The document summarizes an interfaith seminar held at Harding University between a Muslim speaker, Nabil Bayakly, and Harding professor Monte Cox. Bayakly, director of a Memphis mosque, presented on the history of Islam in America and aimed to correct misconceptions about the faith. Cox highlighted similarities between Islam and Christianity like a belief in God/Allah and revelation, but also discussed religious disagreements. Over 400 people attended the event designed to foster understanding between Muslims and Christians through respectful dialogue.

1. MARCH 2008 PARTNERS THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE 27
SIMILARITIES, DIFFERENCES DISCUSSED
BY KRISTIN KELLEY | FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE
SEARCY, Ark. — Harding University’s Honors
College hosted a seminar Feb. 17 titled
“Islam in America: A Dialogue on Faith.”
Part of the L.C. Sears Collegiate
Seminar Series, the program in the
American Heritage Auditorium was
designed to foster a better understanding
between Muslims and Christians. You’ve seen the need in our world. People are hurting and lost. Families are in
More than 400 students, faculty and trouble. They need to hear the message of Jesus, and they need people like you to
members of the Searcy community serve among them. OC’s graduate ministry training will immerse you in Biblical
listened to a presentation from Nabil JEFF MONTGOMERY
scholarship and shape you for contemporary ministry.
Bayakly of Memphis, Tenn., and later Nabil Bayakly, a Muslim from Memphis, Tenn.,
heard a conversation between him and makes a point as Monte Cox listens at the “Is-
Harding’s Monte Cox. lam in America” seminar at Harding on Feb. 17.
“In recent years, Islam in America has
become the focus of much attention and With mutual understanding in mind, For more information or to reserve your place, please call
Bob Young at 405.425.5485 or email bob.young@oc.edu.
unease,” said Sky Vanderburg, assistant Bayakly answered a receptive audience’s
student director of the series. “We wanted questions on topics ranging from Islamic
to further dialogue between Muslims and nations’ treatment of women to the differ-
Christians with this seminar.” ences in Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
Bayakly, director of the AnNoor Andy Frazier, a senior Bible and religion
Community Center, meeting place of the major from Oshkosh, Wis., and a former
Muslim Student Association of Memphis, student in Cox’s comparative religions
opened the discussion. class, wanted to hear about Islam first-
He presented a history of Islam in hand at the seminar.
America, discussed some implications of “I went to high school with Muslims
the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and but haven’t had many chances to interact
showed examples of Muslims’ contribu- with them since college,” Frazier said.
tions to science. “We don’t hear very often from a Muslim
Cox, associate dean of the College of perspective, so I wanted to hear their
Bible and Religion and director of the thoughts on Christianity.”
Center for World Missions at Harding, Born in Ghana, West Africa, Bayakly
took the floor next. serves as an instructor of Arabic at the
He pointed out some commonalities of University of Memphis and an adjunct
Islam and Christianity: the Creator entity professor of biology at Le Moyne Owen
known as God to Christians and Allah to College.
Muslims, a belief in revelation from the He has published numerous works on
Creator and a commitment to obedience both science and religion and travels to
of that revelation. universities throughout the nation lectur-
He followed up with his thoughts about ing on Islam. He has spent much of his
religious and political disagreements life working to correct misconceptions
among Christians and Muslims. Prior to of Islam while promoting mutual under-
speaking, Cox emphasized his longstand- standing between faiths.
ing, amicable relationship with Bayakly, Cox spent nearly 10 years as a mission-
one that formed over the years he has ary in Kenya before joining the Harding
taken students to visit Bayakly’s mosque faculty in 1993.
in Memphis. Each year he leads students from his
“I know Nabil would like nothing more “Living World Religions” class to Chicago
than for me to say that Allah is the one and Dallas to engage in conversation with
true God, and Muhammad is his proph- those of other faiths.
et,” Cox said. “And he knows that I would The L.C. Sears Collegiate Seminar
like nothing more than to convince him Series hosts a variety of seminars
that Jesus Christ is the son of God and to throughout the school year designed to
baptize him.” stimulate discussion of timely issues.