Email:
Address:
3420 NC Highway 87
Graham United States
Education:
PhD in Islamic and Intercultural Studies
MA in Muslim and Intercultural Studies
BA in Biblical Studies
Specialities:
Islam, Islamic movements, Christian/Islam Relations, Missiology focused on Muslims, the Gülen/Hizmet movement, Turkish studies
My vision as a Christian scholar of Islam is twofold: first, I aim to continue engaging with Muslim scholars through research, publications, and dialogue. My dissertation explores Bediüzzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960) and Muhammed Fethullah Gülen’s (1941-2024) understanding of tyranny. Second, I want to continue teaching and coaching the next generation of Evangelical spiritual leaders (students) to love, understand, and make disciples of Muslims. Islam continues to be the fastest growing religion on the planet, which makes it imperative for Christian scholars to develop more Christian scholars and students to be able to interact with Muslims not only today, but over the next 75 years, when two-thirds of the world will be Muslim or Christian. Speaking in 1936, Mortimer Graves of the American Council of Learned Societies urged, “At the minute the Arabic world is not drawn to our alarmed attention…, but everything indicates that within the next couple of decades we shall have to understand it. We should not wait until the need is too obvious, for by that time it would be too late to do anything.” Graves’s concern applies more than ever to the Church and Evangelicals today. I am open to teaching on Islam and Muslims in any capacity, including Islamic theology, history, comparative religion, and missiological practices. Ultimately, I would love to have the opportunity to develop an Islamic studies program at a flourishing existing Christian college or university. While I realize this may require some effort and funding, I am committed to organizing the curriculum process, recruiting necessary faculty, and securing the funding (with God’s help). Please review my CV and website at Tmessick.com. Please get in touch with me to start the conversation.