[Zope] calling zope

[jr@i-bucks.com]

I am new to zope.   I am looking for an application server.   

I want to know if I can call zope objects and methods from a script run
OUTSIDE of zope (say python, to make it easy).  Is this possible?  So far,
all the API/call information that I have found either relates to calling
system functions (APIs) from inside methods, or calling external methods.
Nothing about calling the app server from an external program.

I get the impression that I have to execute an http call, and clumsily
parse the output.  Is this true, or is there something that I have
overlooked in the output?  

The types of calls that I need to make is to search for objects with
certain properties, create new objects, and update old objects.  I need to
retrieve object properties, and execute methods.  I need to have basic
security enforced (userid identification or userid/password).

The reason why is that it is contractually necessary to provide an api into
the server.

Thanks,

jr
John Riehl