Jay Smith (c. 1953 – ) is an American Christian apologist, missionary, and evangelist who relocated to London in the mid-1980s to focus on outreach to Muslim communities. He established and directs the Pfander Centre for Apologetics, producing films and resources through Pfander Films that apply textual criticism to Islamic scriptures, challenging traditional accounts of the Quran's compilation and Muhammad's biography using sources like the Vienna Papyrus and early manuscript evidence. A former missionary with Frontiers, Smith has built a significant online following via YouTube, collaborating with apologists like David Wood on Acts17Apologetics. His public ministry emphasizes rigorous scholarship and weekly engagements at Speakers' Corner, where he advocates open-air debate as essential evangelism and is known for polemics with the Hyde Park Christian Fellowship, which he directs. His approach has drawn praise from evangelicals for intellectual depth but criticism from Muslim groups and some Christians for being overly confrontational or inflammatory, with occasional accusations of Islamophobia amid UK debates on free speech. Smith's academic credentials include a B.A. from the University of Oregon, M.A. from Fuller Theological Seminary, and D.Min. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, with self-taught proficiency in biblical languages and Quranic Arabic aiding his work.