‘The synod is leading to the implicit approval of sin, and to the vicious tolerance that sympathizes with it,’ Abp. Héctor Aguer wrote.
Synod is the exact translation of the Greek noun synodos. It is interesting to collect the elements from which the word is formed: syn, as an adverb, means “whole, all together, at the same time,” and as a preposition it can be translated “with, by means of.” The noun synodos, indicates gathering, assembly, and also fellow travellers. The word syn is composed with hodos, meaning “way, route, guide” (it is feminine in Greek); from there is also formed méthodos, or method.
Historically, in Christian antiquity, a synod was called the convocation and meeting of the bishops, according to ecclesiastical provinces, each presided over by the metropolitan, who met in assembly to discuss matters of utmost importance, define doctrines, and condemn and refute heresies, noting the assortment of these errors, in contradiction to the Didache, the origin of which is apostolic. Two main features to bear in mind: the protagonists are always bishops, successors of the apostles of Jesus, and the duration is fixed in time, not excessively long. Read more…