Der christliche Glaube ist durch grosse kulturelle Vielfalt gepragt, die auf das Selbstverstandnis der Kirche als "Weltkirche" einwirkt: Kontextuelle wie interkulturelle Verstehensweisen des weltweiten Christentums gewinnen angesichts globaler Erfahrungsraume zunehmend an theologischer Bedeutung. Die einzelnen Beitrage des Sammelbandes fragen danach, welche Bedeutung regionale Kulturen, Kontexte und das gewandelte globale Weltverstehen fur das Christentum besitzen. Europaische wie aussereuropaische Raume werden dabei in den Blick genommen, um am Beispiel einzelner Lander, Regionen, Praxen und Personen die jeweiligen Kirchen kennenzulernen und zu eroertern. Die politischen, kulturellen und historischen Rahmenbedingen, in denen sich Ortskirchen vorfinden, werden damit thematisiert.

Through the lens of Christology, a new approach to the theology of religions. Adopting the person and saving work of Christ (Christology) as the master key for organizing themes already treated by theologies of religion, theologian Gerald O'Collins introduces important themes previously largely ignored, such as the relevance of the theology of the cross for thinking about "the others" and the impact of Christ's priesthood on all men and women of all places and times.

The "Filioque" ("and the Son") controversy, about the words of the creed - that the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father ("and the Son") led to the final split between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Of the early attempts to heal the schism between the Byzantine and Western churches, none is as famous as the Council of Lyons, 1274. Less familiar is the Byzantine reaction that followed in the patriachate of Gregory of Cyprus, when the settlement of 1274 was formally repudiated by imperial decree and the solemn decision of the Byzantine Church at the Council of Blachernae, 1285. This work is a study of Gregory II and the Council of 1285