May 15-17, 2009

Forensic Scriptures presents the Qur’an as a sacred resource increasingly accessible to Jewish and Christian scholars and students of the Scriptures. It is a template of scriptural production from the last major culture to spring from the ancient Middle East, in which reliable information about scriptural development has never disappeared from view. To illustrate the model, Muslims believe Muhammad was illiterate and that nearly all Surahs of the Qur’an may have been written down by the women of his household, lead by Hafsah, who was entrusted with preservation of the Qur’an and transmission of it to the world. The Hadith presents conversations and actions of the Prophet as recorded by his Companions, male and female, including another wife, Ayisha. Recognition that such materials were penned by women does not rely on secondary sources or conjecture. Islamic primary sources, under rigorous re-evaluation by Islamic scholars today, have a potential to reveal whole new paradigms that may now be applied to Biblical texts, beginning with these historic Riverside symposia, supported by surrounding seminaries and by noted scholars.

This conference is not a dialogue of mutual sharing, of which there have been many, but a focused design where leading Jewish and Christian scholars will pose searching questions to respected Muslim colleagues. Like the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi Library over the last fifty years, the Muslim Scriptures, over the next fifty years, may yield valuable information about the Bible. From the Qur’an we may now receive answers to biblical conundrums, and from the Hadith we learn ancient lore of the Middle East, including material possibly omitted from and compatible with biblical texts.

A Friday evening plenary precedes three Saturday symposia. Jewish and Christian scholars, clergy, students and others will engage respected Muslim scholars from the Middle East, South Asia and North America on defined topics. Sunday activities include additional guests from nearby synagogues and mosques. Riverside thanks presenters, respondents, participants and all who are assisting, as well as co-sponsors, the Multi-faith Center of Auburn Theological Seminary in New York, Cascade Books, The SnowStar Institute in Canada and St. Andrew’s Theological College in Trinidad, West Indies.

Click here to see the full program (PDF)

For more information, email info@forensicscriptures.com or call 347-289-5458.