This 13-day study tour by state-of-the-art expedition cruise ship explores the meeting of faith and philosophy in the Western Mediterranean. Download the brochure for full itinerary, tour details, and terms.

In addition to Professor MacDonald, Jim Falk, retired president of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and Dartmouth's Diederik Vandewalle will layer in considerations on the geopolitics of the region.

The story of this region of the world can be told from many perspectives. From medievalist to modernist, during this voyage, we will touch on chapters of all these narratives.

Trace the legacies of Muslim and Catholic Spain mingling in the monuments. Explore the medinas and markets of Tangier, Tetouan, and Oran. Experience the ancient world at the tomb of King Juba II in Tipasa and the UNESCO-designated Roman ruins at Djemila. And find yourself at the ruins of Carthage—the starting point of the Arab Spring.

Scott MacDonald is the Norma K. Regan Professor in Christian Studies at Cornell University where he has served on the faculties of the medieval studies and religious studies programs and in the graduate field of classics. His interests focus especially on historical moments at which intellectual cultures collide. MacDonald has held fellowships from the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Humanities Center, and is a past recipient of the Provost’s Award for Distinguished Scholarship. His book, Augustine’s Confessions, is forthcoming in the Oxford Guides to Philosophy series from Oxford University Press.

"Scott MacDonald exemplifies everything that Cornell faculty bring to CAU. He is a wonderful teacher, a delightful travel partner, and an inspiration to his students. When you see Professor MacDonald's name on any CAU program, you simply must sign up!"

—Ralph Janis ’66, CAU Director Emeritus

“Scott MacDonald is a masterful, gracious, smart, and skillful teacher! The week flew by!”

—Patricia Ireland, CAU Summer student

In this lecture, we will look at famed Islamic philosopher Averroës (died 1198). We examine his distinctive understanding of the importance of both the Qur’an and Aristotelian thought to a sophisticated philosophical account of reality.

In his "Guide of the Perplexed," Maimonides (died 1204) attempts to transform the Hebrew Bible into a philosophical text, using concepts and tools from the Greek philosophical tradition. In this lecture, we will examine important principles of Maimonides’ project.

In this lecture, we will investigate Augustine’s attack on Christian anti-intellectualism and his laying of the foundations of a Christian philosophy that would dominate Western thinking for more than a millennium.

In this lecture, we will examine how Augustine’s distinctive theory of mind displays the fruitful interplay of religious doctrine and philosophical analysis.

"In 711 CE, Arab and Berber invaders crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from North Africa, giving Islamicate rule a foothold in Europe and establishing a rich and distinctive multi-ethnic culture that would flourish there for over 700 years."

—Scott MacDonald

"Before the Vandals swept (from west to east) across the southern rim of the Mediterranean in the fifth century CE and Muslim armies swept (from east to west) across it in the seventh century, North Africa was Roman; and when Christianity spread through the Roman Empire, it took root in North Africa."

—Scott MacDonald

“Augustine believed that God is triune, a trinity, and that human beings are created in the image of God. He reasoned that if we could discern the image of the triune God in human beings, we would be able to make progress understanding what the divine trinity itself is like.”

—Scott MacDonald

To register call 866-633-3611

September 28–October 13, 2023
in partnership with Odysseys Unlimited 888-370-6765
Exclusive to Cornell Alumni Travel
(does not include faculty)