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Mohsen GoudarziView profile

Associate Professor

• Qur'anic Studies
• Early Islamic History
• Late Antiquity Religious Developments
• +4 more

Mohsen Goudarzi is an Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at Harvard Divinity School (HDS), part of Harvard University. He joined the faculty in 2021 after teaching at the University of Minnesota. His academic background includes a PhD from Harvard University and an MA from Stanford University. His research focuses on the Qur’an and early Islamic history, employing literary, linguistic, comparative, and historical approaches. Key interests include the Qur’an’s role in Late Antique religious developments, Islamic exegetical traditions (tafsīr), and theological frameworks (kalām). His current projects explore the Qur’anic worldview’s interpretation and the significance of Meccan cultic rituals to early Islamic identity. He has received teaching excellence awards, including a certificate from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Educational Innovation and three teaching distinctions from Harvard’s Office of Undergraduate Education. Research outputs include groundbreaking articles on Qur’anic exegesis, cultic practices, and interreligious dynamics. Notable works analyze the Qur’an’s engagement with Abrahamic traditions, ritual practices in Mecca, and the textual history of early Islamic manuscripts. His collaborative work on the Ṣan‘ā’1 codex redefined understandings of early Qur’anic canonization. Teaching spans HDS and Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), covering Islamic studies, Qur’anic studies, and religious history. He advises students in HDS programs and contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives at the intersection of theology, history, and textual criticism.

Annette Schellenberg-LaglerView profile

Professor

• Old Testament Studies
• Biblical Archaeology
• Wisdom Literature
• +4 more

Annette Schellenberg-Lagler serves as Professor of Old Testament Studies at the University of Vienna's Faculty of Protestant Theology, where she concurrently holds leadership roles as Vice Dean, Director of Studies, and Deputy Head of the Institute for Old Testament Studies and Biblical Archaeology. Her academic career spans over two decades with significant contributions to biblical scholarship since joining Vienna in 2015 after positions at the University of Zurich and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Her educational foundation includes Protestant Theology studies at the University of Zurich (1991-1998), followed by doctoral completion in 2002 and habilitation in 2011 at the same institution. Key developmental phases include Swiss National Science Foundation research in Los Angeles (2003-2005) and tenure-track professorship in California (2007-2015). Schellenberg-Lagler's research centers on Prehistory (Genesis 1-11), Priestly literature, Wisdom literature, and the Song of Songs, with specialized focus on Old Testament Anthropology and theological controversies within ancient Near Eastern contexts. Her work consistently bridges textual analysis with anthropological and epistemological frameworks, particularly examining human cognition in wisdom texts and sensory dimensions in biblical poetry. Current projects include a Song of Songs commentary for Eerdmans' Illuminations series. Recent publications reveal evolving scholarly trajectories toward negative theology in Hebrew Bible studies and interdisciplinary epistemology, while maintaining deep engagement with Wisdom literature. Her editorial leadership as Editor-in-Chief of Vetus Testamentum since 2020 significantly shapes contemporary Old Testament scholarship. She actively mentors students through STEOP-Mentoring programs and doctoral seminars, building on early-career support from Swiss National Science Foundation and Zurich Young Talents scholarships. Her academic service extends to steering committees for the Society of Biblical Literature's 'Wisdom in Israelite Traditions' group and the Working Group on Old Testament Reception (AKRAT). As a core member of Vienna's Research Center 'Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society' (RaT), she collaborates across multiple networks including the 'Epistemology in ancient Israel' consortium. Her institutional leadership drives curriculum development for Evangelical Theology programs while maintaining active participation in European scholarly societies like EABS and SBL.

Asma SayeedView profile

Associate Professor

• Early Muslim Social History
• History of Muslim Education
• Law and Social History
• +3 more

