Discerning across Disciplines: The Call for Transdisciplinarity and Theological Renewal in a Synodal Church

Pope Francis’s 2023 motu proprio Ad Theologiam Promovendam seeks to bridge the gap between academic theology and the lived faith of the People of God. This renewal centres on discerning the sensus fidei or the sense of faith as a complex reality constituted by both a divine gift of spiritual perception and a historically conditioned praxis of discipleship. This article argues that interpreting the sensus fidei within a synodal Church requires a transdisciplinary methodology. By integrating various disciplines, this approach navigates the multiple levels of reality inherent to ecclesial life. Finally, the article traces how Latine theology, with its focus on realidad (reality) and lo cotidiano (the everyday), pioneered proto-transdisciplinary methods. Ultimately, transdisciplinarity fosters a contextual, communal dialogue between disciplines that is continuously reoriented toward the wisdom of Christian revelation.