College Hosts Third Annual Sr. Rose Thering, O.P. Event

Madison, Wis. (September 10, 2015) – Edgewood College is honored to host its third annual Sister Rose Thering, O.P. event on Thursday, October 8, 2015, beginning at 5:30 pm in Washburn Heritage Room, Regina Hall. HannahRosenthal and David Bossman will lead a special dinner program.

The October 8 gathering: Nostra Aetate (In Our Time) – Celebrating 50 Years, Building Bridges In Our Time invites members of Madison’s Jewish and Christian faith communities to gather for a dinner event as we mark the 50^th anniversary of a major breakthrough in Jewish-Catholic relationships and remember Sister Rose Thering, O.P.’s contribution as well as other significant Wisconsin voices in breaking down barriers between Judaism and Christianity. Gathered for food, friendship and storytelling, we will explore who and what is needed in our time.

Sister Rose Thering, O.P. was a woman ahead of her time for our time. She devoted her professional life of teaching and learning to enhancing the relationship between Roman Catholics and Jews. Sister Rose earned her Ph.D. in 1961. Her dissertation, “Potential in Religions Textbooks for Developing a Realistic Self-Concept” exposed widespread negative assertions about Jews and Judaism in the religious texts. Her doctoral study was instrumental in the seminal declaration of Nostra Aetate. 

Nostra Aetate, the final document approved by the Second Vatican Council and promulgated by Pope Paul VI in October 1965, was partially inspired by Sister Rose’s work when it declared “what happened in [Jesus’] passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today.” And “The Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from Holy Scripture.”

Hannah Rosenthal is well known in Madison. She currently serves as President and CEO of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. She worked in the State Department from 2009-2012 as the Special Envoy and head of the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism.

David Bossman is professor of Jewish-Christian Studies and Executive Director of the Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University. Bossman worked with Sister Rose at Seton Hall.

Reservations are required for this event. To RSVP, contact Becky Rice, RRice@edgewood.edu or 663-4222 by September 30.  Please indicate any special dietary restrictions.

Sponsored by The In Memory of Sister Rose Thering, O.P. Foundation, hosted by Edgewood College.

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