Asma Sayeed is an Associate Professor and Program Director of Islamic Studies at UCLA's Near Eastern Languages and Cultures department, part of the UCLA College. She holds a PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University (2005) and previously served as an Assistant Professor at Lafayette College. Her research focuses on early Muslim social history, Muslim education, gender studies, and hadith transmission by women. She has authored Women and the Transmission of Religious Knowledge in Islam (2013) and contributed to numerous journals and encyclopedias. Sayeed received a Fulbright Fellowship (2010) for archival research on Muslim women’s education in Syria. She teaches courses such as 'Introduction to Islam' and graduate seminars on research methodologies. Her current work examines textual practices in Muslim education across historical contexts. Education: PhD, Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University (2005) MA, History, Binghamton University (1994) BA, Politics, Princeton University (1991) Certificate in Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University (1991) Research Interests: Her scholarship emphasizes women’s roles in religious knowledge transmission, legal and social history intersections, and medieval Muslim educational systems. She frequently addresses how gender shaped access to religious authority and spaces. Awards: Fulbright Fellowship (2010) Teaching and Professional Engagement: Sayeed’s courses cover Quranic studies, Islam in the West, and methodological frameworks in Islamic studies. She actively participates in academic conferences and initiatives, including keynote lectures on women’s intellectual engagement in classical Islam and digital humanities projects mapping women’s educational histories.

Walid A. SalehView profile

Professor

• Qur’ān
• History of Quranic Commentaries (Tafsir)
• Muslim-Jewish Interactions
• +8 more

Walid A. Saleh is a Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Toronto , holding appointments in both the Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations department and the Department for the Study of Religion . His scholarship focuses on the Qur’an , Quranic exegesis (Tafsir), Islamic apocalyptic literature , and Biblical reception in Islam . PhD from Yale University (2001) Recipient of Mellon New Directions Fellowship (2014) and Konrad Adenauer Fellow (2017) Editor of the Routledge Qur’an Series His research analyzes Quranic chronology , manuscript traditions , and Islamic intellectual history . Recent publications examine periodization in Sunni tafsir, late Ottoman book culture, and the reception of al-Bayḍāwī's Anwar al-tanzīl . Articles explore topics from Quranic death narratives to medieval Islamic cosmology . Key article themes: Quranic identity formation , Islamic manuscript studies , exegetical methodology He has edited critical texts like al-Biqa`i's Bible treatise and serves on editorial boards for the Journal of the American Academy of Religion and Journal of Qur'anic Studies . His teaching includes advanced courses in Arabic paleography and Quranic hermeneutics .

Alison G. SalvesenView profile

Professor

• Early Judaism
• Early Christianity
• Hebrew Bible Interpretation
• +5 more

Professor Alison G. Salvesen (University of Oxford, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies) is a leading scholar in Early Judaism and Christianity, affiliated with the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies and Mansfield College. Her work bridges textual criticism, translation history, and reception studies. Current Projects: Hexapla Institute Executive Committee (electronic database of Origen's Old Testament), monograph on Jacob of Edessa (d. 708 CE) Teaching: Septuagint studies, Patristic texts, Textual criticism, Syriac literature Specializing in ancient Hebrew Bible interpretations, she examines Greek (Septuagint), Aramaic (Targums), Syriac (Peshitta), and Latin (Vulgate) traditions. Her research spans rabbinic Judaism and early Christian exegesis. Scientific leadership includes co-editing major reference works and directing the Polonsky Fellowship. Current DPhil students include Joel Bell, Yael Krämer, and Paul Ulishney. Key grants/awards: Polonsky Fellow in Early Judaism and Christianity

• Hadith Studies
• Prophetic Tradition in Islam
• Islamic Theology
• +5 more

Ruggero Vimercati Sanseverino is a Full Professor of Hadith Studies and Prophetic Tradition at the Center for Islamic Theology, University of Tübingen. His research spans Hadith transmission in Sunni and Shiite traditions Prophetic worship and Islamic imitation piety Dynamics of tradition and renewal in Islam Islamic spirituality and religious practices His academic journey includes a PhD from Aix-Marseille University (2012) and a Master’s from IREMAM/CNRS (2007). He has led projects like The Presence of the Prophet (DFG-ANR) and contributed to interdisciplinary dialogues on multireligious societies. The 15 most recent articles reflect his expertise in Hadith methodology Sufi spiritual traditions Prophetic hermeneutics Comparative Islamic studies Key collaborative works address interfaith dynamics and Islamic responses to secularization. He supervises PhD candidates and contributes to editorial boards, including the Theologie, Bildung, Ethik und Recht des Islam series at Nomos Verlag. His work bridges classical Islamic scholarship with contemporary theological challenges.

