Najib George Awad

Prof. Dr. Najib George Awad serves as an Associate Researcher at the Center for Theology and Society Interreligiously (CTSI) within the Faculty of Theology at the University of Bonn. His academic profile spans interreligious and comparative theology with specialized focus on Arab Christian-Muslim Kalām in early Islam and contemporary Middle Eastern interreligious dynamics.

Dr. Awad's research centers on rational theology (Kalām) examining intersections between Mu'tazilism and Arab Christian theology during the third/ninth century. His work critically engages contemporary Arab Christian theology and Middle Eastern interreligious issues, particularly exploring identity formation in early Islamic contexts and post-Arab Spring religious dynamics. His scholarly approach bridges historical analysis with contemporary theological challenges facing Middle Eastern Christianity.

His publications reveal strong thematic continuity in Christian-Muslim intellectual history, with recent works analyzing Theodore Abu Qurrah's theological contributions, the evolution of Kalām as cultural identity formation, and critical assessments of interreligious dialogue frameworks. Key publication trends include historical analysis of Abbasid-era theological exchanges (40%), contemporary interreligious theory (30%), and Middle Eastern Christian identity studies (30%).

Dr. Awad maintains active scholarly engagement through peer-reviewed publications in journals including Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, Journal of Interreligious Studies, and The Muslim World. His monographs published with Brill, De Gruyter, and Gorgias Press demonstrate significant contributions to specialized theological discourse.

Academic appointments include:

• Professor of Christian Theology & Eastern Christian Thought at Hartford Seminary (2019-2021)
• Associate Professor of Christian Theology at Hartford Seminary (2012-2019)
• Visiting Scholar at Westfälische Wilhelm-Universität Münster (2021)
• Lecturer positions at Goettingen University, Yale Divinity School, and Near East School of Theology