This provocative and deeply researched talk examines a forgotten chapter in early Christian history — the disappearance of the Nazareans, a Jewish sect of early Jesus followers, and the emergence of what later became mainstream Christianity. Contrary to the familiar narrative that the earliest followers of Jesus simply evolved into the Christian Church, historical sources suggest a more complex process of marginalization, reinterpretation, and deliberate erasure.

Sh. Anwar Arafat traces the story of the Nazareans — who were distinct in identity, practice, and self-understanding from later Gentile Christianity — and explores how competing theological, social, and political forces in the first few centuries CE contributed to the consolidation of a dominant orthodoxy that ultimately silenced alternate Christianities.

America is deeply divided—politically, culturally, economically, and morally. Many voices today argue that a return to Christianity is the key to restoring America’s greatness. But is civilizational renewal really achievable through Christian identity alone? And what does history tell us about societies that attempt moral revival without deeper unity and purpose?

In this lecture, Sh. Fahad Tasleem builds on his earlier analysis, “Is America Falling Apart?”, by offering a comparative civilizational framework drawn from history, sociology, and Islamic thought. Rather than reducing America’s challenges to partisan talking points, the talk examines whether the United States is experiencing a familiar cycle of rise, dominance, and decline seen across past civilizations and if so, what to do about it.

In this insightful lecture, Dr. Nasser Karimian addresses what has been popularly framed in some Christian apologetic circles as “the Islamic dilemma” which argues that Islam must either accept the modern Bible as authoritative or concede that the Qur’an is mistaken for affirming it. Dr. Nasser Karimian shows that this argument is built on misunderstandings of Islamic theology and therefore represents a false dilemma rather than a genuine challenge.

Drawing on the Qur’an, classical Islamic scholarship, and textual history, Dr. Karimian deconstructs common misunderstandings about Islam and shows how these perceived dilemmas often arise from misinterpretations of Islamic teachings and scripture.The lecture explores why this argument continues to circulate in Christian apologetics and how a more accurate theological comparison between Islam and Christianity can move beyond polemics and towards an honest assessment of the veracity of each worldview.

In this in-depth lecture, Dr. Jonathan Brown examines the origins, assumptions, and broader implications of the Western historical-critical method — the dominant academic approach used to study ancient religious texts, including scripture and traditions. Rather than taking its neutrality for granted, he traces how this methodology emerged from specific intellectual and cultural developments in the West and how it shapes the way historians interpret religion today. 

Dr. Brown explains that although historical criticism aims to understand the past objectively, it often carries implicit assumptions about skepticism, human nature, and the possibility of divine action. These assumptions influence how scholars evaluate religious traditions such as the hadith literature of Islam, the Bible, and other early texts. He unpacks why this method can be illuminating in some cases, yet limiting or biased when applied universally, especially across different religious frameworks.