By Midhun J Francis
Rome, Oct 23, 2025: The Gregorian University in Rome will hold an international conference on the Vatican II decree on the Church’s relationship with other religions.
The October 27-29 conference will rethink on “Nostra Aetate” (In Our Time) 60 years after its promulgation and address “theological developments, decades of interreligious encounters, and the changing global context.”
The conference on the theme, “Towards the Future. Re-Thinking Nostra Aetate Today,” is organized by the Center for Interreligious Studies and the Cardinal Bea Centre at the Pontifical Gregorian University, with the support of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews.
The opening session at 10 am, will feature the participation of the rector of the Gregorian University, Father Mark Lewis; Cardinals George Jacob Koovakad of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Kurt Koch of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; along with Elias El Halabi, moderator of the Interreligious Dialogue Reference Group of the World Council of Churches.
“The introduction of interreligious dialogue as an integral part of the Church’s universal mission was an epochal change,” notes Ambrogio Bongiovanni, director of the Center for Interreligious Studies at the Gregorian: “A change not without obstacles—yet gradually, many of them have been overcome. In particular, relations with the Islamic world have borne visible fruit, even in areas of conflict and despite tensions caused by various forms of fundamentalism.”
From the perspective of Jewish-Christian relations, “This conference takes place in a historical moment that has experienced—and continues to experience—considerable difficulties,” adds Massimo Gargiulo, director of the Cardinal Bea Centre for Jewish Studies.
“The new openings that now seem to be emerging align with the non-ceremonial character we wanted to give this gathering. While acknowledging the progress made over the past sixty years, as well as the setbacks, the presentations will address present and future challenges in a world that continues to evolve,” he added.
The second Vatican Council threw open the doors and windows and asked the Catholics to see that God is alive and active in every religion. Inter-religious dialogue was meant to share “god-experiences”. But even after 60 years, “relationship of the Catholic Church, especially the Indian Catholic Church, with other religions is very minimal. Even today, a vast majority of the clergy have the “pre-Vatican mindset”. SAD INDEED!