Barbara Hallensleben

This article examines the conception of Roman primacy developed by the Orthodox theologian Olivier Clément in his work *Rome autrement*, through a critical reading conducted by the Catholic theologian Barbara Hallensleben. Belonging to the field of comparative and ecumenical theology, the article questions the Catholic acceptability of Clément's position, showing that his analysis relies too exclusively on the definitions of the First Vatican Council, without sufficiently integrating subsequent ecclesiological developments, particularly those of Vatican II. Hallensleben highlights the hermeneutical limitations of this approach while acknowledging its dialogical value. The article makes a twofold contribution: it clarifies the conditions for a rigorous Catholic-Orthodox dialogue on the question of primacy and opens up avenues for rethinking this notion also within the Orthodox tradition itself.

This article by Barbara Hallensleben offers a Catholic rereading of the ecclesiological decisions of the Moscow Council of 1917-1918 in light of the contributions of Vatican II. Adopting a theological and philosophical approach, the author draws notably on Giorgio Agamben's thought on the Trinitarian oikonomia to ground a theology of ecclesial governance. The central idea is that governance is not a secondary aspect of the life of the Church, but the sacramental expression of its participation in the reign of Christ Pantocrator. From this perspective, the article examines the tensions between primacy and synodality, between the deliberative and consultative functions of synods, as well as the participation of the laity in conciliar bodies. The main theological contribution lies in the proposal, drawing on Sergei Bulgakov, to develop a "lived dogma of power" capable of grounding conciliarity ecclesiologically beyond its purely institutional canonical forms.

This article by Barbara Hallensleben examines the concept of "sister Churches" as a hermeneutical principle structuring ecclesial relations, both within Orthodoxy and between Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Presented in the form of theses, the study traces the evolution of the term from the Second Vatican Council to recent magisterial documents, showing the progressive convergence between the notions of particular Church and sister Church. The central idea is that this principle of sacramentality goes beyond a purely territorial framework and implies a constitutive orientation toward full communion. The article makes a twofold theological contribution: on the one hand, it identifies the unfinished reforms within post-conciliar Catholicism; on the other hand, it addresses precise questions to the Orthodox Churches regarding the visible realization of the transterritorial principle, particularly in view of the preparation for the Pan-Orthodox Council.