Church defends decision on Muslim speaker

SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. — One of the largest megachurches in the U.S. is defending its decision to host a Muslim speaker after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Willow Creek Community Church in the Chicago area says reports of the incident are inaccurate. The church, which draws about 17,000 people each week, hosted Fisal Hammouda, a Muslim imam, last October. Tom White, director of Voice of the Martyrs, said Willow Creek  Pastor Bill Hybels “shared the pulpit” with Hammouda and did not correct inaccurate statements made about Islam. The church says Hammouda was invited to help address interfaith tensions following Sept. 11 and to model “how a Christian can dialogue in a winsome way with someone who has radically different views.”

It also notes that Hammouda was not invited to “speak from the pulpit,” but to answer questions, during which Hybels made “clear distinctions” between Christianity and Islam.