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The event focused on new preliminary survey findings on the synodal process from women’s perspectives. Nalwamba offered a WCC perspective on the findings and recommendations by speaking about the WCC consensus model and women’s leadership in the WCC. She also gave an assessment of the findings and recommendations from an outsider’s perspective.
She affirmed the points at which the recommendations and findings resonated with the WCC agenda, and also critiqued the low participation and representation in the survey of the global south where the majority of Christians—many of whom are women—currently reside.
“In the World Council of Churches, synodality is best expressed through the consensus model of decision making,” said Nalwamba. “It is based on the principle of engaging in genuine dialogue that is respectful, mutually supportive, and empowering, whilst prayerfully seeking to discern God’s will, without resort to a formal vote.”
Nalwamba noted that this discussion-based model of decision-making can only meaningfully integrate women’s voices and ensure their effective involvement with continued formation and training to build capacities and confidence for such engagement.
“In response to the survey, I take note that the snapshot of statistics in the report is skewed towards Europe (six nations named), North America of two countries (two are named—the USA and Canada), and Australia,” she said. “One country each is named from Africa, Asia, and South America.”
This representation counters the current concentration of Christian demographics in the global south and is a question to continue to grapple with, noted Nalwamba.
“The findings and recommendations of the survey resonate with a number of issues that are on the agenda of the WCC’s current work and I hope that our two organisations can collaborate on those common issues,” she said.
