Decentralized Messianism and Synodalitas: Foundation of the New Testament Church Models

Abstract

What is the Synodalitas Church that the 16th Synod of World Bishops aims for? In order to understand the Synodalitas Church from a biblical point of view, we must first start with the Messianism of Jesus. Although Jesus distanced himself from the title of Messiah, he practiced the so-called decen-tralized messianism where he shared his identity, mission, and authority with his disciples. Jesus invited his disciples to call God Abba and gave them the authority to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God through miracles (Lk 10,9). From a historical point of view, Jesus' decentralized messianism can be seen as a combination of Israel's decentralized political form, which was implemented until the age of the judges in the Old Testament, and royal messianism after the Davidic dynasty. The sharing of dominion between the king and the people appears as an eschatological vision in Daniel 7 where both the son of man and the people are given dominion, glory, and kingdom (Dn 7:14.27). Expressing himself as the Son of the Man, Jesus invited people to his eschatological authority and mission. Already in the early church, Jesus' disciples were called those who followed the way(Acts 9,2). The way is no different but the way of Jesus, the Lord(Mk 1,3; Mt 3,3; Lk 3,4; Acts 18,25). Synodalitas is often interpreted as a journey together, but from a bib-lical point of view, synodalitas is not just a journey together, but a journey together on the way of Jesus. The early church practiced various models of walking together on the way of Jesus. This thesis examines various aspects of the church of the brothers, the synodal church, the church of patriarchal love, the kingdom of priests, the church as a temple, the church of the prophets, and the church of the Holy Spirit and authority. Based on the various church models of the New Testament, those in the Synodalitas Church should listen to each other, discuss, and practice how to proclaim and practice the Gospel and the role of a prophet of this age.