Christian Arabic

January 6 – 15, 2026 | Cambridge, UK

Learn to Read and Analyse Early Christian Arabic Texts

From the early Middle Ages, Christian Arabs have made profound contributions to biblical scholarship, theology, poetry, and history. This winter school invites you to begin reading these remarkable texts for yourself — many of which remain unpublished and underexplored.

Designed for those with at least one year of Arabic study (Classical or Modern Standard), this course offers a gateway into a world of forgotten manuscripts and fresh scholarly discovery.

What You’ll Learn

• Early Bible Quotations – Engage with some of the earliest biblical quotations in Arabic.

• Translation Comparisons – Examine how key biblical stories were rendered into Arabic.

• Foundations of Scholarship – Discover the roots of biblical interpretation and theology in Arabic Christian texts.

Why Join This Winter School?

• Gain access to a rarely taught but deeply significant tradition

• Build on your Arabic skills in a specialised scholarly setting

• Explore unpublished texts and new areas of biblical and historical study

• Join a growing international community of Christian Arabic scholarship

Meet Your Tutor

Dr Krisztina Szilágyi
Dr Szilágyi received her PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University. She studied Arabic in Budapest, Damascus, and Jerusalem, and has taught Classical and Christian Arabic for over twenty years.

Her research explores medieval Christian Arabic literature and Jewish-Christian-Muslim interactions in the premodern Middle East. She has held research posts at Trinity College and the Department of Middle Eastern Studies in Cambridge.

Course Schedule

Arrivals: Tuesday, January 6 (between 11:00am–1:00pm)
Departures: Thursday, January 15 (after lunch)

Daily Timetable (January 7–14)*

*Note: There will be a half-day of teaching on January 6 and 15. No classes on Sunday, January 11.

Key Information

Accommodation:
Accommodation may be available at Westminster College. Please indicate your interest via the booking form.

Cost:

• Early Bird Rate: £550 (available until July 31, 2025)

• Standard Rate: £750 (from August 1, 2025)

• Student Discount: 10% off for current students.

  • Early Bird with Student Discount: £495

  • Standard with Student Discount: £675

Fees include all teaching materials, weekday lunches, refreshments, and optional free activities.

Refunds:

• Full refunds will be provided on request up until and including the 31st August 2025.
• 50% refunds will be provided on request up until and including 31st October 2025.
• We regret that we we are unable to offer refunds after and including the 1st November 2025.

Study Hours:

• 24 hours of live instruction

• 24 hours of guided independent study

Travel & Parking:
Travel information and parking details can be found on our website — click here.

How to Book

Please complete the booking form below to reserve your place. Places are limited and early booking is strongly encouraged.

Once we receive your booking, we will send you an invoice for payment. If you have requested accommodation, our accommodation team will contact you separately to arrange this.