Bridge-Builder Between East and West: André Scrima (19252000) and His Contribution to the Ecumenical Quest for Unity

The Romanian Orthodox theologian André Scrima (1925-2000) is one of the most emblematic protagonists of the 20th-century ecumenical turn in Catholic-Orthodox relationships. Despite his important ecumenical role, Scrima is a routinely neglected theologian by contemporary scholars and academics. That being the case, this project aims at filling this gap in ecumenical research by focusing on Scrima’s groundbreaking and unique contribution to the cause of Christian unity. In so doing, the project (i) offers a historical reconstruction of Scrima’s role in the emergence of the ecumenical turn, and (ii) explores the relevance of his theological reflections on inter-Christian dialogue; in this regard, particular attention is given to his notion of ‘hermeneutical ecumenism’ and its contemporary significance. To this purpose, the research undertaken by this project is primarily based on previously unexplored archival sources: unpublished texts and articles, manuscripts, minutes of ecumenical events and meetings, diary entries, and private correspondence