Fady Ghattas

Thesis title: Merton's Mystical Encounter: A Case Study in Refashioning Phenomenology for Deeper Insights into Time, Self, and the Ineffable

Biography

Background

I am an AHRC-funded Doctoral Fellow through the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH) and member of the Mystical Theology Network.

Over the course of my career, I have pursued a path at the intersection of scholarship, publishing, and practical engagement with communities. For seven years, I managed the publishing department at the Alexandria School Foundation, where I edited over 70 books and translated 14, working to make theological, mystical, and patristic texts accessible to a broader audience.

Prior to this, I spent four years in Southeast Asia engaged in educational and pastoral work, developing programs that combined community service with spiritual formation. I also gained three years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, working in quality assurance and downstream processes, which strengthened my skills in precision, validation, and scientific rigor.

Qualifications

BSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences

MTh in Orthodox Theology

Current research interests

Christian Mysticism; Phenomenology of Religion; Orthodox Theology

Affiliated research centres

Conference details

  • “Bridging Heaven and Earth: Relationality with the Divine and the World in the Mystical Writings of Thomas Merton.” Conference: Mystical Entanglements: Communities, Networks, and the (Relational) Self in the History and Study of Mysticism. Organizer: Mystical Theology Network and the Ruusbroec Institute, University of Antwerp. Location and date: Antwerp, Belgium, June 4–6, 2025.

  • “The Word as Performance: Homoousios and the Theopoetic Constitution of the Subject: How an Ancient Creed Shapes the Modern Self.” Conference: Epiphany 4: The Nicene Faith and Contemporary Issues. Organizer: Alexandria School Foundation. Location and date: Cairo, Egypt, July 26, 2025.

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