UCSIA/IJS Chair 2013-2014: Is There a Judeo-Christian Tradition?

International Workshop

12-13 February 2014
University of Antwerp, Hof van Liere
Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen

Although the term “Judeo-Christian” is used frequently and in many contexts, it is by no means a self-evident concept and has a fascinating and loaded history. This workshop will explore the historical and present usage of the term as well as its theological, philosophical and political implications for an understanding of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity and for other religions as well as other intercultural and interreligious dialogues.

Keynote speakers:
Prof. dr. Israel Yuval (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and
Prof. dr. Ada Rapoport-Albert (University College London)

UCSIA/IJS Workshop brochure

Program

Wednesday 12 February

Opening session: The Contribution of Christianity to Rabbinic Judaism
Chair: Vivian Liska (IJS, University of Antwerp)

20.00-20.10   Welcome words by Jacques Haers (UCSIA), Vivian Liska (IJS) and
                         Itzhak Benyamini (HU & BAAD)
20.10-21.00   Keynote lecture: Israel Yuval (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
                         The Contribution of Christianity to Rabbinic Judaism
21.00-21.30   Response by Bernd Witte (Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf)
21.30-22.00   Discussion followed by a reception

Thursday 13 February

Workshop

Session I: Critical Theology and the Judeo-Christian Tradition
Chair: Dennis Baert (IJS)
09.00-09.30   Itzhak Benyamini (University of Haifa & Bezalel Academy of Arts and
                         Design)
                         Beyond the Hyphenated Jew: The “Judeo-Christian” in the Wake of
                         Jean-François Lyotard

09.30-10.00   Michael F. Mach (Tel-Aviv University)
                         Modern Jewish/Christian Theologies
10.00-10.30   Jacques Haers (KU Leuven and UCSIA)
                         Theology : Critical when Attempting to Discern Emerging Creativity
10.30-11.00   Discussion
11.00-11.15   Coffee break

Session II: Law and Love in the Jewish and Christian Tradition
Chair: David Dessin (IJS)
11.15-11.45   Emmanuel Nathan (KU Leuven)
                         Two Pauls, Three Opinions: The Jewish Paul between Law and Love
11.45-12.15   Yitzhak Melamed (Johns Hopkins University)
                         Spinoza and Paul: Christians and Pharisees
12.15-12.45   Vivian Liska (IJS, University of Antwerp)
                         Readings of Kafka and the Law from Walter Benjamin to Giorgio
                         Agamben

12.45-13.15   Discussion
13.15-14.30   Lunch (speakers only)

Session III: The Judeo-Christian Tradition and Other Religious Traditions
Chair: Jacques Haers (KU Leuven and UCSIA)
14.30-15.00   Warren Zeev Harvey (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
                         The Judeo-Christian Tradition’s Five Others
15.00-15.30   Elizabeth Harris (Liverpool Hope University)
                         Idolatry or a Path of Compassion? Jewish and Christian Attitudes to
                         Buddhism

15.30-16.00   Anya Topolski (KU Leuven)
                         A Genealogy of the 'Judeo-Christian' Signifier:
                         A Tale of Europe’s Identity Crisis

16.00-16.30   Discussion
16.30-17.00   Coffee break

Closing session: Jewish and Christian Female Mystics
Chair: Vivian Liska (IJS, University of Antwerp)

17.00-17.10   Welcome words by Jacques Haers (UCSIA) and Vivian Liska (IJS)
17.10-18.00   Ada Rapoport-Albert (University College London)
                         “They laud his Mother Mary, entreat her and pray to her, for she is the
                          counterpart of the Holy Shekhinah”: A Sabbatean View of Divine

                         Femininity against the Background of Marian Piety
18.00-18.30   Response by Veerle Fraeters (Ruusbroecgenootschap, University of
                         Antwerp)
18.30-19.00   Discussion
19.00               Dinner (speakers only)

Registration

If you would like to register for this workshop, click here.