• Hebrew Bible
• Biblical Poetry and Poetics
• Wisdom Literature
• +4 more

Jacqueline Vayntrub is an Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Yale University's Yale Divinity School (YDS). Her expertise spans the Hebrew Bible, wisdom literature, biblical poetry, philology, and the reception history of biblical scholarship. She holds a PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago (2015), along with earlier degrees from UCLA and Hebrew University. Dr. Vayntrub’s research examines biblical genres within ancient Near Eastern literary contexts, focusing on how textual values evolve through transmission and reception. Her first monograph, Beyond Orality: Biblical Poetry on its Own Terms (Routledge, 2019), critiques scholarly assumptions about biblical poetry’s oral origins. Her current projects include Reframing Biblical Poetry (Yale U.P.) and Seeking Eternity , exploring transmission and mortality in biblical texts. She directs the international Renewed Philology working group and chairs SBL units in Hebrew Bible and philology. Vayntrub has published widely in journals like Harvard Theological Review and Catholic Bible Quarterly , and her work has been reviewed at prestigious institutions including Yale and NYU. She received a 2019-20 Katz Center fellowship for her Seeking Eternity project. Her academic service includes organizing conferences at Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, and editorial roles for Studies in Cultural Contexts of the Bible . Her teaching and scholarship emphasize critical engagement with ancient texts and their enduring cultural impact.

• Islamic Law
• Theology
• Ethics
• +3 more

Rumee Ahmed is a Professor of Islamic Law in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts, where he also holds the Canada Research Chair in Theology and Ethics. He earned his PhD from the Institute for the Study of Institutional Studies at Bovine University and specializes in Islamic law, theology, ethics, and philosophy. His research explores: Islamic legal theory and theology through emic approaches Ethical frameworks in Quranic exegesis and interfaith dialogue Intersections of law, gender, and human rights in Muslim societies Ahmed's publications predominantly focus on Islamic jurisprudence, theological ethics, and scriptural hermeneutics, with recurring themes of justice, interreligious engagement, and the evolution of Islamic legal thought. His work frequently employs comparative analysis across historical and contemporary contexts. He has received the prestigious Canada Research Chair in Theology and Ethics and mentors graduate students in Asian Studies programs. Ahmed actively collaborates on interdisciplinary projects and seeks research partnerships.

Annette Yoshiko ReedView profile

Professor

• Second Temple Judaism
• Early Christianity
• Jewish-Christian Relations
• +7 more

Annette Yoshiko Reed is the Krister Stendahl Professor of Divinity and Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School (HDS). She joined HDS in 2022 after roles at New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, and McMaster University. Her expertise spans Second Temple Judaism, early Christianity, and Jewish-Christian relations, with a focus on how ancient texts shape identity and difference. Key research areas include apocalypses, demonology, and the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. She has authored or co-authored books such as Fallen Angels and the History of Judaism and Christianity and Demons, Angels, and Writing in Ancient Judaism . Education: BA from McGill University, MTS from Harvard Divinity School, and MA/PhD from Princeton University. Her work integrates Biblical Studies, Patristics, Jewish Studies, and Classics. She serves on the editorial boards of Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism and Studia in Veteris Testamenti Pseudepigrapha , and chairs the Society of Biblical Literature’s “Jewish Christianity/Christian Judaism” section. A Fellow of the American Academy of Jewish Research, her current project explores the cultural power of forgetting in ancient Jewish history. Her research highlights marginalized writings like 1 Enoch and Pseudo-Clementine literature to bridge Jewish and Christian histories. Recent publications include studies on Enochic reception, rabbinic historiography, and demonology in ancient texts. She teaches at both HDS and Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Kecia AliView profile

Professor

• Islamic Studies
• Gender Studies
• Ethics
• +3 more

Professor Kecia Ali is a scholar of Religion and Islamic Studies at Boston University, with a PhD from Duke University. Her research focuses on Islamic law, gender studies, ethics, and biography, emphasizing feminist critiques of religious texts and institutions. She has authored influential books like Sexual Ethics and Islam and The Lives of Muhammad , exploring intersections of gender, law, and culture in Islamic traditions. Ali has held fellowships at Brandeis University and Harvard Divinity School before joining BU in 2006. She actively contributes to organizations like the American Academy of Religion and served as President of the Society for the Study of Muslim Ethics (2014–2016). Her work bridges religious studies with popular culture, analyzing themes in J.D. Robb's fiction and critiquing academic sexism. Courses taught include Islamic law, Quranic studies, and representations of Muhammad.

