Rereading Acts 6:1-7 with the Prism of Synod on Synodality in the Nigerian Context

Abstract

The concept of Synod as a means of resolving issues has existed in the Church since its inception. Although there is no equivalent terminology in the Bible, the practice of synodality as a means of resolving issues dates back to the Old Testament, as evidenced by the account of Israel's monarchy in 1 Samuel 8 and Acts 6:1-7 in the New Testament. The importance of listening in attempting to resolve the problem of ethnic dichotomy in the nascent Christian community in Jerusalem informed the current study. This distinguishes synodality from democratic processes in general. Synodality (sun hodos), which literally means “walking together” or “together on the way,” may involve some form of democracy, but it goes beyond democracy. Acts 6:1-7 describes Greek-speaking Jews (Hellenists) and Aramaic-speaking Jews (Hebrews) contending over the Hellenists’ widows’ treatment in the daily distribution of food. Scholars debate the extent to which the passage is indicative of a larger ideological rift between the Hebrews and Hellenists and the extent to which the incident is demonstrative of fully formed factions vying for positions within the nascent community. This article aims to exegetically examine Acts 6:1-7 using the synchronic and contextual methods of biblical exegesis, but the results of diachronic analysis will be employed as the need arises. This would help in demonstrating that the pericope as a typology of synod on synodality can be used to address the problem of ethnicity which has bedeviled the Nigerian society and the Church in particular. The paper concludes that peace search based on secular values will probably not be sustainable but rather through intra-church dialogue via listening and participation to enhance walking together in the light of synodality