Bishops, priests, religious, and lay people can avail of free online theology classes ahead of the 2023 synod of bishops in Rome.
The program is coordinated by members of the theological commission of the general secretariat of the synod of bishops who have been collaborating with the Formación Continua of the Jesuit School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College.
It is offered by the Church of Latin America with the sponsorship of continental episcopal conferences, including the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).
The program is the first project of all the institutions that came together to support the synod.
Those interested to enroll in the classes can register here.
Those “who have been called to the process of ecclesial renewal” are invited to register and avail of the online courses on theology and the practice of “synodality” as part of the church’s two-year project.
“We invite you to get involved in the challenge of imagining and building the Church of the third millennium,” read a statement forwarded by the FABC.
Classes, which will begin next month, will be offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian, with speakers coming from different parts of the world.
The courses will include topics on “Common Discernment and Decision Making in the Church,” “Discernment in Common to Consensus-Building,” “Decision-Making in the Church,” and “Leadership and Governance in the Church.”
Aside from the FABC, the project is also sponsored by the Consejo Episcopal LatinoAmericano y Caribeño and the International Union of Superiors General.
The “Synod on Synodality,” which carries the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission,” is a two-year process initiated by Pope Francis in October 2021.
It allows Church leaders to collaborate and consult with parishioners, and even those who have opposing beliefs in the Catholic church.
The process is intended “to provide an opportunity for the entire People of God to discern together how to move forward on the path towards being a more synodal Church in the long-term.”
The results of the consultations will be used for the preparatory document that will be submitted to the Vatican and will be discussed during the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2023.
