Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper has a front-page story this morning on a “confidential document” produced by Roman Catholic and Orthodox theologians at a conference last month in Ravenna, Italy.

The document is supposedly a “road map” for ending the longest schism in Christendom, which dates back to the year 1054.

By recognizing the pope as “first of the patriarchs,” and Rome as the “first see,” the document points toward potential agreement on one of the major points of conflict between the two traditions: the question of the pope’s authority.

On the other hand, the document stipulates that councils of bishops are the “principal instrument” for the expression of Christian communion, and that “the first [i.e., the pope] cannot do anything without the consent of all.”

Sounds like the churches still have plenty of talking to do before achieving anything like unity.

Moreover, this document does not necessarily reflect the views of the Russian Orthodox, who have been especially wary of overtures from Rome, and whose representatives walked out of the Ravenna meeting (because of a dispute over which Orthodox patriarch has authority over the church in Estonia).

Presumably the document will be among the topics of discussion at a special consistory November 23, when cardinals from all over the world meet in Rome to discuss ecumenical relations (the day before Pope Benedict bestows red hats on the 23 newest princes of the church).