Catholic World News News Feature

Christian University Apologizes To Muslims For Insensitive Students February 10, 1997

TULSA, Oklahoma (CWN) - Officials of Oral Roberts University apologized to local Muslim leaders on Friday after a group of students from the school surrounded a mosque and prayed for their conversion to Christianity.

The Rev. Bill Shuler, the university's campus minister, said in a letter to Mujeeb Cheema, chairman of the Islamic Society of Tulsa that the students would be disciplined. "The university does not encourage this type of action and will use its best efforts to see that is not repeated," he wrote.

Cheema said more than 20 students encircled the mosque Wednesday night while worshipers were inside, placed their hands on the building, and prayed from the Bible. Police were called when the students refused to leave.

Shuler said one of the students told him they gathered in small prayer groups on the sidewalk outside the building and approached it only when worshipers came out to speak with them.