“Madam Speaker, I wish to introduce to my colleagues my distinguished constituent and today’s guest chaplain, Imam Abdullah Antepli.
“Imam Antepli has a long and distinguished record of faith-based and humanitarian service in countries ranging from his native Turkey to the Southeast Asian nations of Burma and Malaysia. Since moving to the United States in 2003, he has been a true pioneer in the field of Muslim campus ministry, serving as the first Muslim chaplain at Wesleyan University, the founding member of the Muslim Chaplains Association, and later at Hartford Seminary, where he completed his doctorate on the challenges and opportunities facing Muslim campus ministry in the United States.
“In July 2008, he came to Duke University to serve as the school’s first full-time Muslim chaplain. Although he’s been on campus less than two years, he has made an enormous impact on the university community. His role is obviously to facilitate worship for the school’s Muslim population, but he’s taken on much more than that. He counsels students of all faiths, fosters understanding of the Muslim faith, and is much in demand as a speaker at community events. This is a remarkable accomplishment at a time when religious differences still threaten to divide us from each other and from other nations.
“I first met Imam Antepli last September at a meeting of Islamic studies scholars in which he participated, and I was immediately struck by his enthusiasm, intellect, and his readiness to engage. Throughout his career, he has truly exemplified the notion of faith in action and has made a habit of practicing the values of tolerance, understanding, and respectful dialogue which he preaches.
“I am very pleased to be able to introduce and welcome Imam Abdullah Antepli here today.”
