Beyond Vatican II

Abstract Sixty years after Nostra aetate , the Roman Catholic declaration on non‐Christian religions, interreligious dialogue remains central to global Christianity. Yet, Oriental Orthodox churches, especially the Coptic and Syriac traditions, embody a different trajectory. Their long histories of coexistence in Muslim‐majority societies illustrate a “dialogue without documents,” grounded not in formal statements but in liturgical memory, monastic hospitality, everyday neighbourliness, and, at times, martyrdom. This lived practice sustains fidelity to Christ while respecting the dignity of the religious other, often under fragile and asymmetric conditions. This article argues that such traditions expand the vision of Nostra aetate by highlighting forms of encounter shaped by vulnerability rather than institutional security. Drawing on examples from Egypt and the Middle East, it shows how Oriental Orthodox practices cultivate a kenotic public theology centred on mercy, presence, and shared citizenship, offering fresh resources for Christian engagement in plural contexts today.