Jay Smith (Christian apologist)
Jay Smith | |
---|---|
Born | 1954 (age 69–70) |
Nationality | United States |
Education | B.A. Messiah College M.Div. Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary M.A Fuller Theological Seminary |
Occupation | Christian apologist |
Known for | apologetic, polemics, historical critique |
Website | http://www.debate.org.uk/videos/ |
Jay Smith (born 1954)[1] is a Christian evangelist and apologist. Since 1983, he has been a full-time missionary with the Brethren in Christ Mission with a focus on polemics and apologetics among the Muslims of London.
Biography
Smith was born in India to Church of the United Brethren in Christ missionaries. His grandparents were also missionaries.[1] He earned a B.A. from Messiah College and then a masters of Divinity from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in apologetics.[2][3][1] In 1981, while studying for his masters, he took a seminar on Islam and noting that there were only 1,500 Christians ministering to Muslims worldwide, he decided to become a missionary to the Muslim world and pursued a second Masters degree in Islamic studies from Fuller Theological Seminary.[1] In 1987, he moved to Senegal as a missionary and in 1992, he moved to London[1] where he continued his education working on a Ph.D at the London School of Theology.[4][5] In 2001, he halted his education to concentrate on apologetics following a series of Islamic terrorist attacks[1] (see the September 11 attacks, the 2002 Bali bombings; the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis, the 2004 Beslan school siege, the 2004 Madrid train bombings, and the 7 July 2005 London bombings). In 2007, he continued working on his Phd at the Melbourne School of Theology.[1] Smith heads up the Hyde Park Christian Fellowship which emphasizes the use of Polemics with Muslims over Apologetics; and is often seen at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, London.[1]
Smith believes that although both Islam and Christianity include radicals, moderates, and liberals, it is radical Muslims that commit violence as they take the Qur’an seriously; while radical Christians who also take the Bible seriously serve others in love. Radical Muslims model their lives on Muhammad; while radical Christians model their lives on Jesus Christ.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Apologetics315: "Apologist Interview: Jay Smith" April 11, 2011
- ^ Apologetics Central: "Jay Smith" retrieved March 15, 2015
- ^ Christianity Today: "Plus: Deconstructing Islam - Apologist Jay Smith takes a confrontational approach" by Stan Guthrie September 9, 2002
- ^ Eurasian College: "Visiting Lecturers- Jay Smith" retrieved March 15, 2015
- ^ Christianity Today: "Unapologetic Apologist - Jay Smith confronts Muslim fundamentalists with fundamentalist fervor" by Deann Alford June 13, 2008
- ^ Calvary Magazine: "Confronting Radical Islam - Jay Smith was a featured speaker at the Calvary Chapel Missions Conference 2010" 2010
External links
- Pfander Films
- Evangelium e Apoligia Ministries The Classical Debates - Jay Smith vs. Dr. Shabir Ally