Simply put, a synod is a meeting or assembly of church leaders. The idea of a synod has New Testament roots in Acts 15. Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches have used synods for centuries to gather bishops and laypeople to reach consensus on important issues, similar to the way that the Roman Catholic Church has used ecumenical councils like Vatican II.

“Synodality” refers to the way that these synods make decisions. It is a model that includes listening to a broad range of people and then discussing the issues together with the goal of hearing where the Holy Spirit is calling the church. Practically, Pope Francis has said, this means not entering the discussion with the idea that there will be “winners” who get their way and “losers” who do not but leaving agendas at the door, speaking with parrhesia (a Greek word that appears in the New Testament and means “frankness,” “boldness” or “courage”), listening humbly and being open to others’ ideas. In theory, no topic is off-limits, and disagreement is welcome.

After the discussions, the bishops of the synod draft a document and vote, paragraph by paragraph, to approve it. The Pope uses that document to inform his decisions following the synod.