A Christian 'Call to Prayer' During Ramadan Backfires

When is the spirit of ecumenism ill-conceived and insensitive to both Muslims and Christians alike? Has the age of multiculturalism only served to make us all hyper-sensitive and overly critical?

A Christian group that serves persecuted Christians worldwide, Open Doors, organized a call to prayer day in Oxford ,UK, during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Although the August 31st event was designed to reduce the fear of Islam and to increase the love for Muslims, the chairman of the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford (Meco), Dr Taj Hargey, accused Open Doors of preaching "evangelical propaganda." Debbie Waite of Whitney News reported that when Hargey was interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford, he objected to Open Doors referring to Islam as an “ideology.” Hargey said, “I was shocked by their theological self-righteousness. They assume the self-appointed task to pray for Muslims.” Hargey responded negatively to several things advertising the event on the Open Doors web site and said that the event was “ill-conceived and insensitive” and “insulting and inflammatory.” Open Doors UK and St Aldate's Church issued a joint statement of regret that offence has been taken by Meco but also emphasizing that the event was designed for church-going Christians. The Center for Vigilant Freedom , an organization designed to battle militant Islam, has issued a call to action to members for a letter-writing campaign objecting to the “scandal of a Christian organisation apologising for practicing Christianity.” Vigilant Freedom Europa is also promoting a letter writing campaign to Open Doors UK, which issued the apology. As multicultural tensions continue to mount in the UK, Toby Cohen of Religious Intelligence reports on a suspected arson attack on St Matthew’s Church in Lincoln, UK last Saturday. The church was scheduled to be converted into a mosque in Oxford.