Obituary: Tony Maalouf

Tony Maalouf, Baptist seminary professor and founding CEO of Magi Ministries International, died Aug. 26. He was 65. Maalouf was born on Feb. 1, 1955, in Damascus, Syria, the son of a Greek Orthodox father and Catholic mother. He grew up in Lebanon and ultimately became proficient in six languages—Arabic, French, English, Hebrew, Greek and German. Maalouf earned his Master of Science in Natural Sciences degree from Lebanese University and his Master of Science in Human Microbiology degree from the University of Aix-Marseille, France. He then proceeded to do doctoral work in medical microbiology at the University of Montpellier, France. During his first year there, however, Maalouf came to faith in Christ through the witness of a friend. Later sensing a call to full-time ministry, Maalouf changed course, moving to the United States to pursue theological training. He completed both his Master of Theology degree and Ph.D. at Dallas Theological Seminary. Maalouf devoted the rest of his life to serving the church, cultivating an international teaching ministry. He served as a visiting or adjunct professor at Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon; Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary in Amman, Jordan; and Dallas Theological Seminary. Maalouf joined the faculty of Southwestern Seminary in 2004, teaching a variety of courses on Islamic studies, history and Arabic. At the time of his death, he was senior professor of world Christianity and Middle Eastern studies in the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions. In 2002, Maalouf founded Magi Ministries International, a nonprofit corporation based in Dallas aimed at developing church leaders in the Arab world through theological education and the production and promotion of Arabic Christian literature. At the time of his death, he also was interim pastor of Arabic Christian Fellowship in Arlington. Maalouf is survived by his wife of 35 years Lamis and their three daughters, Nardeen, Grace and Susan.