the development of post-conciliar Latin American theology which acquired its maturity during the third Episcopal Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean in Puebla, Mexico in 1979. Firstly, this article examines the genesis of the Puebla Conference: how it came about, and the social and ecclesiastical environment that inspired it. In the second and third parts, the contents of the Final Document are explored. The article focuses on the birth of the Theology of the People and on the synodal ecclesiology that is derived from it, two fundamental themes that advance post-conciliar ecclesiological discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Jesus censors the twelve and demands that, 'the one who leads should become like the one who serves' (22:26). The text provides a lesson on the essence of apostolic authority in the Christian community. The aim of this work is to identify this essence of apostolic authority as service in Luke 22:24-27. The objective is to illustrate how the exercise of authority as service enhances participation and mission within the Christian community. The method employed is an exegetical/socio historical analysis of vv. 24-27 in the context of 'the one who serves'. The conclusion is that 'the one who serves' ministers as servant to the community and its members. The leader who exercises authority as service is therefore the servant of the community. Such service places members at the position of masters in relation to their leader and accords them a sense of respect and importance. This awareness evokes a sense of responsibility among members, and readiness to offer their best in service to the community. This solidarity of service on the part of both the leader and the led enhances a realized Church as communion and synod in the furtherance of its mission of spreading the Kingdom of God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to present, based on the Church's current teaching on synodality, the attempt at synodality of the Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia, which was entitled The Decade of Moral and Spiritual Renewal of the Nation. The paper briefly analyses this little-known event based on contemporary testimonies and their expert processing. It begins by clarifying the concept of synodality to gain a deeper understanding of the theological significance of this task that God asks us to do. Then we present the main actors of the Decade of Moral and Spiritual Renewal of the Nation, its content, and a summary of its effects on walking together of the Church in Czechoslovakia in the still totalitarian atmosphere of the 1980s. At the same time, the paper attempts to compare this event with the current course of the Synod on synodality. The successes and failures of the Decade of the Spiritual Renewal of the Nation, as well as the catechetical work of the so-called underground Church in Slovakia, show that it is necessary to look at man and history not as the addressees of one's agenda, but as those with whom one wishes to have a relationship characterised by mutuality and dialogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the issue of relations between the state and the church in the Russian Empire in 1725—1730 in the political sphere. Attention is paid to the preservation of the former policy of the state represented by the Synod in relation to the local episcopate. On the example of the Nizhny Novgorod region, a general description of the organization of the diocesan administration is given with a description of a number of changes that have occurred; the versatile activity of Archbishop Pitirim, who lost the reliable support of Peter I in connection with his death and is now faced with serious challenges, is considered in the article. The results of the analysis of problems in the relationship between secular and spiritual authorities in political terms are presented. A classification of these problems is proposed on the basis of a generalized analysis of the entire range of issues that have become the object of contradictions between the state and the church. Particular attention is paid to problems that were of a financial, economic and administrative-legal nature. It is shown on the basis of regional material that on a number of issues it was clearly not enough for the adoption of this or that decision at the level of the Synod, and the local bishops needed a resolution of the Senate. It is proved that the problems of church-state relations, laid down under Peter I, retained their relevance during subsequent reigns.