Mohammad FazlhashemiView profile

Professor

• Islamic Theology
• Islamic Philosophy
• Political Thought
• +4 more

Mohammad Fazlhashemi is a Professor of Islamic Theology and Philosophy at Uppsala University's Department of Theology (Systematic Theology). His work bridges Islamic intellectual traditions with contemporary issues like democracy, environmental ethics, and interreligious dialogue. Current affiliations: Uppsala University, Faculty of Theology Key research areas: Islamic political philosophy, ecotheology, gender in Islam, and theological responses to modernity Email: mohammad.fazlhashemi@teol.uu.se Recent publications highlight trends in Islamic ecoethics (e.g., Islamic Ecotheology , 2025), critical analysis of classical texts (e.g., Critical-constructive interpretation of Islamic documents , 2024), and political theology (e.g., Justifying political decisions through theological arguments , 2016). His scholarship often engages comparative frameworks, as seen in works like Occidentalism (2005) and Shiʿite Salafism? (2022). Mohammad Fazlhashemi's impact spans both academic and public discourse, with contributions to debates on Islam and modernity in outlets like Expressen and Svenska Dagbladet . His co-authored book Visdomens hus: Muslimska idévärldar 600 - 2000 (2017) demonstrates his interest in Islamic intellectual history across eras.

Stephen SpectorView profile

Professor

• Medieval English Literature
• Religious Studies
• Biblical Literature
• +3 more

Stephen Spector is a Professor of English at Stony Brook University since 1972, with a PhD from Yale University (1973). His work bridges medieval literature, religious studies, and language history. He has held visiting positions at the Hebrew University (Jerusalem, 1996–97) and fellowships at the National Humanities Center and Wesleyan University. His research focuses on medieval English literature, particularly mystery plays and biblical texts, alongside modern topics like Christian Zionism and the Ethiopian Jewish rescue operation (Operation Solomon). He has authored influential books such as Evangelicals and Israel (2009), which won the London Book Festival Prize, and Operation Solomon (2005), honored with the JDC-Herbert Katzki Award. Education: B.A. in English and Psychology from Penn State University (1968), M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Yale University (1973). He has taught courses ranging from the history of the English language to medieval literature and the Bible as literature. Research highlights include pioneering studies on anti-Semitism in medieval mystery plays, textual editing of the N-Town Play, and modern analyses of religious-political intersections. His recent work explores biblical prophecy’s influence on US foreign policy and contemporary grammar usage guides. Awards include the Van Courtlandt Elliott Prize (1980) for medieval scholarship, National Endowment for the Humanities grants, and SUNY Research Foundation fellowships. He has also contributed op-eds on topics like Sarah Palin’s religious influences and Israel-Evangelical relations. Grants and fellowships span decades, including directing NEH summer seminars on Jewish presence in early English literature (1993, 1996). His work often integrates historical methodologies with contemporary cultural analysis. Labs/Teams: Not explicitly listed, but his research collaborations are evident in co-edited volumes like The Olde Daunce (1991) and contributions to interdisciplinary projects like the Early English Text Society.

William ToomanView profile

Professor

• Ancient Jewish literature
• Hebrew Bible
• Textual criticism
• +7 more

Prof William Tooman is the Head of the School of Divinity and Principal of St Mary's College at the University of St Andrews. He holds the rank of Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism. His research focuses on the literary conventions and hermeneutics of ancient Jewish writers, particularly examining how poetics and textual evolution influenced interpretation. A co-PI of the Texture project, he explores historical poetics of ancient Jewish literature with Prof Andrew Teeter. Tooman earned his PhD in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2006) and has held roles including Lecturer at St Andrews (2009) and co-director of the Institute of Bible, Theology, and Hermeneutics (2018). Teaching spans undergraduate modules like DI1003 Old Testament 1 and postgraduate courses such as Textual Criticism. His research areas include textual criticism, inner-biblical interpretation, and scribal practices, with notable publications on Ezekiel, Targum Jonathan, and Qumran texts. Awards include an Honorary Research Fellowship at Manchester and grants from Harvard and Swiss-European programs. His advising includes five PhD students focusing on ancient Jewish literature. Key grants include the Texture project (2022–2027), exploring how ancient Jewish writers used literary techniques to transmit and reinterpret scripture. Labs/teams include the Institute of Bible, Theology, and Hermeneutics, emphasizing interdisciplinary biblical studies.

