About Us

Overview of the Institute of Ecumenical Studies

The Institute of Ecumenical Studies , which was established in 2004, is the first such institute in the former Soviet Union.  The institute has the following goals:

- To promote, by conferences and publications, interdenominational, international and interdisciplinary reflection on the contemporary ecumenical movement , taking as a starting point theological dialogues and academic research in progress in the Christian world ( Ut unum sint, A Treasure in Earthen Vessels , etc…). These traditional methods of building Christian unity, however, tend to overestimate the conceptual differences in the interpretation of Church Tradition and the Scriptures. It is necessary today to emphasize those situations in which Christians are working together to overcome, in a never achieved way, "heresies of life". For this reason, one of the priorities of the IES will be to underline the various  forms of “ecumenism of life”: in the common prayer of Christian martyrs from different rites or denominations, in the everyday life of mixed families, and in the friendship, solidarity or political engagement of Christians coming from various cultural or national traditions.

- To propose an academic, modern, and interactive education in ecumenical studies. For this reason, the IES will create a Master of Ecumenical Studies by distance learning, intended for students who already have an undergraduate degree. Delivered in two languages (English, Ukrainian), this program will be opened to students of any nationality who have a university diploma of the first cycle. Lasting for two years, this multidisciplinary program will at the same time propose theoretical and practical teaching. This program will be developed within the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv with the participation of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant teachers. It will be proposed in partnership with teachers of academic institutions such as the Cathedral School of Paris, the Catholic University of Eichstaett, and the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey.

- To support practical initiatives in Ukraine that bring Christians together to take part in the formation of pluralist and tolerant society. The political events in Ukraine in November and December 2004 showed the great desire of Ukrainian Christians to gather together on the political level as well as on the national and religious levels. They also showed the geopolitical and ecumenical importance of Ukraine within Eastern Europe . Taking this into account, several initiatives are being considered: a continuation of the work of the Kyivan Study Group by the Christian Academic Brotherhood in Ukraine, devoted to the reconciliation of the Churches that belong to the tradition of the Kyivan Church; the creation of an Internet site in French, English and Ukrainian on the religions of the former Soviet Union; the realization of an ecumenical review accessible on the Internet which will, in a dialogical and pragmatic way, seek solutions to the questions which divide Christians today, etc...