Who are Yaqeen Institute? (MEMBER OF YI)The Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research is an independent American research institute and think tank founded in 2016, mainly interested in the advanced study of modernity, Islam and Muslim societies. It works to aggregate complex Islamic topics for audiences outside of the field of Islamic academia. Yaqeen Institute was founded by American Islamic scholar Omar Suleiman and is based in Irving, Texas. It has published works have covered a variety of topics at the intersection of Islam, including perennialism, international politics, parenting, and historical preservation of Islamic texts. It works to "pioneer Islamic research in cutting-edge, creative formats."
Who is Jonathan Brown? (MEMBER OF YI)Jonathan Andrew Cleveland Brown (born 1977) is an American scholar of Islamic studies. Since 2012, he has been associate professor at Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. He holds the Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization at Georgetown University. Brown has also published articles in the fields of Hadith, Islamic law, Salafism, Sufism, and Arabic language.
Who is Omar Suleiman? (MEMBER OF YI)Omar Suleiman (born 1986) is an American Muslim scholar, civil rights activist and speaker. He is the Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University. Suleiman is also the Resident Scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center and the Co-Chair of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square.
What is Christianity?Christianity is a global religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who followers believe is the Son of God. It's a monotheistic faith, meaning Christians believe in one God who exists in three co-equal persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Christianity is based on the Bible, with the Old Testament and New Testament serving as sacred texts.
Who is John Spong?John Shelby "Jack" Spong (born 1931) is a retired American bishop of the Episcopal Church. From 1979 to 2000 he was Bishop of Newark. He is a liberal Christian theologian, religion commentator and author. He calls for a fundamental rethinking of Christian belief away from theism and traditional doctrines. Spong attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952. He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 1955. He has had honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees conferred on him by Virginia Theological Seminary and Saint Paul's College, Virginia, as well as an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters conferred by Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. Spong has also been a strong proponent of the church reflecting the changes in society at large. Towards these ends, he calls for a new Reformation, in which many of Christianity's basic doctrines should be reformulated.