Home
Dialogika Resources
Primary Texts From The History Of The Relationship

Primary Texts concerning Nostra Aetate

Nostra Aetate, the 1965 Declaration on the Church's Relationship to Non-Christian Religions was one of the most influential and celebrated documents issued by the Second Vatican Council, a gathering of the world's Catholic bishops. In particular it made possible a new and positive relationship between Jews and Catholics. This page provides primary source documents and educational materials about the origins, development, and impact of Nostra Aetate. Thanks to Victoria Barnett, John Connelly, and Murray Watson for their assistance with certain items.

 

vat konzil relief

 Preconciliar Texts

Texts from the period when the Christian cultural and religious view prevailed that Jews were destined to suffer or live on the margins of society because of their rejection of Jesus Christ.
1.Theodor Herzl: Audience with Pope Pius XJan 16, 1904Theodor Herzl
2.Encyclical "Mit Brenneder Sorge"Mar 14, 1937Pope Pius XI
3."Spiritually, we are Semites"Sept 6, 1938Pope Pius XI
4.Draft Encyclical: "Humani Generis Unitas"1938Gustave Desbuquois, Gustav Gundlach, John LaFarge

 Precursors

Texts reflecting post-Shoah efforts to overcome theological anti-Judaism. Many concepts in these materials were taken up in Nostra Aetate.
1.An Address to the Churches (The Ten Points of Seelisberg)Aug 1947International Council of Christians and Jews
2.The Rectification Necessary in Christian Teaching: Eighteen PointsApr 1948Jules Isaac
3.The Schwalbach Theses: Proposals for Christian Religious TeachingMay 1950German Coordinating Council of Societies for Christian-Jewish Cooperation
4.Theses for EvanstonAug 1954Karl Thieme
5.Rejecting AntisemitismApr 24, 1960Faculty of the Pontifical Biblical Institute
6.Recommendations from the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies, Seton Hall UniversityJune 8, 1960John M. Oesterriecher, et al.
7.Notes about a crucial meeting with John XXIIIJune 13, 1960Jules Isaac
8.Second Apeldoorn International Study Conference on Christian-Jewish RelationsSept 1960Willehad Eckert, O.P.
9.John XXIII: "I am Joseph, your brother."Oct 19, 1960L'Osservatore Romano
10.The Image of Jews in Catholic TeachingJune 22, 1961AJC: Judith Hershcopf Banki
11.Anti-Jewish Elements in Catholic LiturgyNov 17, 1961AJC: Eric Werner
12.Resolution on Anti-SemitismNov 1961Third Assembly, World Council of Churches
13.On Improving Catholic-Jewish RelationsMay 22, 1962AJC: Abraham Joshua Heschel

Composition Process

Drafts and speeches that chart the development of what began as a statement only on Jews and Judaism to a declaration on all the world's religions.
1.Decree on the Jews (Decretum de Iudaeis)Nov 1961Secretariat for Christian Unity
2.On the Attitude of Catholics Toward Non-Christians and Especially Toward JewsNov 1963Secretariat for Christian Unity
3.Address to "the People of the Covenant"Jan 5, 1964Pope Paul VI
4.Address to the General Chapter of the Sisters of Sion Jan 15, 1964Augustin Cardinal Bea
5.Appendix 'On the Jews' to the "Declaration on Ecumenism"Mar 1964Secretariat for Christian Unity
6.On the Jews and Non-ChristiansSept 1964Second Vatican Council Coordinating Commission
7.Report on the Statement "On Jews and Non-Christians"Sept 25, 1964Augustin Cardinal Bea
8.The Council's Deliberations (1)Sept 28, 1964Council Fathers
9.The Council's Deliberations (2)Sept 29, 1964Council Fathers
10.The Council's Deliberations (3)Sept 29, 1964Council Fathers
11.Draft of the "Declaration on the Church's Relationship to Non-Christian Religions"Nov 18, 1964Council Fathers
12.Amendments to Section 4Mar 1965Secretariat for Christian Unity

Official Conciliar and Postconciliar Texts

The final form of Nostra Aetate, a relevant excerpt from Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, and implementing documents of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews and the Vatican Secretariat of State.
1.Nostra Aetate: Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions: Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian ReligionsOct 28, 1965Second Vatican Council
2.Lumen Gentium: Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (excerpt): Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (excerpt)Nov 1964Second Vatican Council
3.Guidelines and Suggestions for Implementing the Conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate, No. 4Jan 1974Commission for Religious Relations with Jews
4.Notes on the Correct Way to Present Jews and Judaism in Preaching and Catechesis in the Roman Catholic ChurchJune 1985Commission for Religious Relations with Jews
5.We Remember: A Reflection on the ShoahMar 16, 1998Commission for Religious Relations with Jews
6.Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the State of IsraelDec 30, 1993Secretariat of State of the Holy See and the State of Israel
7."The Gifts and the Calling of God Are Irrevocable" (Rom 11:29): A Reflection on Theological Questions Pertaining to Catholic-Jewish Relations on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Nostra Aetate (No. 4) Dec 10, 2015Commission for Religious Relations with Jews 

  Papal Texts

Links to relevant writings of the post-conciliar popes.
1.Pope Paul VI1963-1978 
2.Pope John Paul II1978-2005 
3.Pope Benedict XVI2005-2013 
4.Pope Francis2013- 

50th Anniversary Statements

Documents issued in honor of the golden anniversary of Nostra Aetate
 1.

Celebrating and Deepening the New Christian-Jewish Relationship

 

June 30, 2015International Council of Christians and Jews
 2.

A Church in Dialogue: The Catholic Church and Interreligious Dialogue

 

Aug 31, 2015Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
3.

Nostra Aetate: Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions 50th Anniversary

 

Oct 26, 2015Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
4.

"'...in our time...' A statement on relations between the Presbytery of Chicago and the Jewish community in metropolitan Chicago"

 

Nov 21, 2015Presbytery of Chicago, Presbyterian Church - USA
5.

"Declaration for the Upcoming Jubilee of Brotherhood: A New Jewish View of Jewish-Christian Relations"

 

Nov 23, 2015French Jewish Leaders
6.

"To Do the Will of Our Father in Heaven: Toward a Partnership between Jews and Christians"

 

Dec 3, 2015Orthodox Jewish Leaders
7."Between Jerusalem and Rome: The Shared Universal and the Respected Particular – Reflections on 50 Years of Nostra Aetate"March 2016Conference of European Rabbis and  Rabbinical Council of America 
Recent Newsflash
JJ-JC 4 sponsors-4.jpg
CCJR's journal publishes special volume on *Jesus the Jew / Jesus the Christ: Explorations of His Jewish Identity and Its Meanings*
April 30, 2026
CCJR silver anniversary logo.png
CCJR announces 2026 meeting
April 23, 2026
Pope Leo - brief comments.JPG
Pope Leo XIV on Wars around the World
April 12, 2026
Recent Statements
Israelis-mourn.jpeg
ICCJ: In Solidarity with Israel
October 10, 2023
jewish-christian-chruch2.jpg
A National Reckoning of the Soul: A Call to the Churches of the United States to Confront the Crisis of Antisemitism
December 14, 2022
Brooklyn Bridge march against antisemitism.jpg
A Call for Solidarity with Our Jewish Colleagues and Neighbors
May 28, 2021