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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Professor John Louis Esposito, one of the world’s foremost non-Muslim scholars of Islam and a pioneering advocate of Muslim-Christian understanding, passed away on 15 July 2026 in Philadelphia following complications from heart surgery. He was 86 years old.  

Born on 19 May 1940 in Brooklyn, New York, Esposito devoted more than five decades to the academic study of Islam, becoming one of the most influential Western scholars in the field. A lifelong Roman Catholic, he consistently argued that informed scholarship and respectful dialogue were essential to overcoming prejudice and misconceptions about Islam.  

After completing his doctoral studies at Temple University under the renowned Palestinian-American scholar Isma’il Raji al-Faruqi, Esposito taught world religions—including Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism—for nearly two decades at the College of the Holy Cross before joining Georgetown University in 1993. There, he became Distinguished University Professor of Religion, International Affairs, and Islamic Studies, one of the university’s highest academic distinctions.  

At Georgetown, he founded the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), transforming it into one of the world’s leading institutions dedicated to the academic study of Islam, interfaith dialogue, and relations between the Muslim world and the West. He also established The Bridge Initiative, a research project focused on documenting and addressing Islamophobia and promoting religious pluralism.  

Esposito authored, co-authored, or edited more than 55 books, many of which became standard references in universities worldwide and were translated into dozens of languages. Among his most influential works are Islam: The Straight Path, Islam and Politics, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?, The Future of Islam, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think (co-authored with Dalia Mogahed), and What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam. He also served as editor-in-chief of major Oxford reference works, including The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, The Oxford History of Islam, and The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World.  

Throughout his distinguished career, Esposito held several prominent leadership roles. He was the only scholar to serve as president of both the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) and the American Academy of Religion (AAR). He also advised governments and international organizations, served as an ambassador for the UN Alliance of Civilizations, and was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders.  

His scholarship earned numerous honours, including the Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion from the American Academy of Religion, Pakistan’s Quaid-i-Azam Award for Outstanding Contributions in Islamic Studies, Georgetown University’s Outstanding Teacher Award, and seven honorary doctorates from institutions around the world.  

For many Muslims, John L. Esposito was respected as a principled academic who sought to present Islam with fairness and intellectual integrity while encouraging dialogue between faith communities. Although some of his interpretations were debated within academic and religious circles, his efforts to challenge stereotypes, counter Islamophobia, and foster mutual understanding left a lasting impact on the field of Islamic studies.  

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