Last week, the Synod of Bishops on Synodality concluded with the publication of its final document. The process was filled with tension, joy, disappointment, enthusiasm, relief, and concerns, bringing many new developments that went beyond the recent legislative framework of the Episcopalis Communio constitution (2018) governing synods.

The latest surprise was Pope Francis’ decision to endorse the final document without issuing a post-synodal apostolic exhortation. While unexpected, this choice is not unprecedented. During the Synod of Bishops in 1971, St. Paul VI adopted the synod’s two documents without publishing an exhortation. However, since 1974, popes have always released post-synodal exhortations, often overshadowing the assembly documents.

This decision by Francis deserves special attention. Whatever the motivations, they could align with five main reasons. The first is obvious and synodal: opting out of an apostolic exhortation acknowledges the significance of the entire process. All the documents and work over the past three years culminated in this document. From this perspective, regardless of the content, Francis is consistent in showing that synodality is essential to the church, making additional commentary unnecessary.

Nothing more to say

The second rationale could be linked to the content itself. Given the progression of the process and the final text, there might be little more to add or alter. Let’s elaborate on this point. Over the past three years, under Francis' leadership, the concept of synodality has taken on an “extended meaning” (Alphonse Borras). Originally conceived as a theological principle guiding governance within the Catholic Church, it has gradually been expanded to encompass a way of living out governance—in fact, all authority within the church—referred to as a synodal style.

In the past year, the exclusion of certain challenging issues reduced the reformative potential of the process. By focusing on this style, particularly the need for conversion (a word repeated in every chapter of the final document), the more concrete or technical elements disappeared. These aspects sparked tensions and debates, which could have warranted some papal arbitration in a post-synodal exhortation. With no dissension, no exhortation is needed.

Francis's personal touch

The third reason may subtly reflect Francis's personal touch. He may feel there is no need to issue an exhortation on living out synodality because he has already addressed it. Three days before the final document, the pope published his encyclical “Dilexit nos” on the human and divine love of Jesus Christ's heart. Could Pope Francis have offered his own ultimate keys to synodality through this document? The latter might seem superfluous, since an encyclical has greater magisterial authority than an apostolic exhortation.

Synodality is now

The fourth reason might be the most decisive, concerning what is known as reception. Every synod has three dimensions: the lived experience, the documents produced, and the concrete implementation. Reception is the faithful’s embrace of these three dimensions. In previous Synods of Bishops, there was often a long wait before a pontifical text launched the reception process, often relegating earlier efforts to oblivion.

By choosing not to issue an apostolic exhortation, Pope Francis immediately initiates the synod’s reception process: on the one hand, the synodal style should now inhabit every exercise of authority within the church; on the other hand, there is a commitment to concrete reforms in line with the pathways outlined or opened up. By doing so, Francis eliminates any excuse for delaying the rollout of a synodal church, which he has advocated since 2015. Through this decision, Francis declares: synodality is now!

Space for local churches

Lastly, Pope Francis might advocate for a contextual approach rooted in his motu Proprio “Ad theologiam promovendam.” In it, he highlighted the value of inductive theology, noting the difficulties or dead-ends of a “universal” discourse. Opting out of an exhortation could signal local churches to develop their own concrete applications of the synod in harmony with their realities. The final document even mentions “continental assemblies” as a “relevant innovation” (n. 126).

Innovation, in the true sense of the word, contributes to a transformation of reality. Closely tied to local realities and contexts, the future of synodality—in both governance style and reforms—would depend not on an apostolic exhortation but on continental, national, and local reception. There would be nothing more to await from the pope, only a call to work together synodally.