Ecumenical Conference in Brussels: Walking Together. Common Decision-Making in Our Churches

On January 22, 2020, during the Week of Prayer for the Christian Unity, the Chapel for Europe organized a conference on the importance of conciliarity in the Church, titled “Walking Together. Common Decision-Making in Our Churches.”

The conference brought together representatives from several different traditions, who offered details regarding the internal organization of their church and the problems encountered in their pastoral activity. The keynote speech was delivered by Mgr Guy Harpigny, Catholic Bishop of Tournai, while the panel speakers were: Rev Laurence Flachon, pasteure de l’ église du Musée à Bruxelles, Ven Dr Paul Vrolijk, Senior Chaplain Pro-Cathedral Holy Trinity Brussels, and Rev Sorin Selaru, director of the Representation of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the EU.

Rev Selaru spoke about the synodality principle in the Orthodox Church and the criteria for classifying synods. He insisted on the importance of reconciliation and cooperation during synods, the Eucharistic basis of synodality, and the way they could alleviate the challenges which confront the Church today.

The speeches and audience questions were moderated by Annemarie C. Mayer, professor at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven.