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Jerry Falwell: Former Muslim Becomes Dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
NewsMax ^ | 2/12/05 | Jerry Falwell

Posted on 02/12/2005 7:13:15 PM PST by wagglebee

On February 4, to the surprise of thousands of Liberty University students, I arose in a convocation service to announce that Dr. Ergun Caner, a converted Sunni Muslim and son of an ulema (Muslim scholar), was to be the first former Muslim to become the dean of an evangelical seminary in the United States. In fact, he will become dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary on the campus of Liberty University, the school I founded in 1971.

The announcement came on the heels of Dr. Danny Lovett, present dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, announcing that he was accepting the role of president at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tenn. Dr. Lovett has been the deeply beloved dean of LBTS for 12 years. Dr. Caner, 38, has been a very popular professor in the School of Religion of Liberty for two years, and has become known for his humorous and pointed preaching and his national profile, as well as his large classes.

He is today one of the most electrifying speakers and defenders of the faith that I have ever heard. I am proud to call him a friend and so thankful that God has sent him to Liberty to lead what I believe will be a revolution in seminary education on this campus.

Dr. Caner has also become a voice for evangelical Christianity in the national media, debating Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Bah'ai leaders on more than 50 college and university campuses.

A Turkish immigrant who converted to Christianity in 1982, Dr. Caner immigrated with his family to America to build mosques in the Midwest. It was while he was in high school in Ohio that a young friend invited him to church and led him to Christ. He was subsequently disowned by his family.

In the years that followed, Dr. Caner surrendered to the Gospel ministry and continued his education. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Languages in 1989 from Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky. In 1992, he received his Master of Arts in History from the Criswell College in Dallas, Texas. In 1994, he received his Masters of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., and in 1995, he completed his Masters of Theology at Southeastern. In 2000, Dr. Caner received his Doctor of Theology from the University of South Africa in residence in Johannesburg.

Prior to coming to Liberty University as professor of Theology and Church History in 2003, Dr. Caner taught for two years at The Criswell College in the same field. He came to national attention in 2002, when his book "Unveiling Islam" (Kregel) became a best seller and eventual CBA Gold Medallion Award winner.

Writing in tandem with his brother, Dr. Emir Fethi Caner, he has written 11 books in the field of world apologetics and history. The books have sold a combined quarter of a million copies and garnered three national book nominations.

As the students cheered at the announcement, perhaps no one was more stunned than Dr. Caner himself.

"I still see myself as that little church orphan boy, sitting in the pew in a country church outside of Columbus, Ohio," Dr. Caner stated. "I cannot imagine how such a thing could come about."

His vision for LBTS is specific:

"We will develop the seminary into the leading evangelical institution for training Christians for a new generation. As I often say, God said go to all the world and preach the Gospel. By and large, we didn't, so He brought the world to us. It is no longer sufficient to simply train graduate students in theory and abstract; we must challenge them to reach a world with 140 major religions, many of whom inhabit our shores. LBTS will set the standard for Global Apologetics on a world stage."

Dr. Caner and his wife of 11 years, Jill, are the parents of two sons, Braxton (age 6) and Drake, who was born last November.

Readers interested in learning more about Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary may visit www.liberty.edu. Besides the hundreds who attend LBTS on campus, more than 1,300 distance-learning students are enrolled off-campus around the world.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: academia; christianity; christianschools; convert; erguncaner; evangelicals; exmuslim; highereducation; islam; jerryfalwell; libertybabtist; libertybaptist; libertyu; turkey; turkishamericans; woundedwarrior
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1 posted on 02/12/2005 7:13:17 PM PST by wagglebee
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To: wagglebee

Bump!

God works in mysterious and beautiful ways. :-)


2 posted on 02/12/2005 7:15:37 PM PST by k2blader (It is neither compassionate nor conservative to support the expansion of socialism.)
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To: jan in Colorado

ping


3 posted on 02/12/2005 7:16:05 PM PST by USF (I see your Jihad and raise you a Crusade ™ © ®)
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To: wagglebee
He's got to watch his neck.

I mean that quite literally, and not as a threat from me!

4 posted on 02/12/2005 7:18:04 PM PST by xm177e2 (Stalinists, Maoists, Ba'athists, Pacifists: Why are they always on the same side?)
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To: k2blader

I'm not generally a huge fan of Falwell, but this is a great example of Christ's Love.


5 posted on 02/12/2005 7:18:11 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee
I believe that Falwell is genuine. I have not always agreed with him, but I have never suspected his devotion to Christianity. He is not Jim Baker. He is not Jimmy Swagert. He is a decent man who is not perfect. He is therefore going to make mistakes.

The double standard the media tries to pin on folks like Falwell, is that they demand that he be perfect and trash him if he isn't. Then they act as if a guy like Bill Clinton were perfect, and dismiss any bad thing that he does.

Christians do not claim to be perfect. The MSM continually points out with glee, when they aren't. This reveals the MSM for what it is, clueless. Even worse, it is devious and seeks to destroy that which is righteous. Lucky for them, that leaves them wide berth to do what they do without risk of being judged by their peers.
6 posted on 02/12/2005 7:37:35 PM PST by DoughtyOne (US socialist liberalism would be dead without the help of politicians who claim to be conservative.)
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To: wagglebee
Remarkable story.

