Christian Minister Responds with Love After Dearborn Mayor’s Rebuke

In an era where political and religious tensions often escalate into deeper divides, Christian minister Edward “Ted” Barham is choosing a different path. Following a contentious exchange with Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud that went viral, Barham refuses to respond with animosity despite being told he was “not welcome” during a heated city council meeting. “I did not respond to the mayor with hate. I said, God bless you,” Barham told Fox News Digital, explaining that he takes Jesus’ command to “love your enemies, bless those who curse you” seriously. This moment of public conflict, rather than discouraging him, has strengthened his resolve to advocate for freedom of speech and religious expression in America’s most densely populated Muslim community.

The controversy began during a September 9 council meeting where Barham objected to honorary street signs for Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News. Barham cited concerning statements from Siblani, including a 2022 speech where he declared, “Everyone should fight within his means. They will fight with stones, others will fight with guns, others fight with planes, drones, and rockets.” Barham expressed worry that such rhetoric “sounds like he could be inciting violence in Michigan.” Siblani’s controversial history includes referring to Hezbollah and Hamas as “freedom fighters” rather than terrorist organizations, expressing willingness to go to jail for supporting Hezbollah’s “resistance,” and recently praising Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “hero” at a Dearborn rally. These statements formed the basis of Barham’s concerns about honoring Siblani with street signs.

Barham brings a unique perspective to these tensions, having been born in Africa and lived across Pakistan, Lebanon, and Israel before ministering for years in England. With graduate qualifications in biblical languages and theology from prestigious institutions including the University of Toronto and Oxford University, he has produced Arabic-language Christian programming and developed deep connections within Dearborn’s diverse community. “I do really enjoy living in this city,” Barham shared, noting that many of his friends are either Muslim or former Muslims. He sees the significant Muslim population in Western countries as an opportunity rather than a challenge: “I would encourage American Christians to make the message of Christ and His love and His forgiveness and of loving His enemies very attractive to their Muslim friends and neighbors.”

The minister’s commitment to interfaith dialogue extends to practical initiatives. Barham’s group recently tested a Christian call to prayer in Arabic in public spaces, designed to run alongside those broadcast by mosques, specifically quoting John 3:16. This initiative emerged from observing how frequently the Islamic call to prayer echoes through neighborhoods and wanting Christian voices to have equivalent public expression. “One really inspiring thing about that for us is that we’re doing something here in Dearborn that our brothers and sisters in so many Muslim countries around the world are not allowed to do. And I do hand it to the city council and the mayor for allowing us to do that Christian call to prayer,” Barham acknowledged. At the same time, he hopes Muslim American leaders will leverage their influence to advocate for religious minorities abroad: “My prayer is that people here in America, Muslim people, Muslim background people here in America will fight for the rights of oppressed Christian minorities in so many Muslim countries.”

Despite the recent public confrontation, Barham maintains a nuanced view of Mayor Hammoud. He expressed shock at hearing the mayor promise to “launch a parade” when he leaves town, particularly because he has witnessed positive interactions between Hammoud and his family. “The mayor treated me terribly last week, but I have actually, believe it or not, had some good personal interactions with him, not myself so much, but my family,” Barham noted, crediting Hammoud with funding new playgrounds and recalling his son’s warm encounter with the mayor during a preschool visit. However, Barham suggests there’s a pattern of city leadership dismissing Christian speech, pointing to a 2022 controversy where organizers of a Christian film event were accused of “preying on children” simply for offering refreshments at a screening of “The Chosen,” a popular TV series about Jesus Christ’s life.

Despite these challenges, Barham remains committed to his ministry in Dearborn and to fostering understanding across religious divides. “I want to stand up for a totally different message which is the message of love,” he emphasized. “Disagreement is not hate. Faith can be expressed without fear.” His ongoing work in the community reflects this philosophy—that meaningful dialogue happens when we honor different perspectives while standing firm in our own convictions. Through his presence and persistence, Barham continues to navigate the complex dynamics of faith expression in a diverse American city, modeling how religious conviction and respectful engagement can coexist even amid sharp disagreements. His story illuminates the daily negotiations happening in communities across America as citizens with profoundly different worldviews work to share the same civic space.