Two well-known scholars and experts in on the Quran and the Biblce will debate on the topics: “Is the Quran a Book of Peace?” and “Is the Bible a Book of Peace?”
On Monday, Oct. 5, from 6:30-9 p.m. with a 15-minute break in the middle, the topic will be “Is the Quran a Book of Peace?”
On Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 6:30-9 p.m. with a 15-minute break in the middle, the topic will be “Is the Bible a Book of Peace?”
The location is the Derthick Lecture Hall on the campus of UTC. It is next to the new library.
Organizers of the debates are John Brandon, local entrepreneur; Bassam Issa, president of the Islamic Center of Greater Chattanooga, and Ben Graham, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church.
Mr. Brandon said, "The attack on five service men in July left many Chattanoogans asking questions about Islam. Statements made by uninformed individuals on both sides are causing a greater divide in our city. There have been events held in our community since July that have attempted to educate people about the religion of Islam and the issue of terrorism and extremism. These events have been one-sided and have left people confused, vexed, and irritated."
He said, in response, the lectures were arranged.
In response, three community leaders in Chattanooga got together and decided to invite
Debating will be Dr. Shabir Ally, well-known Muslim apologetic and scholar, and Dr. David Wood, well-known Christian apologetic and scholar.
Moderator will be Dave Flessner, journalist and staff writer for the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Officials said, "These debates are open to anyone in Chattanooga and people of all faiths are encouraged to attend who want to learn more about Islam and Christianity. The spirit of the debates is to build bridges rather than tear them down. We want to educate and inform people in Chattanooga on this divisive subject matter. Apologetics is about learning to defend your faith and being able to clearly articulate why you believe what you believe using multiple sources to back up your claims. It will be a privilege to have both Dr. Ally and Dr. Wood in Chattanooga as we will learn from two of the best in the field of religious apologetics. The last 30 minutes of the debate will be a Q&A so the audience can ask questions.
The official event website is www.WoodAllyDebateChattanooga.com
There is a suggested offering of $5 upon entrance that will go towards Shabir Ally and David Wood for their participation in the debates.
Free parking will be available for attendees of the debate at the 5th Street Garage on the Campus of UTC. The address is 700 East 5th Street. Attendees will be able to walk from there to Derthick Hall.
For those who cannot attend the event, a live-steaming option will be available. Officials said they will release the link when it gets closer to the event.
David Wood will be speaking at Grace Baptist Church on Sunday, Oct., at 6 p.m. on “Witnessing to Islam.” This event is open to everyone in the community free of charge.