Ahmet Mekin KANDEMİR

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Mekin KANDEMİR is an Associate Professor at Karabük University's Faculty of Islamic Sciences, Department of Basic Islamic Sciences (Kalam), where he has been serving since 2023. Previously, he worked as an Assistant Professor at Ankara Social Sciences University's Faculty of Islamic Sciences (2021-2023) and as a Research Assistant at Necmettin Erbakan University's Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Theology (2013-2021).

Education:

• PhD in Fundamental Islamic Sciences, Necmettin Erbakan University, Institute of Social Sciences (2014-2019)
• Master's in Fundamental Islamic Sciences, Necmettin Erbakan University, Institute of Social Sciences (2013-2014)
• Bachelor's in Primary Education of Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge, Ankara University, Faculty of Theology (1999-2004)
• Additional studies in Philosophy, Anadolu University, Open Education Faculty (2015-2021)

Dr. KANDEMİR's research focuses on the intersection of Islamic theology, particularly Mu'tazila thought, with modern scientific concepts. His work extensively explores causality in Islamic theological tradition, examining how classical Mu'tazila scholars conceptualized natural causation and how these concepts relate to contemporary physics. He has made significant contributions to understanding the relationship between Islamic cosmology and modern scientific theories, especially the Big Bang theory, through the lens of traditional Islamic theological arguments like the hudus evidence. His research also spans the history of Islamic intellectual traditions, theological methodology, and contemporary applications of classical theological thought.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on Mu'tazila theology, particularly examining its approaches to causality, cosmology, and the relationship between divine action and natural phenomena. His work demonstrates a sophisticated engagement with both classical Islamic texts and contemporary scientific discourse, bridging historical theological concepts with modern philosophical and scientific questions. He has developed comparative frameworks that allow for meaningful dialogue between Islamic theological traditions and contemporary scientific understanding.

Dr. KANDEMİR serves as principal advisor for Master's students, currently guiding research on topics including Mu'tazila theological perspectives and issues of religious interpretation. He has participated in numerous research projects related to Islamic intellectual history, philosophy of religion, and science-religion dialogue, including international collaborations such as 'Philosophy of Religion in the Classical Islamic Intellectual Traditions: Problems, Texts, and Contexts' (2020-2024). His editorial work spans multiple journals and publications in the field of Islamic studies.

He is an active contributor to academic discourse in Islamic theology, serving as editor for several publications including 'Atebe Dini Araştırmalar Dergisi' and various academic books on Islamic theology and contemporary religious issues. His work reflects a commitment to advancing both traditional Islamic scholarship and its engagement with contemporary intellectual challenges.