Dr jerald dirks biography channel

Dr. Jerald F. Dirks received his Bachelor of Arts (philosophy) from Harvard College in , his Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School in , his Master of Arts (clinical child psychology) from the University of Denver in , his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in clinical psychology from the University of Denver in , and his sessions program certificate in Islamic studies from Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in In , he obtained his License to Preach from the United Methodist Church, and he was ordained into the Christian ministry (deaconate) by the United Methodist Church in He converted to Islam in and completed the ‘Umrah and Hajj in

His vocational history includes over five years teaching in American colleges and universities and over 20 years spent in the private practice of psychotherapy.

In addition, he has taught at the middle school level at two private Islamic schools and has served as the psychoeducational consultant at one private Islamic school.

Dr. Dirks is the author or co-author of over 60 published articles in the behavioral sciences (primarily in psychosomatic medicine), over published articles on the Arabian horse and its history, and over published articles and formal presentations on Islam, comparative religion, and private Islamic education in America.

He has lectured widely on Islam at American colleges and universities (Bethel College, Georgetown University, Marshall University, Missouri State University, Moravian College, Northern Illinois University, Oklahoma State University, St. Louis University, Tabor College, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Buffalo, University of Denver, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Kansas, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Pittsburgh, University of Wyoming, Wayne State University, and Washington State University), in American mosques (in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia), at reigional and national conventions of the major Islamic organizations in America (ISNA, ICNA, and MAS), and in several foreign countries (Bahrain, Canada, Malaysia, and Singapore).

In addition, he has been interviewed about Islam by newspapers in California, Colorado, Missouri, Singapore, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia and by television or radio shows in Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, Texas, Utah, Canada, and the United Arab Emerates. He is the author of four books that explore the commonalities and differences among the three Abrahamic faiths (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism): The Cross and the Crescent, now in its second printing; Abraham, The Friend of God; Understanding Islam–A Guide for the Judaeo-Christian Reader; and The Abrahamic Faiths–Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

His fifth book, Muslims in American History–A Forgotten Legacy, was published in and celebrates the several centuries of history of Muslims in America. His sixth book, Letters to My Elders in Islam, was published in His seventh book, What You Weren’t Taught in Sunday School, was published in His eighth book, A Brief Introduction to Islam, is scheduled for publication in Sweden.

Dr. Dirks has also proofread and/or edited over 20 published books for other authors. In , the International Society for Science and Culture (Uppsala, Sweden) bestowed its Muhammad is the Messenger of God Award on Dr. Dirks for his contributions to Islam.

Dr. Dirks is available for lectures on a variety of topics, for conducting all-day workshops on how to perform Da’wah in America most effectively and on Muslims in American history, for consultation to private Islamic schools and Islamic public relations efforts, and for editing and/or proofing the manuscripts of other authors.