"Mainstreaming the collective Texas Muslim Congregational

Voice in our state's social policy arena"

 

Texas Islamic Council (T.I.C.): The T.I.C. is a project of the Freedom and Justice Foundation (F&J), meant to bring the Texas Muslim Congregational Voice to the fore front on issues of social public policy. This state-level representative body allows Muslim congregations in Texas to stand shoulder to shoulder with their brothers and sisters in the Mainline Protestant (Texas Conference of Churches), Catholic (Texas Catholic Conference) and Baptist (Baptist General Convention of Texas) communities. The members of the T.I.C. are Muslim Congregations (Mosques) and full-time Islamic Schools from around the Lone Star State. The current membership of the TIC gives it a representative strength of more than 85,000 Texas Muslims, thereby making it the largest single representative body for Muslims in Texas.

 

• 1st North Texas Regional Muslim-Christian Forum February 24-25, 2006 - SMU Perkins School of Theology

• 1st Statewide Muslim-Christian Forum September 16-17, 2005 - Austin Presbyterian Seminary

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1st North Texas Regional Muslim-Christian Forum
 February 24-25, 2006 - SMU Perkins School of Theology

 

 

 

 

Approximately 100 North Texas community leaders, activists and members attended a Theological Discussion about Islam and Christianity. After a warm welcome delivered on behalf of the bi-religious coordinators by Dr. Nabil Saadon, a presentation was delivered by both sides covering the foundations of each faith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jamal Badawi (Right) delivered a power point presentation on the Quran, how it outlines the relationship between faiths, and covered all the controversial verses perplexing Christians post 9/11.

 

Dr. Saadon (Center) listens with a smile to a post-presentation discussion between the two theological speakers. Dr. Whitney Boadman (Left) of the Austin Presbyterian Seminary listens while exchanging ideas with Dr. Badawi.

 

Also pictured in the back (facing camera) is Dr. Robert Hunt from SMU's Perkins School of Theology who hosted this wonderful event.

 

 

 

 

(Left) A breakout session the following morning on Saturday at the Addison Double Tree Hotel that included leadership from the Mainline Protestant Denominations, Catholics, Mainstream Evangelical Baptists and North Texas Islamic Leaders. Leaders discussed the state of interfaith relations in North Texas and how to build upon the existing relationships to further improve the environment.

 

 

 

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1st Statewide Muslim-Christian Forum
 September 16-17, 2005 - Austin Presbyterian Seminary

 

 

Muslim and Christian leaders gathered from all across the Lone Star State to launch a new dialogue between Muslims and Christians in Texas. The Texas Conference of Churches (TCC) hosted this first discussion meeting, with future meetings planned for Dallas and Houston over the coming 12 months. TCC has had a Jewish-Christian dialogue for the past three decades, and recently passed a resolution calling for a similar dialogue with Muslims.

 

 

 

 

 

The TCC includes numerous Mainline Protestant Groups as well as Catholic congregations. The Baptist General Convention of Texas, which represents nearly 6,000 churches, sent two representatives to also participate. The Muslim groups represented included numerous congregational heads, large advocacy groups, Islamic educators, Clerics, and interfaith outreach experts.

 

 

 

Mohamed Elibiary, President & CEO of the Freedom and Justice Foundation (F&J), gave a 20,000 foot view of the Texas Muslim community following a similar presentation of the Texas Christian community by the Texas Conference of Churches (TCC) staff. Items covered included historical immigration and indigenous patterns, organizational development, demographic trends, theological diversity, and political attitudes.