The relationship between ecclesial centre and periphery from the perspective of synodality: Transdisciplinary approaches

Abstract

Pope Francis' magisterium will surely have a permanent value for posterity in his understanding and practice of the synodal vision of the Church, to which the Synod of Bishops 2023-2024 will give special attention. Thus, analyses of the theology of synodality have become extremely prevalent in the last decade, and its interpretation is slowly beginning to appear in the Hungarian discourse. This paper aims to contribute to this dialogue.

The study follows a transdisciplinary path, a method which Pope Francis has urged to be promoted in theological studies. After all, through the dialogue between theology and other disciplines, the participant mutually enrich each other.

From the point of view of a synodal vision, the relationship between the ecclesial centre and the periphery is a matter of particular importance. The periphery is at the very heart of the teaching of Pope Francis, and the current Synod of Bishops is also seeking to bring the voice of the periphery increasingly into the ecclesial centre.

In my study of the relationship between the two, I review and compare the theses of the prominent French theologian Yves Congar and the network researcher Péter Csermely, which I believe contain a number of convergent ideas. Congar analyses the role of the periphery in terms of a true reform of the church, while Csermely sees the periphery as playing a key role in the stability of complex networks. Other points of parallelism between their theses are their conceptual context, their assessment of the role of the church/network centre and their emphasis on trust-based communication.

The paper thus aims to enrich the reception of the theology of synodality in Hungary with a well-defined focus of analysis, especially in the light of the fact that it chooses as its object of analysis the key idea that is essential for the interpretation of the Synod of Bishops.