On September 15-16, 2025, Georgetown University convened religious leaders and scholars for a major two-day conference commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the Catholic Church’s relationship with non-Christian religions.
The event, titled “Nostra Aetate at 60: Legacy and Challenges for Reconciliation and Interreligious Understanding,” was co-sponsored by Georgetown’s Office of the President, the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, and the American Jewish Committee (AJC).
The gathering provided a timely reflection on Nostra Aetate’s enduring legacy of dialogue and reconciliation — and how its principles can be applied in today’s increasingly divided and uncertain global climate.
The first day focused on the Church’s relationship with the Jewish people, while the second day broadened the discussion to include Islam and what the organizers termed “the Dharmic religions.” Archbishop Felix Machado, a bishop-member of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Anuttama Dasa, Global Minister of Communications for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), opened day two by tracing Nostra Aetate’s evolving influence in interreligious relations. To watch his presentation, click here.
“It is significant that in 1965, the same year that His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada landed in the West to launch his international mission, the Catholic Church was closing Vatican Council II and released this important document Nostra Aetate,” said Anuttama Dasa. “It represents the first time the Catholic Church officially recognized the value of other religious traditions and teachings and opened the door for an era of interfaith dialogue and cooperation.”
“So, it was important that representatives of Srila Prabhupada and the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition were invited to this conference at Georgetown University, the first Jesuit university in America. We shared reflections on the document’s significance and how it helped open the door to interfaith dialogue between the Catholic Church and major world religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism.”
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