Students visited The Buddha Center of Dul/as after· studying living wol'icl ,·eligions in Dean of the Colleqe ofBible und Ministry Dr. Monte Cox·s class. The cente,· was ho;11e to the practice of Theravada Buddhism, the more C(JJ1Sert>ati1•e of the two mojor traclitio11s of Buddhism. \ Photo courtesy of Kri.~tliel VargCls Eleven students and one professor clamored onto a bus the morning of Nov. 6. The group was part of the first ever senior seminar in missions centered on Islam and was headed to Memphis, Tennessee, to visit the Memphis Islamic Center and attend the midday prayer service. The group joined professor of leadership and ministry Dr. Evertt Huffard, upon arrival, and they all took off their shoes before entering the worship area. The women covered their heads with scarves and sat separately from the men. MIC resident scholar Dr. Yasir Qadhi led the service in both English and Arabic and met with the team afterwards for a question and answer session about his religion. Senior Bible major Jessica Markwood said the up-close experience gave her a greater understanding of Islam than any textbook could have offered. "We're studying about Islam, but it's hard to fully understand when you're an outsider," Markwood said. "Getting an inside perspective is important to truly understanding another person's religion." Huffard geared the class toward mission-oriented Bible majors who had a specific interest in Islam. The trip was not required of the students - three who went were not enrolled in the class but desired a deeper knowledge of the faith. Senior Bible and preaching major Philip Baird audited the seminar in Islam to gain a broader understanding of the worldwide religion and its followers. 'Tm auditing this class because I have had positive interactions in the past with Muslims, and B '• .\ C ,\DIDI IC S I wanted to learn more so I can be informed when discussions about Islam and 'islamophobia' come up because this religion is shaping and influencing a lot of different aspects oflife in this world today," Baird said. Dr. Monte Cox, dean of the College of Bible and Ministry, who drove the group and attended the service, had been taking students to mosques all over the world for 17 years. From Memphis to Israel, Cox said taking students to see religious institutions other than their own was always a rewarding experience for both him and his students. "I like helping students overcome the intimidation factor, the fear factor, so they would be more inclined to have a conversation with someone who is not like them in the future," Cox said. "I am not
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