Reflecting on Nostra aetate, the Natural Law, and Conscience

Abstract

Although the Vatican II declaration Nostra aetate (1965) fundamentally reshaped contemporary interreligious dialogue, it notably omits the concept of “conscience.” This paper addresses this gap in current theological literature by proposing a framework for interreligious engagement rooted in conscience, defined here as the subjective appropriation of the natural law. Utilizing a systematic theological analysis, the study argues that this framework allows the Catholic Church to affirm shared moral realities with other traditions—specifically the inherent value of human life, the teleological horizon of the human person, and the call to social solidarity—while fully maintaining its core Christological convictions and evangelizing mission. By viewing non-Christian religions through the lens of conscience and natural law, the Church can better recognize elements that are “true and holy” without dissolving doctrinal differences. Ultimately, this paper positions natural law not as a mechanism of salvation but as an anthropologically grounded platform for collaborative global ethics.