Reza Aslan

1972 -

country of citizenship: Iran

languages spoken, written or signed: English

educated at: Santa Clara University, Harvard Divinity School, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Iowa, Harvard University, Del Mar High School

occupation: writer, Trekkie, religious studies scholar, university teacher, television producer, opinion journalist

Reza Aslan (Persian: رضا اصلان, IPA: [ˈɾezɒː æsˈlɒːn]; born May 3, 1972) is an Iranian-American scholar of sociology of religion, writer, and television host. A convert to evangelical Christianity from Shia Islam as a youth, Aslan eventually reverted to Islam but continued to write about Christianity. He has written four books on religion: No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, and God: A Human History. Aslan has worked for television, including a documentary series exploring world religions on CNN called Believer, and serving as an executive producer on the HBO drama series The Leftovers. Aslan is a member of the American Academy of Religion and the International Qur'anic Studies Association. He is a professor of creative writing at University of California, Riverside, and a board member of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). Source: Wikipedia (en)