Toward Respectful Understanding and Faithful Witness Among Muslims
The 2024 Intercultural Studies Lectures
Hosted by the School of Mission and Theology
October 16–18, 2024
Registration
General Registration – $50
Alumni and Non-Fuller Students – $25
Fuller Students, Staff, and Faculty – $0
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The 2024 Intercultural Studies Lectures
Hosted by Fuller’s School of Mission and Theology, the 2024 Intercultural Studies Lectures will offer global intercultural reflections on Islamic traditions and diverse Muslim communities. “Toward Respectful Understanding and Faithful Witness Among Muslims” will bring together scholars, activists, and practitioners from around the world to engage this vital topic for joining in God’s heart of love for all.
Islam is the second largest religion in the world and is projected to become the largest in just a few decades. As the locus of Christianity has shifted, two-thirds of Christians now live in the Global South, which is also home to 97 percent of Muslims. At the same time, globalization and immigration have brought Muslims to the Global North, where they are neighbors, colleagues, and fellow citizens. As a result, Christians and Muslims, whether in the Global South or North, must engage with one another.
Unfortunately, Christians and Muslims have frequently misunderstood each other over the centuries, leading to discrimination, violence, and even war. For example, the Crusades and European colonization of the Muslim world crippled Christian-Muslim relationships. Even in the modern era, Christian theologians have too often approached Islam as a monolithic tradition, overlooking its rich diversity and failing to contextualize the good news of Jesus within this varied and multifaceted landscape. Followers of Jesus have frequently failed to discern and participate in the Holy Spirit’s activity within Muslim communities.
Nevertheless, Fuller Theological Seminary has a rich history of approaching Islamic Studies with intellectual rigor and of engaging Muslims in a manner that reflects the love and character of Jesus Christ. This commitment to scholarship and faithful witness among Muslims is embodied by the legacy of Dr. Dudley Woodberry, a world-class Islamic scholar and dean emeritus of Fuller’s School of Intercultural Studies. Additionally, Fuller honors the memory and contributions of Dr. Evelyne Reisacher, the late associate professor of Islamic Studies and intercultural relations. Building on their legacies, we hope to foster a thoughtful and constructive conversation aimed at deepened humility and broadened understanding in the church’s witness among Muslims.
The conference will be in a hybrid format for the first day and a half, offering both in-person and online sessions, while the remaining three days will be fully online.
The Intercultural Studies Lectures will tackle the following questions:
- What is a post-Orientalist approach to Islamic Studies, and what are its implications?
- How can we engage the diversity of Muslim communities in a manner that reflects the love and character of God?
- How can Christians join with Muslims in addressing public issues of common concern, including but not limited to climate change, peacemaking, homelessness, and drug abuse?
- How do Christians and Muslims respectively understand and respond to issues of modernity, secularism, democracy, immigration, and hospitality?
- How can Christians grow in trauma-informed witness among Muslims?
- What are the differences in approach to gender between Muslims and Christians, and can there be common ground?
Speakers
Martin Accad is professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, and affiliate associate professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr. Accad was recently elected as the eleventh president of the Near East School of Theology, an interdenominational Protestant theological seminary located in Beirut, Lebanon. He is founder of Action Research Associates, a new initiative that uses research to apply a multiple narrative approach to political mediation, dialogue, and national reconciliation. He earned his PhD from the University of Oxford in 2001.
Andrés Dúncan, together with his wife, has worked globally for more than 30 years in humanitarian medical work, discipleship, and formation of communities of disciples. Dr. Dúncan is a physician specializing in emergency health management and has postgraduate studies in New Testament, contextual theology, anthropology of religion, and global health. He has contributed to several books on topics such as complex humanitarian emergencies, anthropology, theology, and missiology. The purpose of his family is to honor Jesus Christ in all the world and in all things.