• Islamic Theology
• Pastoral Care
• Interreligious Dialogue
• +4 more

Mahmoud Abdallah is a Researcher at the Center for Islamic Theology , University of Tübingen, where he has worked since 2020. His career includes roles as Senior Scientist at the University of Innsbruck (2019–2020), Project Leader at ZITh (2016–2019), and Post-Doc researcher (2013–2018). He also held guest lectures at Marmara University (2017) and served as an Arabic Editor (2012–2013). Education : PhD in Comparative Linguistics (2012, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf), Master’s summa cum laude (2002, University of Minia), State Examination (1998, Al-Azhar University). Research Interests focus on Islamic Theology , Pastoral Care , Interreligious Dialogue , and Religious Institutions in Pluralistic Societies . He explores hermeneutics in Islamic counseling, Ḥisba in public order, and Umma dynamics in multicultural contexts. Recent Publications (2014–2022) analyze Qur’anic ambiguity , interfaith education , religious responses to crises (e.g., pandemic pastoral care), and Islamic social ethics . Key themes include Abrahamic unity , contextual theology , and religious hermeneutics . Scientific Awards : Master’s degree with summa cum laude distinction (University of Minia, 2002). Advising & Projects : Co-editor of Grundlagen muslimischer Seelsorge (2020) and Theologie des Zusammenlebens series (2017–2022). Led the 2016 project Scientific Education and Social Responsibility (Baden-Württemberg Ministry). Currently working on books about Prophetic Hermeneutics (2023) and Religious Transformations in Crisis (2022). Committee Memberships : Member of the German Islam Conference (since 2018), Scientific Advisory Boards at Zukunftsforum Islam e.V. (since 2017), and the DAVO (German Working Group on the Middle East, since 2009).

Paul AndersonView profile

Professor

• Gospel of John
• Jesus studies
• Quaker studies
• +4 more

Paul Anderson serves as Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox University's School of Theology, where he has taught since January 1989. His academic journey includes a PhD from Glasgow University, MDiv from Earlham School of Religion, graduate studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Portland State University, and a BA from Malone University. Anderson maintains significant international academic connections as extraordinary professor of religion at North-West University of Potchefstroom (South Africa) and adjunct professor at Barclay College and Portland Seminary. Anderson's research centers on the Gospel of John, Jesus studies, and Quaker theology. He pioneered cognitive-critical analysis of Johannine traditions to address Christological tensions, developing his "Bi-Optic Hypothesis" for understanding John's composition. His influential book The Fourth Gospel and the Quest for Jesus argues for John's significance in historical Jesus research, while From Crisis to Christ provides a contextual New Testament introduction bridging ancient and contemporary contexts. His work on Quaker spirituality, including Following Jesus , explores practical Christian discipleship within the Friends tradition. As a prolific scholar with over 400 published essays, Anderson has shaped Johannine studies through his founding role in the John, Jesus, and History Project (SBL 2002-2016) and co-editing of four major volumes in its series. His recent publications (2021-2024) demonstrate continued scholarly vitality, focusing on Johannine theology, historical Jesus research, and Quaker thought. These works reveal his consistent engagement with dialectical tensions in John, universalism/exclusivism debates, and the application of biblical insights to contemporary spirituality. Founding member of the John, Jesus, and History Project (SBL 2002-2016) Editor of Biblical Interpretation series (E.J. Brill) Editor of Johannine Monograph Series Editor of Quakers and the Disciplines series (FAHE) Former editor of Evangelical Friend (1990-1994) and Quaker Religious Thought (2000-2011) Anderson's academic leadership extends through visiting professorships at Yale Divinity School (where he taught 1998-1999) and Princeton Theological Seminary, along with international appointments as DAAD professor at the University of Mainz and Fulbright Specialist at Radboud University of Nijmegen. His work bridges scholarly rigor and practical spirituality, particularly in Quaker contexts, while maintaining active engagement with contemporary theological debates through his extensive publication record and editorial work.