Nicaea and synodality: Pope talks about both with patriarch, theologians

by CNS · Published December 3, 2024 · Updated December 3, 2024

Pope Francis meets with members of the International Theological Commission and reflects on the significance of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea during their gathering at the Vatican on Nov. 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

By Cindy Wooden, CNS – Focusing again on the fundamental Christian beliefs outlined by the Council of Nicaea almost 1,700 years ago can help Christians today put Christ back at the centre of their lives, Pope Francis said.

Meeting Nov. 28 with members of the International Theological Commission, the pope praised their decision to draw up a document “intended to shed light on the timeliness of the faith professed at Nicaea,” which is summarised and recited today as the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.

“A document of this sort could prove invaluable in the course of the Jubilee Year to nourish and deepen the faith of believers and, based on the figure of Jesus, to offer insights and reflections useful for a new cultural and social paradigm inspired by the humanity of Christ,” the pope told the theologians.

The International Theological Commission is made up of theologians from around the world who are appointed by the pope to carry out research on behalf of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

If Christians today hold the Council of Nicaea’s teaching that “the Son is consubstantial with the Father, ” the pope said, then they must believe that “in Jesus, we come to know the face of God and, at the same time, the face of humanity, and thus realise that we are sons and daughters in the Son and brothers and sisters of one another.”

At his meeting with the theologians and in a message Nov. 30 to Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, Pope Francis repeated his hope to travel to Iznik, Turkey, the site of the ancient city of Nicaea to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the council with the patriarch.

In his message to the patriarch, marking the feast of St. Andrew. Pope Francis wrote, “The now imminent 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea will be another opportunity to bear witness to the growing communion that already exists among all who are baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

“I have already expressed several times my desire to be able to celebrate this event together with you, and I sincerely thank all those who have already begun working to make that possible,” the pope said. Orthodox sources have said late May is the most likely time for the joint celebration.

Pope Francis told the patriarch that the anniversary should involve “all Christians who continue to profess their faith in the words of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed,” and strengthen bonds among the different Christian communities and their commitment to witnessing together.

“The fraternity lived and the witness given by Christians will also be a message for our world plagued by war and violence,” the pope told the patriarch.

In his meeting with the members of the theological commission and in his message to the patriarch, Pope Francis also spoke about the importance of the Catholic Church’s efforts to adopt a more synodal style where people listen to each other and encourage each other’s contribution to the church’s mission of proclaiming the faith.

The pope asked the theologians to look specifically at “the ecclesiological dimension of synodality, so as to accentuate its missionary purpose and the participation of the whole People of God in the variety of our cultures and traditions.”

“The time has come,” he said, “to take a courageous step forward and to develop a theology of synodality, a theological reflection that can help, encourage and accompany the synodal process, for a new, more creative and daring missionary phase, inspired by the kerygma and involving every component of the Church’s life.”

“Kerygma” refers to preaching and teaching the basics of faith, including God’s love for each person, the reality of sin, the call to conversion and the possibility of salvation because of the death and resurrection of Christ.

In his message to the patriarch, Pope Francis expressed his hope that the Catholic Church’s focus on synodality will be another factor fostering better relations between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, “which has always kept this constitutive ecclesial dimension alive.”

Reporting on the two assemblies of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, the pope said they were marked by “an atmosphere of authentic and frank dialogue.”

“In a world torn by opposition and polarisation, the participants in the Assembly, despite coming from very different backgrounds, were able to listen to each other without judging or condemning,” the pope said. “Listening without condemning should also be the manner in which Catholics and Orthodox continue their journey towards unity.”