No one excluded: A Key (but problematic?) Concept for the Synodal Catholic Church
"Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19). Peter’s words in the temple in Jerusalem well summarize the core of the Christian life. In order to be saved and converted, we must confess our sins and repent. Clinging to our former sinful habits is not an option for a believer. On the contrary, faith in Christ brings with it radical change. It represents the beginning of new life and new direction. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The church exists to proclaim and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. A crucial aspect of the gospel is repentance. If it is absent, the gospel is meaningless because "He himself (Christ) bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness" (1 Peter 2:24).
This reflection comes in light of a recent document released by the Vatican on October 27, 2022 that "will serve as the foundation for the second stage of the synodal path launched by the Pope in 2021." The document is based on feedback from each diocese in Europe that was gathered during the first stage of the synod and that is the fruit of a long period of listening to the Catholic base and discerning their comments. "Central are questions concerning the role of women, the welcoming of those who identify as LGBTQ+, the abuse scandal, the challenges of racism and tribalism, the drama caused by wars and violence, etc.
This serious and meticulous effort by the "people" of the Catholic Church to respond to these relevant and important issues is quite commendable. Of great concern, however, are the theological and missiological implications that emerge from the synodal path that Pope Francis and the Catholic Church have proposed and are pursuing.
In addressing the above-mentioned issues (the role of women, the abuse scandal, the LGBTQ+ community, etc.) the Catholic base that provided feedback established inclusiveness as being foundational for the synodal Church. There was a clear "desire for radical inclusion. 'No one excluded' is in fact one of the key concepts of the document." The first synodal stage revealed that there are many people who feel "denigrated, neglected, and misunderstood" by the Church. They desire, however, to be understood and welcomed by Her. "Those who for various reasons feel a tension between belonging to the Church and the relationships in which they are emotionally invested ask the Church to welcome them. This includes people who are in polygamous marriages and the LGBTQ+ community." They "ask that the Church be a refuge for those who are wounded, not an institution for the perfect.”
How will the Catholic Church respond? How will it respond to people who are not interested in changing themselves, but nonetheless want to be welcomed by the Church? The key concept of "no one excluded" is a clear indication of how the synodal Catholic Church intends to respond. According to Pope Francis the church on mission is a church that accepts everyone as they are and in which we are all brothers. In the place of repentance is inclusion. The concept "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) has been replaced by "no one should be excluded." The Church does not preach repentance and turning from sin, but instead accepts everyone as they are.
On the one hand this attitude of inclusivity reflects a healthy desire of the church to avoid unnecessary obstacles that might prevent people from coming to a saving faith in Christ (i.e. cultural and moralistic obstacles). Indeed, the church must be open to everyone and everyone must be able to access the church. On the other hand, this is not what the document is suggesting. Instead it clearly states that the Catholic Church and its people must include everyone. Not in the sense of welcoming everyone, but in the sense of accepting everyone as they are without calling them to repentance and gospel transformation.
The Bible affirms that we are indeed wounded people, but it also affirms that our biggest problem is that we are dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:5). To be made alive again and to become new creations we must confess our sins, turn from them and repent. We must place our faith in the One who knew no sin but became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21). If our desire is to be welcomed and included in the church without changing, then we have not understood the gospel of Jesus Christ. And if the church wants to accept people without preaching sin and repentance, then it has not properly understood the gospel of Jesus Christ either. Yes, the church must be a refuge and the Bible is clear on this point. But there is no path to that refuge that does not pass through repentance and a radical divergence from our previous life that was enslaved to sin.
"No one excluded" is a troubling departure from the gospel. This concept ought to be replaced by "No condemnation in Christ." Paul writes to the Romans that there is no longer any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because faith in Christ sets us free from sin and death (Romans 8:1). Central to the gospel is the recognition that we are dead in our sins and new life in Christ is impossible without repentance and a turning away from sin. Apart from this we cannot know Jesus Christ as Savior, nor be included in his church. Jesus' words "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28) must always be accompanied by Peter's aforementioned words, "Repent and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out."
Before it was the German "synodal path" that called for "no one to be excluded." Now it is the European base asking for the same. How will the Catholic Church respond?