Laura Locke Estes

Biography

I study religion in late antiquity with particular focus on the literature of Syriac-speaking Christian communities. My current research project, tentatively titled Naming Hagar's Children: Late Antique Christian Portrayals of Early Islam, explores identity formation and literary representation of Muslims in Christians narratives from the 7th-9th centuries CE. It considers how Christian authors transformed existing literary traditions, especially biblical exegesis and polemic, to name and portray Muslims as "Jews," "pagans," and "heretics."

Education

• PhD Theological Studies, Saint Louis University, 2022
• MA Ancient and Oriental Christianity, Abilene Christian University, 2016
• BA History and Biblical Languages, Freed-Hardeman University, 2012