Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia—the world’s largest Christian university–announced recently that they have formed a committee to investigate the background of their seminary president Ergun Caner, the Washington Post reported.

Liberty University is investigating its seminary president, Ergun Caner over allegations that he's not the ex-Muslim he passed himself off to be.

The investigating committee will be headed by Liberty university administrator Ron Godwin.

Findings will be released by June 30.  Ergun Caner distinguished himself as a Muslim expert and is a popular speaker in the university lecture circuit.

Since he became president, he has tripled enrolment in the school that was owned by the late Jerry Falwell, Sr., according to Christianity Today (CT).

The CT said that among the claims that Caner made which have been brought to question are:

• That he grew up in Turkey (when he actually grew up in Ohio).
• That he was raised in a devout Sunni Muslim home (rather than a nominal one).
• That he had been involved in Islamic jihad.
• That he has debated dozens of Muslims about the Islamic faith.  (There is no video or audio evidence).

Caner’s reputation came to task when Mohammed Khan, a 22 year old London based Muslim, posted 17 of Caner’s speeches on YouTube.  Khan interjected portions of the speeches with his own commentary.  Among others, Khan said that several times when Caner claimed to be reciting the Shehada, (part of the Islamic creed), he was actually quoting a prayer from the Qur’an, which Khan said is very different.  Khan disputed Caner’s claim to be an Islamic expert.

This set off a rash of bloggers who commented on the issue.  Christianity Today quoted several bloggers including the following:
Debbie Kaufman, an Enid, Oklahoma Southern Baptist laywoman, who said, “This matters because we are to win people to Christ.”
Gene Clyatt, a Southern Baptist pastor in Superior, Montana, questioned Caner’s claim that he was trained as a jihadist until the age of 15.  In Ergun’s book, Unveiling Islam which he co-wrote with his brother Emir, he said that his parents married in Sweden and the family moved to Ohio when he was a young boy.

In the book the brothers said they recited daily prayers, visited the mosque weekly, and read the Qur’an and Hadith regularly.  They said they were raised to be devout, serious Muslims.

James R. White, director of the Phoenix-based Alpha & Omega Ministries, said “The president of a large theological seminary has created a myth concerning his background that is incredibly self-contradictory.”  White teaches Islam at golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.

Sympathy

Some bloggers however expressed sympathy for Caner.

Hussein Wario, also a former Sunni Muslim who converted to Christianity, noted that while Caner had co-authored 17 books, it is only now that he is being criticized because of Khan’s videos.

Wario also said in his blog, Cracks in the Crescent, “I am a Reformed Christian and I am utterly ashamed of Dr. White. In my opinion, he is a disgrace to the Reformed faith—sola scriptura—because of his meddling in this matter and his disregard of the scripture. He is tacitly helping Muslims with their war against Muslim converts to Christianity.”

Roy J. Oksnevad, director of Muslim Ministries at Wheaton College said that the American church tends to pressure ex-Muslims to talk very negatively about their former faith.

Repent

Tom Chantry, on the Christ Reformed Baptist Church blog, suggested repentance on the part of Caner and Liberty University.  Chantry said in his blog that while it is difficult to make restitution in cases of deceit, it can be done, and that Caner can apologize and seek forgiveness.

However Liberty University must do the same, Chantry said, noting that the institution had benefitted from the celebrity culture of Evangelical Christianity and if they had instead put their focus on the Word of God, this may have been prevented.

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A Methodist Church in Loxahatchee, Fla. incorporated recently the stretching movements of yoga and Pilates with Christian prayer and meditation, through a class called Praisemoves, according to the Sun Sentinel.

The class is forwarded by the Community of Hope which always opens in prayer and then ends with a New Testament bible verse such as 2 Corinthians 12:9: “And he said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me,’” as their ending meditation, the Sun Sentinel said.

Credit: k_vohsen/sxc.hu

Despite criticisms from many Christians who believe that yoga invites demonic spirits into the body, others join the class precisely because of its Christian orientation.

Some prefer its low-impact workout, while others enjoy the chance to dwell on God in a peaceful setting, the report said.

Praisemoves is different from a similarly named group, PraiseMoves which was started by Laurette Willis, who goes to Calvary church in Tahlequah, Okla.

Willis designed PraiseMoves as a way to get fit without compromise, according to their website. PraiseMoves describes itself as the Christian alternative to yoga.

In her website Willis explains in great detail the dangers of yoga and shares her own journey.

She talks of yoga’s Hindu roots and how the different yoga postures are actually offerings to 330 million Hindu gods. She also expressed concern about yoga being taught in public schools to grade school children.

PraiseMoves, Willis says, is not Christian Yoga which she calls an oxymoron, like Christian Buddhism.

Instead, PraiseMoves involves stretching exercises for physical flexibility for one’s body as a temple of God. It is so called because praise moves God. With the movements, the mind focuses on New Testament verses that praise Jesus.

Amy Julia Becker, in her article “Yoga: An Exercise in Discernment” at her.meneutics said, “I’ve started my personal prayer time by integrating God’s Word with breathing techniques I learned in yoga. Breathe in: “Be still.” Hold the breath: “and know.” Exhale: “that I am God.”

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The Oklahoma Senate overrode recently a veto by Governor Brad Henry and set into law restrictions on abortion, setting off a string of protests by pro-abortion clinics and advocates.
According to the Christian Telegraph, pro-life bills HB2780 and HB2656 were passed by the Oklahoma senate.
HB 2780 states that one hour before their abortion, all women must undergo an ultrasound so that the sonographer can give a detailed explanation of the results.
Earlier, Governor Henry vetoed the bill calling it a violation of privacy which could cause physical and mental trauma to the patient, the Christian Telegraph said.
Linda Meek, manager of Reproductive Services, an abortion clinic, said patients have shed tears in the ultrasound room but still went through with an abortion, the Associated Press said.
Pro-life advocates say the law gives women access to all information about their choice.
Rep. Lisa Billy, who sponsored the bill, said women should have the choice to see the image and added that complete information will empower them, the Christian Telegraph said.
The same report said that recently, studies by Live Action discovered that oftentimes some abortion clinics give women incomplete or wrong information about the stages of development of the unborn fetus.
Others who support the bill say it is one way to protect the life of the unborn child and to prevent psychological trauma to pregnant women.
The second bill, HB2656, prohibits “wrongful life” lawsuits.
These are suits which women file against their doctors if they give birth to children with abnormalities. The basis of such claims is that the doctor did not inform them in advance, which would have allowed them to abort their child, according to MercuryNews.com.
The Christian Telegraph said other pro-life bills recently passed in Oklahoma and signed by Governor Henry are:
• SB1891 or the Freedom of Conscience Act for health care workers who do not want to perform or participate in abortions.
• SB1902 which says only doctors can give patients the abortion drug RU-486.
• HB3075, which protects women from forced abortions.
• SB1890 which bans abortions based on the baby’s sex.

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