The Ecclesia of Women in Asia sees itself as being a “synodal third space”—a space where differences and cultures overlap and interact, making possible creativity and imagination, and empowering people to develop their sense of self and identity, always in conversation with others. But what does “synodality” mean? What does it mean to be a synodal church/community? How might the Ecclesia of Women in Asia therefore engage with “synodality” as a concept, embrace the intentions and expectations behind the concept, live it, and integrate it into its own identity and style of functioning? This brief chapter reflects on these questions and the theme of the Conference—“Ecclesia of Women as Synodal Third Space” by engaging two texts, namely the 2018 book, Women Talking by Miriam Toews, the subsequent movie by the same name (2022) and the biblical text as found in Jeremiah 31:15-22, and attempts to describe how these texts exemplify “synodality,” understood as journeying together as a community of God’s people, through listening and responding to the stirring of the Holy Spirit, listening to marginal voices, and collaborating with one another for the transformation and wellbeing of the community of faith and society at large. The chapter highlights some insights they offer to our understanding of, our growth and the living out of synodality as a movement of women of faith in Asia.
Monica Melanchthon (Wed,) studied this question.