Curriculum Vitae

Wagdy Joseph Wahba Elisha

(215) 873-7306
2135 W. Cheltenham Ave. Apt. A, Elkins Park, PA, 19027

June 20, 1978
EDUCATION /
  • Currently a PhD candidate at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. The main focus of my dissertation is Arab Christian Apologetics and Polemical discourses in satellite television and new media.
  • Master of Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary, Department of Religion and Society, 2011.
  • Special Studies for one semester at Princeton Theological Seminary, Department of Religion and Society, Fall 2009.
  • Master of Arts in Theological Studies, The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, major: Middle East Christianity, 2009.
  • Free Translation and linguistics courses at the American University in Cairo, 2008.
  • Bachelor Degree of Theology from The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, 2007.
  • Bachelor Degree of Mass Communication, Cairo University, Major: Journalism, 1999.

WORK EXPERIENCE /
  • Interpreter and Translator: the Dialogue Institute. The 5th Middle Eastern Symposium at Temple University (March 2014).
  • Program Associate: The Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) Program at Temple University on Religious Pluralism and Democracy in the United States (June – July 2013).
Job duties included:
  1. Facilitating and leading discussion groups.
  2. Interpreting and translating some presentations and lectures.
  • Teaching Assistant at the Lutheran Theological seminary:
  1. “Church And Society” (Spring 2013).
  2. “Thinking About God” (Fall 2012).
  3. “Church And Society” (Spring 2012).
  • Library Student Assistant (September 2011 to May 2014)
Job duties included:
  1. Check materials in/out.
  2. Open and close the library.
  3. Answer directional and reference questions.
  4. Maintain hold shelf and course reserves.
  5. Shelve materials, in all formats.
  • Freelance Translator, Interpreter & Editor (January 2008 to 2010)
    Job duties included:
  1. Translating theological and secular books.
  2. Interpreting two courses at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo.
  3. Editing translated and written works.
  4. Participation in the editing and writing of two major volumes: “Toward An Arab Contemporary Theology,” and “Toward an Arab Contemporary Commentary of the Bible.”
  • Full-time Translator & Head of Editing Office in Dar El-Thaqafa Communication House in Cairo, Egypt (October 2000 to December 2007)
    Job duties included:
  1. Managing daily office tasks while overseeing editing and translation projects.
  2. Translating materials of different types, with special focus on theological, historical, and political books.
  3. Editing translated and written works.
  4. The Editor-in-Chief of Elnesour (The Eagles) Magazine, which is a key publication of the Presbyterian Church in Egypt.
  5. Writing scripts for two documentary movies about the Presbyterian Church in Egypt and the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS).
  • Freelance Journalist & Editor in several Egyptian Newspapers (From June 1999 to October 2000)

ADDITIONAL SKILLS /
  • Experience with CAT tools, particularly Trados.
  • Excellent knowledge of Microsoft office.
  • Excellent research skills.
  • High sensitivity to multicultural and minority issues, especially for those from the Middle East, Asia, and areas experiencing civil tensions and wars.

LANGUAGES /
  • Fluent in Arabic and English.
  • Intermediate ability in German and Biblical Hebrew.

COMMUNITY INVOLVMENT /
  • Participation with American Jewish Committee (AJC), Philadelphia to initiate a Jewish/Muslim interfaith dialogue (2013 – present).
  • The Guest Speaker at AJC/BCCC dialogue (October 22, 2013).
  • Providing Arabic/English translation and interpretation for some Arabic speaker immigrants in the United States.
  • Participation in several “Middle Eastern Dialogue Symposiums” with Dialogue Institute at Temple University, Philadelphia.
  • Participation in a series of interfaith dialogue conferences and meetings at the Forum of Inter-Cultural Dialogue (FID), CEOSS (in Egypt).

ACADEMIC HONORS /
  • First Prize for a research paper from the Center for Middle Eastern Christianity, ETSC June 1, 2007. The title of my research paper was “Contributions of Arab Christians to the Arabic Language.”

PUBLICATIONS /
  • Author of “Can the Egyptian Christian Woman Identify with Hagar?”, Clermont Journal of Religion, January 2012, Vol.1, Issue See the link:
  • Provided the translation work of more than 50 books and articles, such as:
  1. Abboud, Tony. Al-Kindi: The Father of Arab Philosophy. Cairo: Dar Elias, 2007.
  2. Alagan, Magdalena. Anwer Sadat: Middle East Leaders. Cairo: Dar Elias, 2008.
  3. Blackman, Rachel. Organizational Governance. Teddington: Tearfund, 2006. See the link:
  4. Durie, Mark, Liberty to the Captives: Freedom from Islam and Dhimmitude Through the Cross, 2014.
  5. Miller, Stephen and Robert Huber. The Bible: A History-The Making and Impact of the Bible. Cairo: Dar El-Thaqafa, 2008.
  6. Moussalli, Ahmad. U.S. Foreign Policy and Islamist Politics. Cairo: Dar El-Thaqafa, 2005.
  7. Piper, John, Don’t Waste Your Life, 2010.
  8. Plunkett, Stephen. This We Believe: Eight Truths Presbyterians Affirm. Cairo: Dar El-Thaqafa, 2009.
  9. Stephanous, Andrea Z. Religion and Politics in the Middle East: Political Christianity in the Islamic Context. Cairo: Dar El-Shrouk El-Dolia, 2005.
  10. Stott, John, The Evangelical Truth. Cairo: Dar El-Thaqafa, 2007.
  11. Thomas, Susanna. Hatshepsut: The First Woman Pharaoh. Cairo: Dar Elias, 2008.
  12. Wilbur, Paul, Touching the Heart of God: Embracing the Calendar of the Kingdom, 2015.

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