DEPARTMENT OF MEDITERRANEAN AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES 2024-2026

The Mediterranean world encompasses three continents: Western Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe. The history of the Mediterranean region is the history of the interaction of the cultures and people of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea-the central superhighway throughout history of transport, trade, and cultural exchange between diverse peoples. Its history is important to understanding the origin and development of the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Canaanite, Phoenician, Hebrew, Carthaginian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman, Christian, and Islamic cultures, not to mention the history and culture of the Arabs. Its history and culture is important to understanding the Bible both in its context and for modern times.

The Mediterranean world is the cultural stage for civilization with both the clash and cross-fertilization of cultures. It continues as one of the world's most strategic regions and the church's greatest missional challenge. It is the birthplace of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths. Studying within the department introduces one to the rich heritage of the Middle East and Mediterranean world including Islamic sources (religion, history, culture, society, ethics, politics), and to current culture and media of the Arab world. It provides insight into these places and peoples that continue to play a major role on the world stage. It does so from a biblical, theological, and missional perspective and with the purpose of deepening the understanding of Scripture, the Great Controversy metanarrative, and the critical issues/turning points of salvation history.

The department offers one graduate degree program, one BA level concentration or minor and cutting-edge research/symposia via its Adventist Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies.

MEU's Faculty of Philosophy and Theology is emerging as the knowledge center for the global Adventist community on Islamic, Arabic, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern culture and society. The expertise of an international faculty, relevant library holdings, culturally rich learning context, and pleasant instructional facilities provide an enriching post-graduate learning experience.

Master of Arts in Islamic Studies 2024-2026

As the faith of over a billion of the world's people, Islam exerts significant influence as a religion and a civilization in the culture and politics of world history, and the globalized context of the modern world. The MA degree in Islamic Studies is offered to thought leaders, administrators, educators, or professionals who seek a deeper understanding of the beliefs and values of Islam together with the needs of dominant faith communities that interact with the Christian religion in the Middle East North Africa region. Its instructional environment provides a real-life context of living in an Islamic and Middle East setting dealing with the experience of Christian-Islamic coexistence. It seeks to provide knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes that promote respect and dialogue in the context of the Islamic religious understanding. The program provides a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to Islamic faith and practice, culture and society, language, history, and ethics, from a biblical and Seventh-day Adventist perspective.

The program is delivered largely through intensive classes that are taught on campus in either four consecutive summer sessions of 9 weeks each, or four consecutive semesters of 15 weeks each (two summers plus a fall and spring semester). Students whose mother tongue is not Arabic or who have not completed their secondary education in a school where Arabic was used as the language of instruction are required to take two prerequisite 4-credit Arabic language courses that are not part of the MA in Islamic Studies program. These courses must be taken in the order and in time sequence over two consecutive semesters.

The program will require considerable reading and study before and between sessions. Students will be supplied with relevant course outlines and textbooks at least six months prior to each session.

Program

The teaching methods will vary, including preparatory reading, lectures, class discussions, research, case studies, tutorials, field trips, and the exegetical practice of the Bible and the Qur'an. Skills will be developed in the following areas that cover the respective topics:

Language.Language. Communication or language skills are indispensable, because without language, effective communication of the gospel is very difficult. Students will develop a working knowledge of Arabic language needed in everyday communication and basic understanding of the Qur'an. For those who need it, a proficiency in English will also be developed.

Religion of Islam. Students will develop a deeper knowledge of the Qur'an and the belief system of Islam, will know how this informs rituals and practices, and will be able to better interpret the Qur'an. They will understand the history and belief system of Islam and the factors in its development within the Middle East and as a global phenomenon.

Ethics. Students will gain a biblically informed perspective of the moral themes, values, issues of human rights, and ethics in Islamic and Arabic culture and society.

Theology. Students will study key Adventist values and teachings together with worldview in relation to Islam and compare Islamic thought with biblical revelation. They will become skilled in the exegesis of Scripture alongside the Qur'an and know the distinctives of the Adventist faith and values in relation to Islamic thought.

Culture. Students will study the various aspects of Islamic culture, patterns of society and its organization from both a biblical and contemporary perspective.

Students will come to understand cross-cultural interaction and to learn biblically informed approaches for meeting the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs of those either living in or originally from the Middle East North Africa region of the world.

Prerequisite courses required of students without adequate Arabic language background:

Islamic Studies Concentration/Minor for Bachelor of Arts in Theology 2024-2026

The Faculty of Philosophy and Theology's Department of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies provides an Islamic Studies concentration/minor as additional non-degree course- work and/or course transfer credit course work for cross-registered BA in Theology students from affiliate Adventist universities. The concentration or minor provides a BA in Theology level engagement in the rich heritage of the Middle East and Arab world at large. It nurtures knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes that promote respect and dialogue in the context of the Islamic religious understanding (faith and practice, history, language, culture, society, ethics, politics) as well as approaches informed by biblical principles to reaching individuals through personal service and a Christ-centered witness.

The Islamic Studies Concentration/Minor coursework is open to Junior and Senior cross-registered Theology students from affiliate Adventist universities for degree credit. A letter of completion is provided for non-degree students.

Two Semester Islamic Studies Concentration

Adventist Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies 2024-2026

The Adventist Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies (provides research opportunities, symposia, and access to extensive library resources. Its focus is to provide academic and workshop training in Islamic and Arabic Studies, aiming to develop and sustain relevant biblically informed curriculum and research. The Institute aspires to become the knowledge hub for the global Adventist community on Middle Eastern culture and society, situated within Middle East University's campus.