Hidden Treasures Workshop

Hidden Treasures: The Voices of Women in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
November 4-5, 2007

The Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union is pleased to announce an important interreligious conference celebrating voices of women from the three Abrahamic traditions. Hidden Treasures: The Voices of Women in Judaism, Christianity and Islam invites women and men of faith to engage in dialogue in order to build relationships and discover new pathways of understanding and peace. You can view the schedule here.

The conference, held November 4th and 5th, is comprised of three panel presentations, each followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion. The November 4th program, held at The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii in Chicago, will identify and lift up issues of importance for women of faith. This panel features noted religious leaders Rabbi Ellen Dreyfus, of B’Nai Yehuda Beth Shalom Congregation in Homewood, Sister Dianne Bergant, C.S.A., professor of Old Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union, and Dr. Ingrid Mattson, professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations and President of The Islamic Society of North America. The conference moderator is Judy Valente, popular correspondent for PBS’s news program Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.

The conference moves to Catholic Theological Union’s academic and conference center on Monday, November 5th where the conversation with Sunday evening’s panelists continues. The topic for the morning panel is recovering the voices of wisdom. The third and final panel on Monday afternoon addresses challenging and problematic texts in the three faith traditions and features Dr. Marcia Hermansen, Professor of Theology, Loyola University, Dr. Rachel Havrelock, Assistant Professor and Hebrew Bible Scholar, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Sr. Barbara Reid, O.P., Professor of New Testament Studies, Catholic Theological Union.

The conference concludes with a viewing of Ties That Bind, an Emmy-nominated video documentary featured on WTTW in Chicago. This film premiered at the 2004 Parliament of World Religions, and captures the conversations of seven Chicago women who joined in an effort to discuss what unifies and divides us. The women are leaders of their Jewish, Christian, Muslim, African-American and Hispanic-American communities. A roundtable discussion based on the video will be moderated by producer Dr. Ann Feldman, Associate Professor of English, University of Illinois at Chicago.

The conference includes dinner (Kosher/Halal) on both Sunday and Monday evenings and Jewish, Christian and Muslim prayer experiences.

This two day conference is sponsored by The Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union, The Chicago Board of Rabbis, The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, The Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Archdiocese of Chicago, The Order of Friar Servants of Mary, and The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii. Deadline to register was October 26th and was done online you can view the schedule here or call 773-371-5432. There is no charge for the conference.

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