Synod of Bishops on Young People: From Preparatory Document to Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit

Kurzfassung/Abstract

This paper discusses two content aspects. Firstly, it describes the synodal process of the Synod of Youth (2018). The interesting thing about this process is the fact that the synodal way is an example for new synodal processes in the universal church. Pope Francis declared the new synodal way as generally binding in the Apostolic constitution Episcopalis communio (15 September 2018). A new incentive of this constitution is the participation of all the population of God in the Pre‑Synodal Meeting, the accountability of all documents in the synodal way, and the influence that the participants of the synod will have in the Final document. Secondly, this paper focuses on the discussion about vocation and discernment. It clarifies the struggles of Christological and anthropological orientation for »discernment « in life. The synodal process raises awareness of the lengthy process of vocation decisions today. It also offers guidance to all people, regardless of beliefs, for discernment and vocation, and in a second step, explicitly for Christians.