On 21 June 2013, the presentation of the book Introducing Eastern Orthodox Theology by Revd. Prof. Andrew Louth was the occasion for a small colloquium. Fr Andrew, who taught patristics in Oxford and Durham, is currently visiting professor at VU University Amsterdam and a member of the Dutch Centre for Patristic Research (CPO). At the colloquium we took up themes explored by 20th century thinkers of the Russian emigration, who tried to bring their patristic past into dialogue with contemporary Western ideas. One of the themes of the Orthodox diaspora is the ‘realm’ between the Creator and the created world. Who or what negotiates this abyss?