Roughly two years ago, McMurry University moved the\nMuslim prayer room from the servant leadership room to the community room in\nthe campus apartments to accommodate more of our Muslim students by offering\nthem a safe and larger place to pray. Although there was outrage from the local\ncommunity, two years later, McMurry still proves how it is a pioneer in\ninterfaith and how McMurry loves and cares about its students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nfact that a Methodist school implemented a prayer room dedicated to serve its\nlarge Muslim population was unheard of in the Abilene community until McMurry.\nThanks to several leaders among our campus\u2014both students and faculty\u2014McMurry\nhas set itself apart from all other universities in town by providing a diverse\nand accepting campus community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One\nof those leaders is Dr. Mark Waters. A renowned professor of religion, head of\nthe international education program, and a sponsor for the Better Together\nAlliance, Dr. Waters\u2019s love for McMurry reaches far beyond than changing\nstudents\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe\nprayer room was a big symbol,\u201d said Dr. Waters. \u201cIt was a way of saying that we\ncare about interfaith work and that we care about all of our students of any\nreligion, of any background, or of any world view.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
McMurry\naccounts for a large portion of foreign students in its population. Majority of\nthe students that come outside of the U.S. are from Saudi Arabia. The fact that\nMuslim students are coming to a relatively conservative town with strong\nChristian beliefs leaves them uncertain on how to practice their faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBefore\nMcMurry\u2019s prayer room in the apartments, my friends and I would worship at one\nof our friends\u2019 apartment,\u201d said junior Sultan Faqqash, majoring in biomedical\nscience. \u201cThanks to the larger space McMurry provided for us, not only does it\nmake it easier for us to pray, but it provides a place for other Muslims in\nAbilene who need somewhere safe and peaceful to pray.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Love\nthroughout the community was felt when McMurry opened its doors to anyone who\ndesired to practice their faith. Although several abhorring comments filled\nsocial media and the school regarding the prayer room, it didn\u2019t stop for the\nlove to spread, and thus triumph over the hate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe\nprayer room serves Muslim communities in Abilene where Muslims practice praying\nevery day,\u201d said senior Abdullah Mishal, majoring in biology. \u201cThe prayer room\nmakes them feel comfortable and think of Abilene, and specifically McMurry, as\na second home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not\nonly has the prayer room spread love around campus and our community, but it\nhas also spread love to young leaders in our campus, inspired to make change.\nIn the past two years since the prayer room was installed, McMurry\u2019s interfaith\ngroup, Better Together Alliance, has seen a rapid growth in numbers, though it\nhopes to grow even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs\nfar as interfaith goes, we have made many progressive strides to better establish\nthe principles of equality,\u201d said president of Better Together Alliance Jaquay\nThomas. \u201cOur whole motto is to bridge gaps and bridge difference, and\nspecifically to spread love and compassion for everybody, regardless of who\nthey are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
McMurry\u2019s\nmission statement, which upholds Christian values while at the same time\nexamines the world from different perspectives, demonstrates how we, as a\nschool, we have to look the broader picture in life. We are here to get an\neducation, but to also inspire, educate, lead, and serve. We cannot serve our\nneighbor if we are not tolerable of their religion or background. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m\nthankful for McMurry\u2019s loving community and I am thankful that more people are\nbecoming aware of their faith. I\u2019m grateful that our students of different\nfaith backgrounds are able to feel safe here on campus and are able to practice\ntheir faith peacefully,\u201d concluded Dr. Waters. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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