The Gospel of Barnabas is presented as the work of a companion of Paul. Preserved in Italian and Spanish manuscripts dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, it recounts the story of Jesus in a manner distinct from the canonical Gospels and shows similarities with the Qur’an in several respects. Is this text a reworking of an early Judeo-Christian gospel, or was it composed after the 14th century by a Muslim author? Are the Syriac texts discovered in Turkey or Cyprus reliable? This summer school aims to provide an overview of these issues. It will not only examine the origin and main features of the Gospel of Barnabas, but will also analyse its use in current controversies between Christians and Muslims.

Iscal 7. Seventh International Summer School  on Christian Apocryphal Literature

September, 14th -17th 2026, University of Strasbourg, Palais Universitaire, Salle Fustel de Coulanges

Registration

Before 2026, September 11th

Participation is available in person or online

Registration fee

• in person participation: € 100
• online participation: 50 €

Registration is not complete until payment is received

Free registration for University of Strasbourg students

A proof of participation will be provided to all Participants

Organisation

Gabriella Aragione and Rémi Gounelle

Program

Monday September 14th

• 14h30 Rémi Gounelle – Gabriella Aragione, Welcome and Introduction to the Theme
• 15h00-16h30 Seminar – Gerard Wiegers, General Introduction to the Gospel of Barnabas: History of Research and Polemical Uses of the Text

Break

• 16h50-18h00 Seminar- Gerard Wiegers, The Textual Tradition of the Gospel of Barnabas

Tuesday September 15th

The Gospel of Barnabas

• 9h00-10h15 Seminar – Luis Bernabé, The Construction of the Text and Its Main Theological Contents

Break

• 10h30-12h30 Instructional Workshop – Gerard Wiegers, Analysis of Selected Sections of the Text with Theological Issues in Comparative Perspective

Lunch, followed by a visit to the Grande Mosque or free time

• 16h30-18h30 Seminar – Luis Bernabé, Does the Gospel of Barnabas Contain Traditions Dating Back to the 2nd Century?

Wednesday September 16th

The Morisco Background of the Gospel of Barnabas

• 9h00-10h15 Seminar – Susan Abraham, Introduction to Morisco Culture and Literature

Break

• 10h30-12h30 Seminar – Luis Bernabé, The Morisco Background of the Gospel of Barnabas

Lunch and free time

• 15h30-18h30 Instructional Workshop – Gerard Wiegers, Prophecy as an Entangled Phenomenon: The Gospel of Barnabas in the Ottoman World and Early-Modern Europe

Dinner in the Old Town

Thursday September 17

The Gospel of Barnabas and Muslim-Christian Polemics

• 9h00-10h15 Instructional Workshop – Gerard Wiegers, Present-day Discussions about the Gospel of Barnabas

Break

• 10h30-12h30 Seminar – Luis Bernabé The Gospel of Barnabas in Muslim-Christian Polemics: A General Overview

Lunch

• 14h-15h30 Conclusion – Susan Abraham, Is it Meaningful to Consider the Gospel of Barnabas as a Forgery?

15h30-16h Wrap up and End of Session

Speakers

• Susan Abraham (University of Berlin)
• Gabriella Aragione (University of Strasbourg)
• Luis Bernabé (University of Alicante)
• Rémi Gounelle (University of Strasbourg)
• Gerard Wiegers (University of Amsterdam)