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The Fifth Arab-Christian Seminar: “Maghreb and Christianity”
April 06, 20176:30 p.m.
MADRID
Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Alcalá, 62).
6:30 p.m.
Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
In English and Spanish, with simultaneous translation.
At Casa Árabe, three experts will be reviewing the Christian presence in
the countries of the Maghreb region, from their origins and until
today.
The conference, organized by Casa Árabe and the University of San Dámaso, will include presentations by Darío Bernal Casasola, who will discuss “Christianity in Mauretania Tingitana: from the viewpoint of archeology.” After this, Juan Ramón Martínez Maurica will be speaking about “The Franciscans and Arab culture.” The event will come to a close with a speech by John MacWilliam on “The Society of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) in the Maghreb, historical milestones and the present.”
Islam’s first encounter with Christianity outside the Middle East took place in North Africa, where it had been present since its very beginnings, as demonstrated by the remains of basilicas found in Morocco. From the seventh to nineteenth centuries, the Christian presence took the form of efforts by European religious orders, such as the Franciscans, to learn more about the reality of Islam and its culture. Over the last two centuries, this presence has been marked by the advent of new groups in the Maghreb region, including the White Fathers, who have worked to achieve progress in the society of the Maghreb. They continue to do this work today.
Conference information sheet
Darío Bernal Casasola
An archeologist with a PhD in Geography and History from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1997). He is currently a tenured professor of Archeology at the University of Cadiz, accredited to hold the position of department chair. He is the director of several research, development and innovation projects and archeological activities in northern Morocco, as well as teaching as a guest professor at several European universities. He is the correspondent member of the Royal Academy of History in Cadiz.
Juan Ramón Martínez Maurica
Holder of a university degree in Economics. Mr. Martínez Maurica has worked in private companies within the financial sector. Since 2003, he has devoted himself to studying Arabic language and literature. He has completed translations of Christian Arab texts, as demonstrated by his participation in the books Hechos y dichos de Jesús en la literatura ascética musulmana (Feats and Speakings of Jesus in Muslim Ascetic Literature) and El diálogo de Abrahán de Tiberíades (The Dialogue of Abraham of Tiberias). He is currently completing a PhD program at the San Justino School of Christian and Classical Literature.
John MacWilliam
An infantry officer in the British army in Oman and Zimbabwe for 18 years, MacWilliam was ordained as a priest in 1992. He studied Theology in London and the Arabic language and Islamic Studies in Rome. He was stationed in Algeria (1995) and later in Tunisia, where he worked to promote educational activities for children and adults. Since 2015, he has been the provincial of the White Fathers in North Africa. He was recently named the Bishop of the Diocese of Laghouat-Ghardaïa.
Islam’s first encounter with Christianity outside the Middle East took place in North Africa, where it had been present since its very beginnings, as demonstrated by the remains of basilicas found in Morocco. From the seventh to nineteenth centuries, the Christian presence took the form of efforts by European religious orders, such as the Franciscans, to learn more about the reality of Islam and its culture. Over the last two centuries, this presence has been marked by the advent of new groups in the Maghreb region, including the White Fathers, who have worked to achieve progress in the society of the Maghreb. They continue to do this work today.
Conference information sheet
Darío Bernal Casasola
An archeologist with a PhD in Geography and History from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1997). He is currently a tenured professor of Archeology at the University of Cadiz, accredited to hold the position of department chair. He is the director of several research, development and innovation projects and archeological activities in northern Morocco, as well as teaching as a guest professor at several European universities. He is the correspondent member of the Royal Academy of History in Cadiz.
Juan Ramón Martínez Maurica
Holder of a university degree in Economics. Mr. Martínez Maurica has worked in private companies within the financial sector. Since 2003, he has devoted himself to studying Arabic language and literature. He has completed translations of Christian Arab texts, as demonstrated by his participation in the books Hechos y dichos de Jesús en la literatura ascética musulmana (Feats and Speakings of Jesus in Muslim Ascetic Literature) and El diálogo de Abrahán de Tiberíades (The Dialogue of Abraham of Tiberias). He is currently completing a PhD program at the San Justino School of Christian and Classical Literature.
John MacWilliam
An infantry officer in the British army in Oman and Zimbabwe for 18 years, MacWilliam was ordained as a priest in 1992. He studied Theology in London and the Arabic language and Islamic Studies in Rome. He was stationed in Algeria (1995) and later in Tunisia, where he worked to promote educational activities for children and adults. Since 2015, he has been the provincial of the White Fathers in North Africa. He was recently named the Bishop of the Diocese of Laghouat-Ghardaïa.
Casa Árabe and Universidad de San Dámaso