Welcome to my page!
About Thomas
Thomas Messick is a spiritual leader, speaker, professor, and PhD Candidate. He has taught on Judaism and Islam at The College at Southeastern and is currently writing his dissertation on the theology of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi and Fethullah Gülen at Melbourne School of Theology. Thomas serves local churches through Crescent Project by teaching Christians about Muslim beliefs and practices while instructing Muslims about Christian theology and rituals.
CURRENT RESEARCH
. I am continuing research and writing for my dissertation through the Arthur Jeffery Centre for the Study of Islam at Melbourne School of Theology which compares the theologies of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi and Fethullah Gülen. Last year, I presented a biographies of Fethullah Gülen and Bediüzzaman Said Nursi at the ASMEA academic conference in D.C. I plan to present at ASMEA this year on An Overview of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s Understanding of Tyranny.
CURRENT TEACHING
Last year, I taught a class on Judaism and Islam at The College at Southeastern. We just graduated eleven interns in our third semester through Crescent Project's Virtual Internship. If you are interested in joining our internship, please visit the internship page.
EDUCATION
- PhD Candidate-Arthur Jeffery Centre for the Study of Islam at Melbourne School of Theology
- MA in Muslim Studies-Columbia International University
- BA in Biblical Studies -The College at Southeastern
- AAS in Business Administration-Alamance Community College
TEACHING FOR CHRISTIANS
BLOGGING
- How Should the Church Think About and Respond to Racism and Social Justice?
- Developing a Love for Hispanic People and Other Cultures
- Should Christians Celebrate Ramadan and Participate in Iftar Dinners?
- Why Death? How to Make it through this Life of Pain
- The Oppressed of Turkey Aren't Turks: Christians, Kurds, and Gülenists
- Faith to Press on in Midlife: Wisdom from Psalm 102
- The Directional Flow of Sin’s Influence on the Heart: The Black Spot of the Heart according to Muhammad & The Heart of Domineering Sin according to Jesus
- Allah’ın Rızası, Living for God’s Glory, and the Nature of God’s/Allah’s Presence with Believers
- When Jesus refers to Himself as the ‘Son of Man’, is there a connection to Daniel 7:13? Does the term ‘Son of Man’ imply that Jesus is divine?
- Going on the Offense against Islam: The Biblical Place of Polemics in Muslim Ministry
- A Brief Overview of Critical Race Theory and a Biblical Response
- The Radical Call of Christ to Forsake Everything and Follow Christ: Mark 10:17-31
- Understanding 'Fasting' and 'Purification in Ramadan and Easter
- Going Deeper in Interfaith Dialogue Between Christians and Muslims
- Evangelists: Peripheral Servants of the Local Church
- A New Muslim 'People Group'? The 'Online' Gen Z Muslim
- Muslim Dreams: A Christian Perspective
- Christian Attitudes Towards Muslims Over the Last 20 Years
- The God Who is Near: A Brief Reflection of God's Presence in Christianity and Islam
- Muslims as People