The short answer
Yes — it can exist as study and clarification of positions, not as a ruling over communities. The Council of 71 on Beit Ha'Vaad is proposed exactly this way: a voluntary assembly that does not claim to be the Sanhedrin or a universal halachic authority.
Why people ask this
This is the governance principle behind Beit Ha'Vaad and the Council; affirming it is essential.
Key terms
No specialized terms for this question.
Jewish perspectives
- Joint study can clarify without ruling.
- A voluntary assembly need not claim universal authority.
Scholarly & historical context
Interdenominational study without authority claims is a modern aspiration; the tradition's model of preserved dispute supports it.
What is agreed upon
Joint study without universal authority is possible.
Where the disagreement begins
How binding (if at all) any joint conclusions should be.
Practical consequences
Value joint study for understanding, not for universal ruling.
Original sources
Related questions & knowledge graph
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