Explaining the establishment and centralization process of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Yakut region periodically is very important in order to make the missionary activities carried out on Sakha Turks more understandable. The study was planned from the general to the specific, and the sources giving general information about the Russian Orthodox Church and the works examining the history of Orthodox Christianity in the Yakut Region were used chronologically. In this chapter, the reforms of the Russian Orthodox Church were briefly mentioned, the diocese, blagochiniye and prihod systems were discussed, and the manifestation of these institutions in the Yakut Region was tried to be revealed. The Yakut Region came under the rule of the Russians from 1620, and from 1638, the religious and administrative structure began to be established in the region simultaneously. The first church in the Yakut region was built by Petr Beketov in the Lena Castle, built in 1632. In time, the church and chapel network emerged thanks to the churches built inside the castles built by the Russian Kozak Detachments. The emergence of a central unity between the churches took place at the end of a long process. The most important reason for this is the geographical distance of the region from Moscow. Therefore, the Russian Orthodox Church structuring was carried out gradually in the region. The Yakut spiritual administration continued its activities as the dean of the Siberian Metropolitan, Tobolsk, Irkutsk, Kamchatka Diocese, and finally, with the establishment of the independent Yakut Diocese, the region gradually became both the religious and administrative center of Far East Siberia. After Peter I abolished the Patriarchate and activated the Holy Synod, the Orthodox religious institutions in the region also changed. The Holy Synod took the place of the Patriarchate, and the Bishops took the place of the Metropolitans. The dioceses are divided into sub-units such as dean and decimal. Again, the surrogate priesthood status was implemented, while the first vice priesthood in Siberia was the Irkutsk diocese, the Yakut region was elevated to the surrogate priesthood status in 1858, depending on the Kamchatka diocese. The elevation of the Yakut region to the status of the Viceroyalty was designed by St. Venyaminov. The status change was enough to strengthen Yakut's church network and attract adequately equipped clergy. Yakutsk Orthodox Church, which continued its activities as a deputy priest for approximately 12 years, became the most important religious center of the region as an independent diocese in 1870. Raising Yakutsk to the status of diocese led to the administrative reshaping of the region, and deanships and tithes emerged. In addition, the regional community structure (prihod) was reorganized and it was forbidden to move to another congregation other than the spiritual administration where the fields are registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Teologia w Polsce is the property of Society of Dogmatic Theologians and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Teologia w Polsce is the property of Society of Dogmatic Theologians and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Teologia w Polsce is the property of Society of Dogmatic Theologians and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article is devoted to the consideration of such a phenomenon in theology and ecclesiology of the modern Catholic Church as synodality. In October 2021, the first phase of the XVI General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church dedicated to this topic was opened. The neologism “synodality” has been updated in Catholic theology since the pontificate of Pope Francis. Synodality is becoming one of the priority terms not only of the papal Magisterium, but also of that extensive theological reflection, which is trying not only to provide a fairly stable place for the new concept in modern Catholic ecclesiology, but also to find an adequate and relevant definition and argumentation for it. This is not about the accidental characteristics of synodal ecclesiology, but about attempts to develop an authentic theology of synodality, which, in its intuitions, seeks to embrace such a well-known and popular ecclesiological category of the Orthodox East as «sobornost’». Synodality, as the author tries to illustrate, goes far beyond hierarchical structures, representing in fact a special manner of existence and response (modus vivendi et operandi) of the Church as the People of God, a kind of her entelechy, rather than a purely operational method. Encompassing the entire spectrum of the relationship between the social and mystical dimensions of the Church, its institutional and charismatic character, its being ad intra and its missionary outcome ad extra, modern Catholic ecclesiology strives to give the theme of synodality not a functional character, but a priority, essential dimension of the Church and her mission in this the world.

The article used the current Synod on Synodality 2021–2023 as a road map to reinforce understanding of synodality, communion, participation and mission. It extracted some theological lessons the non-Catholics can learn from this synod. The essay is not here to defend or to critique Synod on Synodality 2021–2023, but to expand it and to conscientise the non-Catholic adherents of Christian faith of the importance of synodality as a theological dictum. The starting point was the historical and etymological background of synodality and moved into synodical understanding from the Reformed traditions. Three of these traditions in South Africa were highlighted to demonstrate how some Reformed Churches had been on a synodical journey. These three are the Dutch Reformed Church (NGK), Lutherans and the United Congregational Church. The three sub-themes of synodality, that is communion, participation and mission were examined and studied to deepen the ecumenical understanding of this Synodality. The literature, past and present, on the three sub-themes was the basis of the argument. There were some references to electronic sources as the Synod is still sitting and is expected to conclude in October 2023. The conclusion was an appeal to the universal church to journey together to meet [koinonia], listen to each other and to the Spirit [participate], and discern [mission] the direction the church is to take to reach the world with the love of Christ. The people of God are to engage in communion by re-appreciating the love of Christ that leads into and enhances communion. The Synod is a call for participation of all members of the body of Christ to respectfully listen to the Holy Spirit and each other in order to guide the church in the world. Contribution: The Protestants, especially of Reformed tradition always ignore important events such as Synod on Synodality 2021–2023. This Synod reminds Protestants of the importance of communion, participation and mission in the world.

