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This paper analyzes the model of theology of religions elaborated by the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dorin Oancea and highlights the possibilities for openness towards other religious realms and for real theological validation of non-Christian religions. It focuses both on the modern premises of this model and on the ways in which the author ensures its continuity inside the Tradition and its acceptance within the Orthodox-Christian world. Dorin Oancea's construct, a unique system of pluralistic inclusivism, elaborated by an Orthodox theologian who wants to remain aligned with the Eastern Orthodox patristic and traditional theological thinking while still addressing current topics by means of contemporary instruments and present-day language, is a valuable example of religious change that takes place within Orthodoxy, which is regarded as a traditional branch of Christianity. This paper identifies forms of theological newness in Dorin Oancea's manner of addressing the challenges of present times in relation to the dynamics of the field of theology of religions and of Orthodox theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the model of theology of religions elaborated by the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dorin Oancea and highlights the possibilities for openness towards other religious realms and for real theological validation of non-Christian religions. It focuses both on the modern premises of this model and on the ways in which the author ensures its continuity inside the Tradition and its acceptance within the Orthodox-Christian world. Dorin Oancea’s construct, a unique system of pluralistic inclusivism, elaborated by an Orthodox theologian who wants to remain aligned with the Eastern Orthodox patristic and traditional theological thinking while still addressing current topics by means of contemporary instruments and present-day language, is a valuable example of religious change that takes place within Orthodoxy, which is regarded as a traditional branch of Christianity. This paper identifies forms of theological newness in Dorin Oancea’s manner of addressing the challenges of present times in relation to the dynamics of the field of theology of religions and of Orthodox theology.

Russian religious thought was created as a result of two great traditions: the Eastern (Byzantine) and the Western. It may be claimed that there is no one philosophical school or movement which did not have leave any trace on the shape of Russian philosophy. There is a number of studies which analyze the influence of Western philosophical culture (German, French, English, etc.). Beside, one should remember that the original Russian religious thought also inspired many Western philosophers. On the other hand, since the 20th century we can observe the renewal of the Eastern Christian style of philosophizing typical for the creativity of the Fathers of the Church and developed in the shape of Neo-patristic synthesis. Inevitably one should pose a number of questions: is there any contradiction between West and East in Russian philosophical thought? Was Russian philosophy in the “captive” of Western rationalism, as Fr George Florovsky claimed, proclaiming the return to Greek patristics? How up to date is Western thought for Russian philosophy and Russian religious philosophy for Western world? In my paper I will consider two possible directions of dialogue of Western and Eastern traditions in the modern world: (1) the perspective of development of Neopatristics in Russian and abroad, and (2) the elaboration of some aspects of Russian religious thought which was born on the cross of Western and Eastern cultures (sophiology and all-unity) in philosophico-theological thought of the 20th century on the example of American mystic, Thomas Merton.