Scholars and Professional Staff: Kristian Heal

Kristian Heal
Director of the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts

Kristian Heal received a bachelor's degree in Jewish history and Hebrew from University College, London, and a Master of Studies in Syriac studies from Oxford University. He received a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Birmingham, with a thesis on the figure of the Old Testament Patriarch Joseph in early Syriac literature.

Kristian joined the staff of the Maxwell Institute as a research scholar in 2000. Since 2004 he has served as the Director of the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts (http://cpart.byu.edu). He also serves as a co-editor of the Eastern Christian Texts series, and the Library of the Christian East, both published by BYU Press. He is a member of the North American Patristic Society, the Society of Biblical Literature and the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality.

Kristian’s research focuses on early Christianity, particularly the pre-Islamic history and literature of Syriac speaking Christians in the Middle East. He is currently working with an international team of scholars to create an electronic corpus of Syriac texts, and is also continuing the Center’s work with the Syriac Manuscripts at the Vatican Library.

Kristian was born and raised in the county of Suffolk, England. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in southwest England and south Wales. He and his wife, Vicki-Bronwen, live in Provo with their five children.

Home Page: http://cpart.byu.edu/?page=105&sidebar
Academia: http://byu.academia.edu/KristianHeal