There are 2 pdf's (1 short, 1 longer) to read this week. Start with the short document, "Nostra Aetate." Leaders of the Catholic Church wrote this document in 1965 at the end of the Second Vatican Council. Recall that this council changed many things for Catholics, including some official teachings on how they should relate to other world religious traditions. After you've read the document, answer the first 2 questions below.

1. Determine whether this document is an example of theology or religious studies. Support your position with brief discussions of examples from at least 2 different sections of the document.

2. This document discusses the Catholic tradition's relationship to 4 other world religious traditions. Simply list the 4 traditions that the document chooses to discuss.

The second pdf this week is the result of a collaboration between Muslim scholars from all over the world representing the many different forms of Islam. The goal of this document is to establish a framework for building peace in a world where more than half the population is either Muslim or Christian. It was published in 2007. Read the document and answer the following questions:

3. After reading this document, what is it saying are the key areas of agreement between Christianity and Islam that can help create a more peaceful world? Write a 3-5 sentence paragraph in response to this question.

4. At one point in the document, the authors use the holy texts of both traditions to show that they should not view each other as enemies. Read that section carefully and write a paragraph (3-5 sentences) that outlines their view on this issue.