Christianity changes lives. Even Muslim ones. It is really their only hope for true freedom.

7 posted on 02/12/2005 7:39:47 PM PST by Gritty ("Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants"-Lev. 25:10 [Liberty Bell inscription])
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To: DoughtyOne
He does mean well, I will grant him that, but Falwell has done more to discredit evangelical Christianity than anyone since Bakker or Swagert - his feet go into his mouth far too frequently.

He's too eager to speak out in the media.

But for the grace of God, though, there would go I.

8 posted on 02/12/2005 7:46:38 PM PST by jude24 ("To go against conscience is neither right nor safe." - Martin Luther)
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To: DoughtyOne
I've met Falwell on several occasions, and in person he is a very pleasant man. I agree that he is definitely not the hypocrite that the MSM portrays him to be. My problem with him has been about some anti-Semitic anti-Catholic statements he has made in the past. However, he has aploogized for these and that is good enough for me.

Falwell has been a powerful voice for Christianity and conservativism in the past twenty plus years and nobody can deny that.

9 posted on 02/12/2005 7:49:03 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

Falwell has always struck me as decent but naive. If you are going to speak with the press you have to be as wise as a serpent.


10 posted on 02/12/2005 7:55:28 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: DoughtyOne

Big ole dittos, DoughtyOne.


11 posted on 02/12/2005 8:03:25 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (aitch tee tee pea colon 2 slashes dubya dubya dubya dot proud patriots dot org)
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To: Cicero
Falwell has always struck me as decent but naive

Nah, it's just called being honest and godly.

12 posted on 02/12/2005 8:04:31 PM PST by k2blader (It is neither compassionate nor conservative to support the expansion of socialism.)
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To: wagglebee
Jerry Falwell -- my family attended a CCM concert at Liberty U a few years ago. At one point, the Rev. walked on stage in his business suit. the band handed him a (large) tee shirt. as the crowd chanted "JERRY! JERRY!" he pulled on the shirt, over his suit, and danced a few steps. the love he had for his kids, and that they had for him, was tangible.

I once had the privelege of hearing Emir Caner speak. the man is the real deal.

13 posted on 02/12/2005 8:05:08 PM PST by TomSmedley (Calvinist, optimist, home schooling dad, exuberant husband, technical writer)
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To: DoughtyOne

I laugh when people claim that Christians "all claim to be perfect". Maybe some do, but a true Christian should realize that he/she is not perfect. I am not perfect. Never have claimed to be. There has only been one person who has walked on this Earth who can be called "Perfect".


14 posted on 02/12/2005 8:10:48 PM PST by richmwill
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To: wagglebee

Falwell has been one of the staunchest supporters of Israel since I first heard of him in the 1980 timeframe. He has been hosed by the MSM over several out of context quotes.


15 posted on 02/12/2005 8:17:19 PM PST by Al Simmons (4-time 'W' voter, 1994-2004.)
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To: Al Simmons

I know he has. He did, however, once call Satan a "male Jew."


16 posted on 02/12/2005 8:18:08 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: richmwill

"I laugh when people claim that Christians "all claim to be perfect". Maybe some do, but a true Christian should realize that he/she is not perfect. I am not perfect. Never have claimed to be. There has only been one person who has walked on this Earth who can be called "Perfect"."

You obviously don't know my (ex) wife. If the Lord Himself appeared to her, she would be chiding him within a half hour about "not being a true Christian." The mere possibility that she has EVER done anything wrong does not exist in her mind. If you suggest otherwise, you might get yourself a knuckle sandwich (literally). Yet she looks like quite the pretty, petite, super-capable and super-smart chick to those who have never met "Mrs. Hyde." And oh yes - she has cornered the market on 'fruit inspection' (in the Biblical sense).

Forgive the sarcasm. Your post hit a raw nerve.


17 posted on 02/12/2005 8:22:45 PM PST by Al Simmons (4-time 'W' voter, 1994-2004.)
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To: wagglebee

I think it was the Antichrist, not Satan.


18 posted on 02/12/2005 8:22:49 PM PST by k2blader (It is neither compassionate nor conservative to support the expansion of socialism.)
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To: wagglebee

I" know he has. He did, however, once call Satan a "male Jew.""

I believe he was saying that he believed that the antichrist was alive today, and was a "male Jew". Quite a different meaning from the one you might glean from the one above. But he could have put it a bit more delicately.


19 posted on 02/12/2005 8:24:25 PM PST by Al Simmons (4-time 'W' voter, 1994-2004.)
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To: Cicero
I was a "Jerry's kid" in the late 80's. I only lasted two years at the college. I found the culture shock of strict California non-denominational parents, was nothing like being in a strict Southern, Baptisty environment....anyway even though my stay there wasn't long, I pesonally think that Falwell is a man of GREAT integrity and sincerity. Misquotes and twisting of words by the media we all distrust shouldn't lessen anyone's opinion of him. I learned more in the two years of Bible and Poli Sci classes at Liberty that shaped my eventual beliefs, more than any and all the other classes (School, church, work, life etc.) could ever or did teach.
20 posted on 02/12/2005 9:00:26 PM PST by justche
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