Christianity in the Middle East Today: Challenges Facing Declining Communities ~ a lecture by Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian
Wednesday, October 30, 2019, at 7:00-8:30 pm
Columbia University, Room TBA, New York, NY
The Middle East is the cradle of Christianity and multi-ethnic Christian communities are amongst the most ancient natives in the region. Four of the five most important hierarchical centres in Christianity are in the Middle East today whose roots go back two millennia. While small in numbers relative to global Christianity, communities in the Middle East have ecclesial significance for the wider Christian world. This talk will discuss the many challenges these communities face in the Middle East today, including war, religious extremism, interreligious conflicts, socio-economic decline and migration.
Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian is a sociologist and Associate of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, with a particular interest in Middle East and Armenian studies. In 2002-2012 he taught and served in various positions at University of Cambridge. He also directs the Armenian Diaspora Survey, a multi-country research project, studying public opinion in the Diaspora. His main research interests and publications are in the field of sociology of religion, identity politics, diasporas, and inter‐ethnic conflicts in the Middle East and the Caucasus. Dr. Tchilingirian has lectured extensively and is the author of numerous monographs and articles (www.hratch.info). In recent years he has drawn attention to the plight of minorities and Christian communities in the Middle East, especially in academic and policy-making circles.
Questions? Email Prof. Khatchig Mouradian at km3253@columbia.edu
Co-Sponsors: The Columbia University Armenian Center, Research Institute on Turkey, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)/Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lecture Series on Contemporary Armenian Issues