The Heschel Center of the Catholic University of Lublin is a partner in an international seminar organized by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome to mark the 60th anniversary of the conciliar declaration “Nostra aetate” (1965).
The symposium will take a scientific approach. It will be held on November 18-19, 2025, and its participants will meet in Rome. It is also possible to participate online.
The world needs to continuously build mature interreligious relations. “Nostra Aetate” is a work of the Second Vatican Council. The declaration was promulgated on October 28, 1965. The Latin title “Nostra Aetate” in Polish means “In our era.” The document significantly influenced the relationship between the Catholic Church and Jews and Judaism, reminding the roots of Christianity.
“Nostra aetate” was a key document. Subsequent years saw the publication of documents from the Commission for Judaism, which was first under the Pontifical Council, now under the Pontifical Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, which elaborate on the declaration, talking about catechesis, common prayer and Bible interpretation, among other things.
The invitation to the symposium “Nostra Aetate 60 Years Later” reads: "The Catholic Church does not reject anything that is true and holy in these religions. It treats with sincere respect those ways of conduct and life, those precepts and teachings which, although different in many respects from those it professes and presents, often reflect the ray of that Truth which enlightens all men" (Nostra Aetate).
Can the Declaration of Nostra Aetate be considered a definitive turning point in this complex and often turbulent history? These and other questions will be the subject of an international seminar that invites scholars from all religious backgrounds. In addition to the participation of Abrahamic believers, the participation of Buddhist representatives from Risho Kosei Kai will further enrich the dialogue, expanding the discussion toward a broader, global vision of spiritual encounter.
The seminar aims to encourage interdisciplinary research, capable of identifying common paths toward a deeper understanding of our relationship with a reality that radically transcends our common humanity.
For more information, visit the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross website:
https://www.pusc.it/teo/25NostraAetate/Iscrizioni
