What Does Vatican II Say?
Some may argue that Vatican IIs Nostra Aetate (Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions) allows for Catholics to “promote” the genuine truth in non-Christian religions. Article no. 2 of Nostra Aetate does say that we are exhorted to “acknowledge, preserve and promote the spiritual and moral truths found among non-Christians, also their social life and culture.” However, there is a crucial paragraph that immediately precedes those remarks: The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions. She has a high regard for the manner of life and conduct, the precepts and doctrines which, although differing in many ways from her own teaching, nevertheless often reflect a ray of truth which enlightens all men. Yet she proclaims and is in duty bound to proclaim without fail, Christ who is the way, the truth and life (Jn. 1:6). In him, in whom God reconciled all things to Himself (2 Cor. 5:18-19), men find the fullness of their religious lif
