Ecumenism and theology is a site for those interested in the relations between Russian Orthodoxy and Catholicsm. The contents of the site are aimed at reaching a more profound understanding and appreciation of each others traditions, mentalities and theological traditions.

The site serves as an opportunity for discussing openly the real difficulties that exist between Eastern and Western Christianity. The division in Christianity is largely due to centuries of conflicting political interests, cultural divergencies and in a particular way due to the incapacity of each to understand and appreciate the distinct mentality or world-view of the other.

The centuries of cultural differences and conflicting mentalities have led not only to different philosophical principles and visions but it has also led to contrasting differences in theological methods and the way in which each tradition conceives its own self and what it means to be a church. 

Modes of Communion looks at Catholic conceptions of ecclesial communion and in particular at the understanding of 'full communion'. This investigation looks firstly at the degree of communion that already exists between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Secondly, it envisions what full communion between the Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church will consist of once it has been achieved.

Since 1991 the Catholic Church has been organised into Apostolic Administrations. What are these? This describes what apostolic administrations are, how they developed in Catholic Canon Law. It shows that they are an ecumenically sensitive structure for Catholicism in Russia. The article seeks to propose possible ecumenical developments of the apostolic administrations.

Catholic principles of Ecumenism is a study of the official positions of the Catholic Church regarding the activity of the Catholic Church in traditionally Orthodox lands, particularly in Russia.

Catholicism in Russian Canonical Territory pertains that the concept of canonical territory used by the Russian Orthodox Church in confronting Catholicism is to be found within the Catholic Church. It shows the different forms of Catholic Canonical Territory.

Russian Canonical Territory is an explanation of the origins of the principle of canonical territory and a look at the way this principle reveals itself within the Russian Orthodox world.

Many people in the Orthodox Church feel that Catholics in Russia are guilty of Proselythism; Catholics, however, reject such a claim. This controversy seemingly continues, because the word 'proselythism' is understood quite differently by the two traditions. The logical development of the Orthodox understanding is challenging to Russian theologians.

One of the major difficulties in Catholic-Orthodox relations regards Greek Rite Catholicism, particularly in the Ukraine. Ukrainian Catholicsm is an attempt at proposing different areas of mutual (Russian Orthodox, Greek-Rite Catholics and Latin Rite Catholics) study.

Vatican II: An unnoticed failure? looks at the developments in ecclesiology that took place during the Council. The article proposes itself as a question to theologians seeking answers to what appears to be an inconsistancy within Catholic theology. 

This site would like to make a recommendation: that you become aquainted with a typical Catholic Parish in Russia. The parish of Syzran is an average sized parish in provincial Russia. Its story and the tales that its parishoners have to tell, represent what it means to be a Latin Rite Catholic in the Russia of today. How did the parish begin, who are the parishoners, how has it grown, what difficulties does it face and what does the future hold for it? The answers to these questions tell a typical story of Catholics in Russia. From the Syzran Home Page links to other parishes in Russia will also be made.

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