Synod: As speech-making winds down, key themes emerge
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
A Synod of Bishops can be said to unfold in three basic stages: a tidal wave of speeches during the first week and a half; reflection in small groups; and the sausage-grinding of approving propositions for the pope and a concluding message to the world.
The Synod of Bishops on the Bible is currently reaching the end of that first phase, and while no major disagreements have emerged, a few basic themes seem clear: