The Michael and Barbara Newmark Institute for Human Relations at the Jewish Community Relations Council has partnered with Fontbonne University and the Archdiocese of St. Louis to hold a two-day symposium Oct. 20-21 titled “To Achieve Human Dignity…50 Years with Nostra Aetate and Dignitatis Humanae from the Documents of Vatican II.”

The symposium will examine the documents Nostra Aetate and Dignitatis Humanae, as well as their history, implementation and impact on the lives of all people of faith then, now and for the future.

Highlights include high school and college programs on both days, bringing together students from Catholic, Jewish and Muslim faith traditions for prayer, study, discussion and service (by invitation only).

The following events take place at 7 p.m. at Doerr Chapel on the Fontbonne University campus, 6800 Wydown Blvd.; both are free and open to the community: 

• Observations from the Abrahamic Traditions – A Practitioner’s View of Common Beliefs and Sacred Tradition (Oct. 20): Batya Abramson-Goldstein, JCRC executive director; Rev. Leobardo Almazán, moral theology professor at Aquinas Institute of Theology and sacramental minister at Our Lady of Guadalupe parish; and Dr. Ghazala Hayat, public relations chair at Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis.

• Human Dignity and Reflections on the Future of Interfaith Activities in Light of the Vatican II Documents and 50 Years of Practice (Oct. 21): Rabbi Steve Gutow, president and CEO for the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Rev. Michael Kinnamon, visiting professor of ecumenical collaboration in interreligious dialogue at Seattle University; Fr. John Pawlikowski, director of the Catholic-Jewish studies program at Catholic Theological Union; and Sayyid M. Syeed, national director for the office for interfaith and community alliances for the Islamic Society of North America.

For more information, visit fontbonne.edu/nostra, call 314-719-3663 or email [email protected].