Christiaan van Nispen tot Sevenaer was born in The Netherlands in 1938. In 1962 he immigrated to Egypt.
He studied philosophy and theology in France, as well as Arabic and Islamic studies in Lebanon and Egypt. In 1987, he earned his doctoral degree in Islamic thought from the Sorbonne (Paris-III). His dissertation dealt with the concept of 'Habitudes of God' (Sunan Allāh) in the famous Qur'ān commentary 'al-Manār,' by Muhammad ^cAbduh and Muhammad Rashīd Ridā.

Occupationally, Christiaan van Nispen is a professor of Philosophy and Islam at the Coptic Catholic Seminary in Maadi, Cairo, Egypt. He has been lecturing there since 1964. He is also a professor of Islamic studies at the Institute of Religious Sciences in Sakakini, Cairo, Egypt, and Arabic Studies at Dar Comboni in Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt. Since 2000, he has been lecturing on Islam and Christian-Muslim relations at Centre Sèvres, the Jesuit Faculties in Paris, France.

Father van Nispen is a Jesuit priest, who is strongly involved in relationships with Islam. In the beginning of his priesthood he chose 'The service of reconciliation' to be his motto. In an interview with Egyptian Al-Ahram Weekly on December 31, 1998, he clarified: "My interpretation of the term reconciliation is entering into a true relationship with people -- of different faiths, denominations, cultural and social levels -- studying, understanding and respecting these differences. Reconciliation does not imply the abolishment of differences; on the contrary, it acknowledges these differences and searches for common ground and the possibility of communication to bring them into agreement and harmony." [RNSAW 99, 1, art.7]

Father Dr. Christiaan van Nispen tot Sevenaer is a major participant in Muslim-Christian and Arab-West dialogue. According to Arab-West Report editor-in-chief, Drs. Cornelis Hulsman, he is an important religious face in Egypt [www.cawu.org]. He actively seeks to encourage dialogue on different levels, and is frequently consulted by media and parties involved on the issue of Muslim-Christian relations. He has exceptional contacts, not only with Christian dignitaries [see RNSAW 2001, 51, art.1], but also with many Muslim Egyptian figures of public life.

Father van Nispen's involvement in interfaith relations appears in association commitments. He was one of the founders of a group of people with diverse faiths and allegiances, keen on bringing Christians and Muslims together in harmony. The group, officially recognized in 1978, is called al-Ikhā' al-Dīnī (Religious Fraternity). Father van Nispen is also a member of the Arab Working Group on Muslim-Christian Dialogue (AGMCD) affiliated with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) that focuses on Muslim-Christian dialogue in the Arab World, Egyptian Philosophical Association, and Egyptian Commission for Justice and Peace. Furthermore, he is among the founders of the Center for Arab-West Understanding (CAWU).

Dr. Christiaan van Nispen frequently attends both national and international conferences on Muslim-Christian dialogue. He advocates that we should accept criticism and not perceive it as an enmity between those who practice dialogue, and stated such during a conference in February 2001, held by The Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS) in corporation with the Ministry of Waqfs (Religious Trusts) of Egypt. Criticism, according to him, does not mean rejecting a person or a religion. On the contrary, its aim is to reach truth through collective work and through meeting the other, for the sake of serving society. [RNSAW 2001, 8, art. 21]
 

However, he resents foreign intervention in religious matters in Egypt. "It is a misunderstanding of what is happening, and the most negative way of dealing with a problem," he said to Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram Weekly in 1998. [RNSAW 99, 1, art.7]

Christiaan van Nispen wrote a book describing his life experience in Christian-Muslim dialogue. It was first published in French: Chrétiens et Musulmans: Frères Devant Dieu? ['Christians and Muslims: Brothers in Front of God?'], Editions de l'Atelier, Paris, 2004. It has been translated into Italian ('Cristiani e Musulmani: Fratelli Davanti a Dio?' Marcianum Press, 2006) and Dutch ('Christenen en Moslims - Confrontatie of Dialog?' Averbook, 2006).

The book was published in Arabic in 2006, and was edited by the Egyptian Higher Council of Culture.