Word: synods
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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John Paul designated penance as the topic for last October's synod of bishops, not only because he stresses the sacrament's importance but because its practice nowadays is in a state of flux and confusion. Theologians disagree over what sort of sins require absolution, and whether young children should confess before making their First Communion, as the Vatican desires, or a few years later when they may have a better understanding of the nature of sin. A majority of U.S. parishes now offer face-to-face confession with a priest as an alternative to the austere, anonymous...
...before the vote, the Most Rev. Robert Runcie, the Archbishop of Canterbury, convoked an extraordinary session of the synod of the Church of England to denounce "this barbaric punishment" that forces the state to "take the role of God." The six Catholic bishops of Northern Ireland expressed their opposition to the death penalty. In an act of blatant provocation on the morning of the vote, the I.R.A. staged its most devastating attack of the year in Northern Ireland. Four members of the Ulster Defense Regiment were killed by a land mine that destroyed their Land Rover...
...movement plans to redouble its efforts for a human-life amendment. "The rulings should stimulate the efforts of those of us advocating a constitutional amendment," says the Rev. Jerry Falwell, leader of the Moral Majority. In St. Louis this week, the bells of Roman Catholic, Baptist, and Missouri Synod Lutheran churches will peal at 5 p.m. each day to show support for the measure...
...climax of the nationally televised debate, which lasted nearly five hours, the bishops, priests and lay delegates to the General Synod rejected, 338 to 100, a proposal that the church endorse unilateral disarmament. The alternative pro-deterrence motion that carried the day, 387 to 49, was offered by the Bishop of Birmingham, Hugh Montefiore...
...speech to the synod, Baker attacked as a fallacy "the belief that mutual nuclear deterrence is a reasonably stable condition and likely to remain so." On the contrary, he said, "the overwhelming evidence is that it is becoming less stable year by year, and so less plausible as a means of keeping the peace...