From John Allen, at Crux:

ROME – Heading into the 2014 Synod of Bishops on the family, the granddaddy of all controversial issues was the idea of allowing Catholics who divorce and remarry outside the church to return to communion.
After two eventful weeks, featuring at times intense debate, the only thing that can be said with certainty is that there simply is no consensus in the synod.
As a result, many sources say the most probable conclusion out of this gathering is that the idea needs further study, which is often a bureaucratic euphemism for saying we’re divided and don’t know what to do.

His conclusion: “If the Synod of Bishops does recommend submitting the issue of communion for divorced and remarried Catholics for further study, one thing seems clear: It will continue to be debated for the next 12 months, and will likely be a hot-button issue again the next time the bishops gather in October 2015.”

That is likely an understatement.

— Michael R. Strain is a resident scholar and economist at the American Enterprise Institute. You can write to him on Twitter at twitter.com/MichaelRStrain.