Forty years after the signing of the new Concordat between the State and the Church in Italy (18 February 1984), it is time to take stock of its impact and relevance. Over these decades, social, cultural, and demographic conditions have undergone significant changes, alongside an increased degree of secularisation. In this evolving context - where traditional religions appear to be in decline while new religious movements assert a growing presence in the public sphere - it becomes essential to reconsider the traditional approaches and frameworks for cooperation between the State and religious denominations. Therefore, this paper aims to explore how the "consensus method" and the tools of "participatory democracy" might be adapted to foster meaningful dialogue with the Church and other religious communities in a pluralistic and multicultural society.