The Second African Synod: Challenge and Help for Our Future Church

Abstract

The Second African Synod is a process that includes preparation, meeting and implementation around the theme of “The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace.” The meeting at the Vatican in October 2009 produced a Message as well as a set of Propositions to assist Pope Benedict XVI to write a final Letter. High points of the meeting included emphases on hopefulness, spirituality, Church social teaching, public leadership, women, and HIV and AIDS. The challenge of the Synod process is to balance a political engagement with a spiritual foundation. Synodal documents legitimate the “faith and justice” emphasis of the Jesuits and the Church in Africa. But stronger stress needs to be put on the “option for the poor.”