Emory's Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies (MESAS) presents two lectures by Angelika Neuwirth, professor of Arabic Studies at Freie Universitat Berlin.

"The Qur'an – A Vital Part of Our Theological Canon? New Light on the Relation between the Qur'an and the Bible" will be Monday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m. in Room 290 of the Psychology (PAIS) Building.

Neuwirth notes that Biblical characters such as Noah, Moses, Abraham and Jesus abound in the Qur'an. She will explore how the Qur'an and the Bible are related, looking at the Qur'an from a fresh perspective as a late antique text presenting an original theological commentary on Biblical tradition.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Neuwirth will present "The History and Future of Arabic and Islamic Studies: The Corpus Coranicum and Modern Philology" at 11:30 a.m. in Room 360 of the Chemistry Building.

The Corpus Coranicum is a research project that began in 2007 and is considered the premiere center for critical investigation of the text of the Qur'an in the world.

Attached to the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Science and Humanities, the project has gathered a large database of early Qur'an manuscripts, textual variants and related texts. In this talk, Neuwirth, the founding director, will put the project in historical and cultural perspective against the backdrop of the changing fields of Arabic and Islamic studies.

The talks are free and open to the public.

In addition to MESAS, sponsors include the Department of Religion, the Graduate Division of Religion and The Halle Institute.

For more information, contact Juana Clem McGhee at 404-727-2575.