MACMILLAN Nostra Aetate, Non-Christian Religions, and Interfaith Relations

This book explores how Nostra Aetate, the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council, can influence inter-religious dialogue and understanding in the modern world. Although influential in religious, academic, and scholarly circles, it is relatively unknown outside these areas. The contributors remedy that deficit by highlighting the declaration’s difficult historical and social context and the Church’s evolving relationship with non-Christians. Contentious topics are examined such as the link between the Jewish people and the land and state of Israel, that questions the Catholic understanding of the relativity of national borders and identity, and the challenges posed to the Church’s relationship with Islam by its prioritization of human rights and religious freedom for Christians and minorities in certain Muslim regimes. Given its scope, it is an ideal resource for graduate students and researchers in the fields of political science, international relations, religion, and minority studies. Review “This collection of new studies provides a deeper understanding of the genesis of this Declaration, of its important statements on Judaism and Islam, and of its continuing relevance in our multi-cultural and multi-religious world.” (Michael L. Fitzgerald, Islamochristiana, Vol. 46, 2020) From the Back Cover This book explores how Nostra Aetate, the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council, can influence inter-religious dialogue and understanding in the modern world. Although influential in religious, academic, and scholarly circles, it is relatively unknown outside these areas. The contributors remedy that deficit by highlighting the declaration’s difficult historical and social context and the Church’s evolving relationship with non-Christians. Contentious topics are examined such as the link between the Jewish people and the land and state of Israel, that questions the Catholic understanding of the relativity of national borders and identity, and the challenges posed to the Church’s relationship with Islam by its prioritization of human rights and religious freedom for Christians and minorities in certain Muslim regimes. Given its scope, it is an ideal resource for graduate students and researchers in the fields of political science, international relations, religion, and minority studies. Kail C. Ellis is Dean Emeritus of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Assistant to the President, and Associate Professor of Political Science at Villanova University, USA. About the Author Kail C. Ellis is Dean Emeritus of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Assistant to the President, and Associate Professor of Political Science at Villanova University, USA.