Christian Arabic Winter School
January 20th to January 25th, 2025
Learn Christian Arabic
Gain a grounding in reading and analysing early medieval Christian Arabic texts.
From the early Middle Ages, Christian Arabs have contributed profoundly to the intellectual and spiritual heritage of Christianity. They have produced Bible translations, commentaries, theological works, devotional poetry, hagiographies, and historiographies. Yet, astonishingly, 90% of Christian Arabic manuscripts—housed in monasteries, ecclesiastical archives, and libraries worldwide—remain unpublished, their wisdom awaiting discovery. Learn Christian Arabic and start on an exciting journey towards new discoveries and new knowledge about the history of the Bible and Christianity!
Course Highlights
- Early Bible Quotations: Read some of the earliest quotations from the Bible in Arabic.
- Translation Comparisons: Compare different translations of biblical stories into Arabic.
- Foundations of Scholarship: Explore the beginnings of biblical scholarship in Arabic.
This course is designed for those with at least one year of Arabic study (Classical or Modern Standard). Enhance your skills and gain a deeper understanding of early Christian Arabic texts.
Start your journey today and uncover the hidden treasures of Christian Arabic, enriching your knowledge of faith and history!
Tutor: Dr Krisztina Szilágyi
Dr Krisztina Szilágyi received her PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University. Prior to that, she studied Arabic in Budapest, Damascus and Jerusalem. She worked in Cambridge as a research fellow at Trinity College and the Department of Middle Eastern Studies. Her dissertation and publications explore medieval Christian Arabic literature and interactions between Christians, Jews and Muslims in the premodern Middle East. Krisztina has been teaching varieties of Arabic, primarily Classical Arabic and Christian Arabic, for more than twenty years.
Schedule
Arrivals between 9.30am and 10.30am on Monday 20th Jan
Departures after lunch on Saturday 25th Jan
Daily programme for each day of the Winter School*
| Time | Activity |
| 09.00 – 10.00 | Class 1 |
| 10.00 – 10.30 | Guided independent study |
| 10.30 – 11.00 | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 – 12.30 | Class 2 |
| 12.30 – 13.00 | Vocab learning/free time |
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch |
| 14.00 – 15.00 | Class 3 |
| 15.00 – 16.30 | Guided independent study |
*NB there will be introductions on the first day of teaching with a slightly altered class timetable starting at 11.00 and finishing at 16.00.
FAQ's
Accommodation
Please let us know if you would like information about available accommodation at Westminster on the booking form below.
Cost
The cost per delegate is £375, inclusive of all teaching material; tea/coffee, and lunch’s. A 10% student discount applies.
How to book
Please complete the booking form below.
Study Time
The winter school includes 18 hours of class time with experienced tutors and 12 hours of guided independent study.
Travel
Travel and parking details are on the website – please click here.