Duke University Cancels Plans for Muslim Call to Prayer

By Charlene Aaron

CBN News Reporter

Friday, January 16, 2015

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Duke University has canceled plans to use the school's famous chapel bell tower for a weekly, amplified Muslim call to prayer.

The university was set to broadcast a weekly call to prayer, also known as adhan, on its campus starting Jan. 16, but said Thursday they reconsidered the plan.

"Duke remains committed to fostering an inclusive, tolerant and welcoming campus for all of its students," Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, said. "However, it was clear that what was conceived as an effort to unify was not having the intended effect."

Duke, which was founded in the late 19th century, was founded by Methodists and Quakers and its divinity school has historically been connected to the United Methodist Church. The possibility of the call to prayer broadcast outraged some in the Christian community.

Evangelist Franklin Graham took to social media to blast the school over the Muslim call to prayer.

"As Christianity is being excluded from the public square and followers of Islam are raping, butchering, and beheading Christians, Jews, and anyone who doesn't submit to their Sharia Islamic law, Duke is promoting this in the name of religious pluralism," Graham wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday.

Graham urged Duke alumni to withhold support because of Muslim violence against Christians.
    
Under the canceled plan, members of the school's Muslim Students Association would have recited the call lasting about three minutes from the bell tower.

Meanwhile, various Christian denominations hold prayer and worship services in the chapel. The school also allows Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists to hold services on campus.