Jacob Imam
From Seattle, Jacob Imam is studying Classics and Historical Philosophy at Baylor University. His intrigue with the classical world brought him to both Oxford and Cambridge to work on ancient papyri holding ancient religious narratives, philosophical treaties, and contracts. Also at Oxford, Jacob worked at the Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies, researching within the emerging field of comparative exegesis — the analysis of the intertextuality of the Qur’an and the Bible. As a C.S. Lewis Jr. Fellow, Jacob wrote a paper on the development of the Christian understanding of Islam. He has begun working with Middle Eastern universities to implement curriculum reforms in order to enhance greater inter-cultural understanding. At Oxford he plans to study more formally the philosophical arc of the Islamic world.