Berkley Center

"The Church regards with esteem also Muslims.” With these words, Catholic bishops, meeting in council with Pope Paul VI in 1965, introduced their reflections on a few constructive reasons for dialogue and cooperation with Muslims. The passage is section 3 of Nostra Aetate, the “Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions,” promulgated 60 years ago at the Second Vatican Council. A few bishops and scholars attended Vatican II hoping to improve Catholic attitudes and teachings about Muslims. Remarkably they succeeded with a passage of 132 Latin words in the council’s shortest (only 1140 words) document and opened a new era for Christian-Muslim relations. The passage begins recognizing beliefs and practices that Muslims hold dear and expands to a plea for mutual understanding and joint efforts fostering social justice, moral welfare, and peace and freedom. 

While encouraging religious relations, Nostra Aetate implicitly promotes the application of shared religious values in political relations. What were the religious and political consequences of this passage, and how specifically have Christian-Muslim relations unfolded in the six decades since Vatican II? What are the challenges and hopes for the future? 

This event is hosted by the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) in partnership with the Office of the President; the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs; and the Department of Theology and Religious Studies.

Schedule

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Religious and Political Implications of Nostra Aetate on Christian-Muslim Relations after Sixty Years

Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, Former Apostolic Nuncio to Cairo and Delegate to the League of Arab States; Former President, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
Professor Ebrahim Moosa, University of Notre Dame
Professor Tamara Sonn, Emerita, Georgetown University
Professor Paul Heck (Moderator), Georgetown University 

3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Break 

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Greetings from Additional Sponsors
Dr. Larry Golemon, Washington Theological Consortium
Ibrahim Anli, Rumi Forum 

4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Accomplishments, Challenges and Suggestions for Future Christian-Muslim Relations
Professor Wilhelmus Valkenberg, Emeritus, Catholic University of America
Dr. Daanish Faruqi, Georgetown University
Dr. Ryann Craig, Georgetown University
Halil Avci, Ph.D. Student, Georgetown University
Professor Nader Hashemi (Moderator), ACMCU, Georgetown University 

6:00 p.m. | Reception