A movement to create a dialogue between Christians and Muslims has created controversy in Minnesota’s evangelical community, as anti-Muslim sentiments color what organizers hope to be a positive learning experience. While Minnesota pastor and National Evangelical Association president Leith Anderson has been a proponent of the shared dialogue and constructive conversation, Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries thinks that evangelicals are being duped.

The "Common Word" movement began as a conversation between scholars of every branch of Islam and Pope Benedict XVI to "open intellectual exchange and mutual understanding" between two of the world’s largest faiths. The movement expanded that dialogue to include more than 138 Islamic scholars and some 500 Christian leaders. As part of the mutual understanding, Muslim and Christian leaders are encouraged to educate their communities about each other’s faith — without condescending or proselytizing.

One such educational event –"A Common Word Between You and Us," held at in Washington, D.C. last week — included Rev. Anderson, pastor of the Eden Prairie church Gov. Tim Pawlenty attends.

“What we need are words that are turned into deeds — the actions of love,” Anderson said of the conference. He said he attended to "engage in what is clearly a major issue in our world today, Christian-Muslim relationships."

"Our differences are deep and real," he said. "But I have been especially impressed this week with the comfortable candor with which Muslims and Christians have clearly stated their own doctrines to one another."

But Markell, a radio show host and friend of Rep. Michele Bachmann, in addition to leading Maple Grove-based Olive Tree Ministries, offered scathing comments on the conference and the movement in general.

"Something is very wrong with this picture," she wrote in an e-mail to supporters. "In attendance and in agreement, sadly, were both the head of the National Association of Evangelicals and the World Evangelical Alliance."

She continued: "Don’t these evangelical leaders know that deception is part and parcel of the Muslim religion when they deal with ‘infidels’? Do they really think American mosques are going to start heralding Christianity once a year and really mean it? Don’t they know that many American mosques — certainly not all — are the breeding ground for calling for the destruction of America and its takeover by Islam?"

She concluded, "Forgive my cynicism but I think the Muslims are laughing all the way to Mecca."

It would seem that Markell missed the point of the dialogue completely.