Dr. Nina Caputo, “Disputing Normative Judaism: A Contest for Authority between Traditionalists and Ration
Religious Studies Brownbag
Event Details
Date
Friday, October 23, 2026
Time
Noon-1 p.m.
Location
Description
Join Religious Studies and Dr. Nina Caputo for a discussion of a major medieval Jewish controversy surrounding the reception of Moses Maimonides’s philosophical works. Focusing on disputes in the 1230s, the talk explores tensions between traditionalist and rationalist approaches to authority, biblical interpretation, and communal governance, highlighting competing visions of normative Judaism and who has the power to define religious tradition and practice.
Cost
Free
Contact
Accessibility
We value inclusion and access for all participants and are pleased to provide reasonable accommodations for this event. Please email kd.thompson@wisc.edu to make a disability-related accommodation request. Requests should be made by Friday, October 9, 2026, though reasonable effort will be made to support late accommodation requests.