Editing Russian Orthodox Church (section)

==Ecumenism and interfaith relations==
[[File:Church of Mary Magdalene3.jpg|thumb|[[Church of Mary Magdalene]] in [[Jerusalem]]]]
In May 2011, [[Hilarion Alfeyev]], the Metropolitan of Volokolamsk and head of [[external relations for the Moscow Patriarchate]] of the Russian Orthodox Church, stated that Orthodox and [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] Christians share the same positions on "such issues as [[pro-life|abortion]], the [[Family values#Conservative definitions|family]], and [[Christian views on marriage|marriage]]" and desire "vigorous grassroots engagement" between the two [[Communion (Christian)|Christian communions]] on such issues.<ref name="Communions">{{cite magazine|url= http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/may/fromrussialove.html?start=1|title=From Russia, with Love|quote=Many evangelicals share conservative positions with us on such issues as abortion, the family, and marriage. Do you want vigorous grassroots engagement between Orthodox and evangelicals? Yes, on problems, for example, like the destruction of the family. Many marriages are split. Many families have either one child or no child. |magazine=[[Christianity Today]]|access-date= 31 December 2007}}</ref>

The Metropolitan also believes in the possibility of peaceful coexistence between [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]] because the two religions have never fought religious wars in Russia.<ref name="Alfeyev">{{cite magazine|url= http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/may/fromrussialove.html?start=4|title=From Russia, with Love|quote=If we speak about Islam (and of course if we mean moderate Islam), then I believe there is the possibility of peaceful coexistence between Islam and Christianity. This is what we have had in Russia for centuries, because Russian Islam has a very long tradition. But we never had religious wars. Nowadays we have a good system of collaboration between Christian denominations and Islam. Secularism is dangerous because it destroys human life. It destroys essential notions related to human life, such as the family. And here we disagree with atheist secularism in some areas very strongly, and we believe that it destroys something very essential about human life. We should be engaged in a very honest and direct conversation with representatives of secular ideology. And of course when I speak of secular ideology, I mean here primarily atheist ideology.|magazine=[[Christianity Today]]|access-date= 31 December 2007}}</ref> Alfeyev stated that the Russian Orthodox Church "disagrees with [[Atheism|atheist]] [[secularism]] in some areas very strongly" and "believes that it destroys something very essential about [[Sanctity of life|human life]]."<ref name="Alfeyev"/>

Today, the Russian Orthodox Church has ecclesiastical missions in Jerusalem and some other countries around the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orthodoxhaiti.org|title=Russian Orthodox Mission in Haiti – Home|access-date=5 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.synod.com/synod/eng2012/20120627_enhimkromanrdm.html|title=The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia – Official Website|access-date=5 March 2015}}</ref>