Controversy erupts after Muslim cleric denies Christian pastor access to DFW airport chapel
A well-known Christian pastor was physically blocked from entering an airport chapel last week.
Tom Ascol, the president of Founders Ministries, was returning home after visiting the family of Voddie Baucham Jr., a popular American pastor who recently passed away.
'Beyond the entry were two stalls with water faucets for ablution.'
While awaiting his flight home at the Dallas-Forth Worth airport, Ascol said he heard a public address across the airport that Terminal D was offering a prayer service and that "all are welcome."
With very minimal expectations, Ascol proceeded in hopes that "someone might read Scripture during the service."
Upon his arrival, the pastor found the "interfaith chaplaincy" to be completely ensconced in Islamic tradition.
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"My departure gate was near there, so I walked over and saw the entry lined with Muslim prayer mats," Ascol told Rikki Ratliff-Fellman, executive producer for Glenn Beck.
"Beyond the entry were two stalls with water faucets for ablution. They had signs saying that the stalls were not to be used for showers. The main room had several men kneeling on mats, with a Muslim imam in the far corner and a man praying aloud a Muslim prayer near the door," Ascol explained.
Ascol said he looked through the door and realized that the prayer service the public was invited to was, "in fact, Muslim prayers."
Still, Ascol waited until the audible prayer was finished to try and enter the room and observe. Despite the sign outside the door declaring "all are welcome," the man who was praying out loud allegedly determined he was within his rights to stop Ascol from entering.
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"He quickly came and blocked my entrance as the imam started speaking about the prophet Muhammad," Ascol told Ratliff-Fellman. "He said there was a chair in the back for me but that I must take off my shoes."
Ascol explained that when he tried to step farther toward the door, the man shifted to stand directly in front of him. The pastor said it felt like he was not welcome in the interfaith chapel unless he abided by Islamic rules and "removed his shoes."
"I had no energy to press the issue of the dishonesty of the announcement," Ascol said, adding that he simply took pictures and walked away.
Ratliff-Fellman reached out to DFW Interfaith Chaplaincy, which said it had recently become aware of a "disheartening claim posted on social media that a traveler was allegedly denied entry, or felt unwelcome, during a Muslim prayer service held in one of our airport chapels."
"We take that claim seriously," Reverend Greg McBrayer told Ratliff-Fellman.
The executive director said that those at the chaplaincy "never refuse others from observing any service, or place requirements or restrictions on entering the space during any services."
McBrayer said his group immediately investigated the claims with an unnamed Muslim cleric, who is their "longest-standing chaplain and a person who upholds our shared values of inclusive, shared spaces."
But the director said the cleric was not aware of the incident and that it was not brought to his attention until after the post was made online.
"Our cleric was shocked and saddened at this claim," McBrayer stated.
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The reverend went on, "Had he been made aware of the alleged encounter, he would have made clear that the space is open and available to all people with no restrictions on entry."
McBrayer added that the chapel has been used for five decades, offering various services that are "brief and all inclusive."
"We want our airport community to know that we are shaken by this incident, which would run counter to our core mission, values, and beliefs that all are welcome in our spaces," he noted in his comments.
In his remarks to Ratliff-Fellman, the reverend did not deny the incident, nor was the Muslim cleric named.
Following the events, Ascol said it has only provoked him to pray more diligently.
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