Sofia Lund holds a PhD in Islamic Studies and is a licensed counselor in private practice with a focus on trauma therapy. She works with clients from various cultural and faith backgrounds and has nearly two decades experience of life, work, and research in Muslim majority countries. Together with her husband, she is dedicated to building strong professional and personal relationships across cultures
and religions and is devoted to supporting her fellow human beings in healing and deepening their connection to themselves, others, and God.
Christine Mallouhi lived in North Africa and the Middle East for more than 30 years and currently resides in Australia. She and her husband co-founded Al-Kalima, a group of Christians and Muslims seeking to bring reconciliation to the two communities by working with scholars, artists, and religious leaders to make the Bible and other important texts of faith and spirituality accessible and relevant to Arabic speakers. Her books are translated into six languages.
Chapel Speaker
Joseph Cumming rejoined Fuller Seminary in 2022, having previously served on Fuller’s faculty from 2001 to 2008, teaching courses in Islamic Studies. He returns to Fuller from Yale University, where he served in a variety of positions, including as Director of the Reconciliation Program at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, as an Instructor teaching courses at Yale Divinity School, and as pastor of the International Church at Yale.
Conference Organizers
Jose Abraham, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary
Kirsteen Kim, Associate Dean for the Center for Missiological Research and Paul E. Pierson Chair in World Christianity, Fuller Theological Seminary
Schedule
Please note: All times are listed in Pacific Time. Main sessions and panel discussions will be translated into Spanish and Korean.
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Day 1 (IN-PERSON and ONLINE)
10:00 am Fuller Chapel Service: Joseph Cumming
11:30 am Session #1
Welcome by David Goatley
Introducing the theme: Jose Abraham
Moderators (Q&A): Jose Abraham, Kirsteen Kim
Session #2: Understanding Islam
Keynote: “Christians and Muslims Working Together for a Better World”: Martin Accad
Small group conversations with practitioners and sponsors
1:00 pm Lunch Break (1 hr)
2:00 pm Session #3: Witness
Keynote: Andres Alonso Duncan
Respondent: Enoch Kim
3:30 pm Break
4:00 pm Session #4: Questions & Opportunities Related to Ministry Among Muslim Women
Keynote: “Reciprocal Hospitality”: Christine Mallouhi
Respondent: Veli-Matti Karkkainen
5:00 pm Recording Plenary Panel and Plenary Speaker Dinner
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Day 2 (MORNING HYBRID, AFTERNOON ONLINE)
Moderator/Chair: Jose Abraham, Kirsteen Kim
9:00 am Welcome by Alexis Abernethy
Session# 5: Respecting Muslims
Keynote: “Attaching to the Transcendent One: An Attachment Perspective on Shi’i Doctrine”: Sophia Lund
Respondent: Christin Fort
10:30 am Panel 1: Islam & Muslims in North America
Amir Hussain
David Johnston
Noon Break
In-person option: Small group conversations with practitioners and sponsors
1:00 pm Panel 2: “Receptor-oriented Articulation of Theology in Muslim Contexts”
Joseph Cumming
Sofia Lund
Wageeh Mikhail
2:30 pm Panel 3: “Woodberry: Witness, Word, Spirit, and Culture”
Jay Travis
Moderator: Alexander S. Lee
4:00 pm Panel 4: Philippines
Noel Burias
Nissa Kudyapi
Carla Grace
HDL
5:00 pm Networking Sessions
Friday, October 18, 2024
Day 3 (ONLINE only)
Moderator/Chair: Jose Abraham, Kirsteen Kim
9:00 am Welcome by Ryan Bolger
Panel 5: Ghana
Christian Tsekpoe
Emmanuel Tettey
Dieudonne Komla Nuekpe
Patricia Akpene Tegbe-Agbo
10:45 am Panel 6: Believers of Muslim Background’s Perspectives on Understanding Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations
Parsa Zarin Ghalam
Patrick Brittenden
Hicham M.E.
Noon Break
12:30 pm Panel 7
Matthew Kaemingk
Shadi Hamid
2:00 pm Panel 8: Recording of Plenary Wednesday Speakers’ Discussion
3:30 pm Networking Session: Online
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