Synodality has taken many forms in terms of both representation and authority. In Anglicanism it is usually a meeting of clergy, laity and bishops. Synods either pass bills or make Canons, defining its position on particular issues. Often a slow process, it speaks with authority for the whole church. In this paper, as a bishop and primus, in Scotland I describe my own experience of synodality in the context of the diverse history of synodality in the wider church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authority of the bishop is not easy to define outside the three key concepts of teacher (mystagogue), prior or prioress of the ordained clergy, and democracy in which the bishop is the 'leader of the choir'. In Uppsala there is a sense of a folk church in which all ministry is collaborative and the bishop's authority is rooted in a practical 'powerlessness'. The bishop is a teacher through regular parish visitations and operates alongside an elected General Synod of which she is not herself a member. As a teacher the bishop is a theologian with a future orientated teaching in the body of the Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study sheds light on the problem of communication in the Church and proposes a model of dialogical communication based on data analysis. It must be in harmony with the content of speculative theology, but at the same time it must meet the linguistic needs of the present time. Pope Francis, with the Synod, is channeling many changes in the right direction. Empirical analyses of media coverage of representations of the Catholic Church, provide further support for this theme. On the one hand, we have the press in Slovenia, which is saturated with news about the Church, and on the other hand, we have Radio and Television, which are undernourished. Often, the Church is presented along with celebrities, celebrations, politics and charity work. If we take into consideration the dialogical model of communication, these issues can be entry points for better and more qualitative communication.

In terms of worship, no research or church instruction states that one architectural style for church buildings is more conducive for Catholic worship than another. Clergy and laity disagree over ritual formularies and the style of worship. Congregations, presiders, and preachers can take advantage of available media to improve their liturgical presence and practice that are appropriate to diverse cultural groups.[20] In the words of Pope Francis on the need for more liturgical formation: "This was the objective of the Council's reform. Keywords: Liturgy; worship; Catholic; church; youth; Pope Francis; synod; clericalism; architecture; space EN Liturgy worship Catholic church youth Pope Francis synod clericalism architecture space 66 73 8 02/07/23 20230101 NES 230101 The Rear View The Hebrew Bible contains a story of the Israelites' liberation from Egyptian captivity. [Extracted from the article]

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Copyright of Studia Koszalinsko-Kolobrzeskie is the property of University of Szczecin Press / Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecinskiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studia Koszalinsko-Kolobrzeskie is the property of University of Szczecin Press / Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecinskiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studia Koszalinsko-Kolobrzeskie is the property of University of Szczecin Press / Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecinskiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The church reform of Peter the Great was meant to exercise strict control over the church revenues and expenditures, as well as to heavily regulate parish life. In the outskirts of the empire this is clearly visible in the records of Eastern Siberia which was part of the Irkutsk diocese. Church construction was restricted. The government hoped that a decreasing number of churches would result in less spending by believers and a lessening of the parish clergy. In 1723 the Synod allowed to build new churches, without any special order, only in place of the burned and dilapidated ones, which was followed by a widespread ban on the construction of chapels. Peter the 1st limited the number of the non-pecuniary population, which included the clergy. Censorial (literacy, age) and staff (determined by the number of households in the parish) restrictions were introduced, as well as the system of control over the number of clergy (limiting access to its composition of the pecuniary population). Parish life was also regulated. Parishioners were required to attend temples regularly, to confess and commune, to partake in the Christian sacraments, to attend solemn services announced on various occasions, and to participate in public celebrations requiring attendance in church. In general, the church policy of Peter the Great was clearly aimed at gaining control over the process of church building, restraining the growth of the parish clergy, and formalizing parish life. The Synod became the organizer of this policy, and the episcopate became the guide.

Spojrzenie na Kościół Afryki przełomu IV i V wieku przez pryzmat instytucji synodu pozwala dobrze uwydatnić nie tylko jego kondycję, ale i żywotność. Szczególnie cenne w tym względzie jest świadectwo św. Augustyna, biskupa Hippony. Jego eklezjologii zawdzięczamy ważny rozdział nauki o synodach na chrześcijańskim Zachodzie, która była mocno osadzona w dwu węzłowych problemach: schizmie donatystycznej i herezji pelagianizmu. Augustyn, mówiąc o synodach, posługuje się kilkadziesiąt razy terminem synodus i aż kilkaset razy terminem concilium. Termin ten rozumie zasadniczo jako zebranie, zgromadzenie w jedno (in unum congregare) biskupów (coetus episcoporum). Czasami na zgromadzeniach tych byli obecni kapłani i diakoni. W swojej nauce o synodach biskup Hippony podejmuje wiele ważnych kwestii: powagi, autorytetu (auctoritas) synodów; stojących przed nimi zadań, zwłaszcza w kontekście prawowierności nauki i zasad życia Kościoła; kolegialności biskupów; roszczeń Kościoła Afryki do autonomii. Synody, nie ciesząc się taką powagą jak Pismo Święte czy sięgające tradycji apostolskiej zwyczaje obecne w Kościele, odgrywały jednak w jego życiu niezastąpioną rolę, gdyż ich zdecydowane i wiążące postanowienia (constitutionis, gesta concilii) wzmocniły nie tylko jego powagę, ale uczyniły go także na arenie Kościoła powszechnego Kościołem wiodącym.

