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By Susan Hogan*

11:00 A.M. EST July 8, 2010 | ROSEMONT, Ill. (UMNS)

The Rev. Amos Oladipo accepted an "Interfaith Unity Award" from the Islamic Society of North America on behalf of the Northern Illinois Annual (regional) Conference.
A UMNS photo by Susan Hogan.
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The Rev. Amos Oladipo bounded toward the stage with a big smile on his face to accept an uncommon award for United Methodists.

The nation’s largest organization of Muslims, drawing 20,000 people to its annual convention, on July 4 bestowed its “Interfaith Unity Award” to the Northern Illinois Annual (regional) Conference.

The praise extended beyond the conference as leaders of the Islamic Society of North America called the United Methodists “remarkable.”

Muslims dedicated an entire page of the program to pay tribute to United Methodists.

“As the national level, the Islamic Society of North America has found a close ally in The United Methodist Church,” the program said, “both working together in campaigning for social justice, peace and equity.”

The recognition held special meaning for the 55-year-old Oladipo, who heads the conference’s ecumenical and interfaith outreach. He grew up in Nigeria, the son of a Muslim mother who later converted to Christianity.

“My father had been an indigenous spiritual leader before converting to Christianity,” said Oladipo, his arms wrapped around the plaque recognizing the joint efforts of Chicago-area United Methodists and Muslims.

“I grew up knowing there were good people in many faiths. I learned the importance of working together.”

‘Our Muslim neighbors’

United Methodists adopted an official resolution to work with Muslims in 1992. The statement, “Our Muslim Neighbors,” was amended and readopted in 2004.

The statement encourages United Methodist agencies and local organizations to work with Muslims to address “common problems and concerns.”

The United Methodist Committee on Relief joins with Muslim Aid in delivering boats in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami.
A UMNS file photo courtesy of UMCOR.
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Several key world religious leaders, including Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, and Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, were on hand for the award presentation.

United Methodists are now working with Muslims in ways never before seen. For instance, the denomination’s largest U.S. charity is teaming with British Muslim charities to provide aid to for countries affected by disaster, poverty and conflict, such as Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

Another example of new interfaith partnerships is seen in Claremont University's agreement to serve as a training ground for religious leaders in Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions.

Claremont recently passed a review by the University Senate, the body in the denomination charged with making sure schools meet the standards of a United Methodist institution.

The Rev. Jerry D. Campbell, Claremont’s president, told the UMNS the review was launched by people worried that the school had lost its United Methodist identity.

“Our United Methodist ties are extremely important to us,” he said.

Partners in caring

Claremont is not alone.

“There are many Methodists working hard at these relationships,” said the Rev. J. Philip Wogamon, professor emeritus of Christian Ethics at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

At the same time, some United Methodists oppose those relationships because they fear interfaith cooperation leads to co-opting of the Christian faith, he said.

Wogamon, a past president of the D.C.-based Interfaith Alliance, said the impact of global religious conflict makes cooperation between people of faiths more critical than ever before.

“There are Muslims who are open and desirous of conversation and cooperation, and there are Muslims who are narrow and militant,” he said. “You could say the same thing about Christians.”

Muslims and United Methodists have partnered in multiple efforts in northern Illinois. “We’ve put together programs for college students to work together,” said Emmy Lou John of Aurora, Ill. “We also held an interfaith forum with mayoral candidates.”

The faiths also came together around various social justice issues, uniting in their appeals to state legislators.

“There are Muslims who are open and desirous of conversation and cooperation, and there are Muslims who are narrow and militant. You could say the same thing about Christians.” -- The Rev. J. Philip Wogamon

“Working with United Methodists has taught us the value of shared experience,” said Imam Kareem Irfan, president of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago. He’s the first Muslim to serve in that role.

Beautiful faith

After the interfaith banquet in the Chicago suburb, the soft-spoken Oladipo talked about his mother, who died a couple of years ago.

“She had a beautiful faith, first as a Muslim, then as a Christian,” said Oladipo, who leads Epworth United Methodist Church in Chicago.

His father died last year. Oladipo said his parents raised him in southern Nigeria, where he eventually attended seminary. He left his homeland in 1989.

Oladipo said he struggled with his decision to become a pastor. When asked why, he pointed to the United Methodist mission statement to “make disciples of Jesus Christ.”

United Methodist policy, set forth in “Our Muslims Neighbors,” makes it clear that converting Muslims to Christianity is not the goal of interfaith work.

“I didn’t want to convert Muslims,” Oladipo said. “Because my mother was a Muslim, I knew how deeply the people loved God. We lived in harmony together as Muslims and Christians.”

Today, he fosters harmony between Muslims and Christians in Illinois.

“My mother would be happy,” he said, flashing another wide smile.

*Hogan is a freelance writer based in Chicago.

News media contact: David Briggs, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or or newsdesk@umcom.org.