In 2025, the global Catholic and interreligious communities will commemorate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate (In Our Time)—the groundbreaking declaration of the Second Vatican Council issued on October 28, 1965. It stands as a transformative milestone, inviting the Church into a new era of openness, dialogue, and mutual respect with Jewish, Muslim, and other faith communities. Nostra Aetate marked a radical shift—rejecting centuries of indifference or outright anti-Judaism, affirming the enduring covenant with the Jewish people, and affirming that the Catholic Church “rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions.”
Over the past six decades, Nostra Aetate has shaped theological reflection, ecumenical outreach, and grassroots interfaith initiatives worldwide—serving as both foundation and inspiration for ICJS’s mission: to advance interreligious dialogue while disarming prejudice and building bridges across faiths.
This anniversary offers a vital opportunity to celebrate the far-reaching fruits of Nostra Aetate—from theological breakthroughs to local acts of friendship and solidarity—while also renewing our commitment to dialogue in a world marked by rising tensions and mutual misunderstandings.
Photo: Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel with Cardinal Augustine Bea. They were both instrumental to the drafting of “Nostra Aetate.” Image via American Jewish Committee.