The article outlines the Russian government’s policy of limiting the field of action of the Eastern Rite Catholic Church (formerly Greek Orthodox or Uniate) and its gradual liquidation in the 1830s, and shows the preparation of the “act of reunification” in 1839. As is well known, in 1794–1796 there was an intensive process of “joining” the Uniates to the Orthodox Church. The period from 1797 to the mid-1920s is characterized by weakening of government pressure on the Eastern Rite Catholic Church. In the second half of the 1820s, the Russian authorities tightened their policy toward the Eastern Rite Catholic Church and began to prepare the ground for its eventual unification with the Orthodox Church. The Uniate hierarchs were also involved in the process of liquidating the Eastern Rite Catholic Church. A special role was played by Lithuanian Bishop Józef Siemaszko. With the help of Belarusian Bishop Wasilij Łużyński and the Bishop of Brest, Vicar of the Diocese of Lithuania Antoni Zubko convened a synod of Uniate bishops and clergy in Polotsk (Połock) in 1839, at which it was decided to “reunite” the Eastern Rite Catholic Church with the Orthodox Church.

The aim of this article is to show some issues of a theological reflection on the meaning of synods in Orthodox, Lutheran, and Catholic theology. Orthodox theologians justify the synodal dimension of the Church by the teaching of Christ, the practice of the apostolic period, and the development of synodality in the first millennium of the Church. In the Orthodox Churches, synodality is episcopocentric and is expressed both at the local church level with the bishop in the lead and at the regional one. After breaking up of the unity with the Roman Church in 1054 the Orthodox Churches did not hold any council of an ecumenical dimension. What is characteristic of the Eastern theology of synods and councils is the conviction that their decisions are not obligatory ex sese but acquire their validity after acceptance by the faithful. In the ecclesiastical communities dating back to the Reformation, we have various forms of synodal organization. German Lutheranism had a state church model until the 20th century in which the affairs of the Church were managed by the lay rulers of the bishops. This form of Church governance was due to a number of factors including Martin Luther’s theology of the universal priesthood and the lack of bishops who were replaced by princes. In the 19th and especially in the 20th century the Lutheran churches in Germany developed synodal structures in which lay people play a central role. Decisions made at synods are not considered infallible so they can be changed. The Lutheran communities are also unaware of the ecumenical dimension of synods. In the Roman Catholic Church, as in the Orthodox Churches, the source of synodality is considered to be the practice of the Apostolic Church especially the Apostolic Council described in Acts, chapter 15, and the period of the first millennium of the Church in which synodal and conciliar structures developed. In the Roman Catholic Church, we have two levels of synodality: the first concerns the primacy of the pope and the college of bishops who are in communion with him, while the second is based on the participation of all the baptized in the life of the Church, which consists of their advisory function. Thanks to the pope who convenes councils it is characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church to maintain all three levels of synodality: local, regional and universal. In the Roman Catholic Church conciliar decisions do not to be approved by the lay faithful, but they are considered binding once adopted by the conciliar assembly and the Pope. Currently, there is a discussion on the bigger inclusion of the lay faithful in making decisions regarding the life of the Church.

From the very beginning, the synodality of the Church shows the community of faith as one pilgrim people, in which every person has their place and also a responsibility for the Church. In modern times, the practice of the Church places great emphasis on the involvement of the lay faithful in the care of the Church and, through legislation, also enables them to participate in Church authority. The Second Synod of the Koszalin-Kolobrzeg (Kołobrzeg) Diocese was an expression of shared responsibility and a manifestation of synodality at the particular level.

Copyright of Human Review is the property of Eagora Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The major Christian denominations over the centuries have developed structures of authority and decision-making. It is intended to prove, that in the Roman Catholic Church, the focus has shifted toward primacy, while the Orthodox Churches are considered to be governed in the most synodal manner. The existing models of authority have their advantages and disadvantages, influencing decision-making and shaping synodal structures. In the article, using the methods of analysis, interpretation and comparison, the structures of authority and decision-making in the Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church will be displayed, and on this basis, their strengths and weaknesses will be detected. The following questions will be answered in turn: how do primatial structures function in the churches? What is the shared responsibility for decision-making in synodal structures? What are the strong and weak points in the churches' primatial and synodal structures? Based on the answers to these proposals, de-clericalisation of the primatial appointments and preventing synodal bodies from substantive failures will be formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bylye Gody is the property of Cherkas Global University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Annals of Theology / Roczniki Teologiczne is the property of Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL & Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawla II and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)