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NATALIE WINTERS. MAR 20, 2026

EXCLUSIVE: LEFT-WING FOUNDATIONS BANKROLL PUSH TO BRING THE QUR’AN INTO AMERICAN CHURCHES

ROCKEFELLER-LINKED FUNDING AND GRANTS FROM THE COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION OF TEXAS ARE UNDERWRITING THIS CAMPAIGN ---ALL FRAMED AS A FIGHT AGAINST “ISLAMOPHOBIA.”

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A Chicago-based “interfaith” group is pushing churches toread the Qur’an from the pulpit --- and to confront what it calls “Islamophobia in the Church.”

Challenging Islamophobia Together Chicagoland(CITC) has quietly rolled outinitiatives like its “Reading the Qur’an in Churches” campaign, while promoting a broader effort toreshape Christian teachingfrom within. Thepremise is not subtle:

Christianity itself must be re-examined --- its theology reconsidered, itstraditions reframed, its posture toward Islam fundamentally reoriented.

But this is not just a local outreach effort.

Behind CITC sits a national advocacy network --- the Interfaith Alliance — backed by millions in foundation funding. Public records show that network has drawn support frommajor institutional playersincluding the Henry Luce Foundation, which awarded a $300,000 grant in 2025, as well as the Rockefeller Family Fund , the Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity, and theCommunities Foundation of Texas. In 2023 alone, theInterfaith Alliance Foundation reported roughly $2.87 millionin total revenue, including about $1.4 million in contributions and grants. (Governor Abbott allowed to build their city in TX, and the Americans are pissed because they are basically stealing all the land and homes, and Texans can’t find homes or afford them. The Muslims also buy homes in towns and cities there. Some of the neighborhoods are run by Muslim led HOAs)

What looks like a small, regional interfaith initiative is,in reality, part of a much larger ecosystem, one financed by progressive-aligned philanthropy anddeeply embedded in the political and cultural battles over religion in America.

CITC itself is led by Anna Piela and Michael Woolf, both clergy figures operating within interfaith activism networks. But the structure of the organization makes clearthis is not simply Christian outreach.CITC operates with a Muslim Leadership Councilthat helps guide its priorities, programming, and messaging. As the group explains:

“Having the Muslim Leadership Council helps ensure that our efforts andinitiatives are informed by the lived experiences, concerns, and insights of those directly affected by Islamophobia.

Leaders in Muslim communities can provide valuable perspectives on issues they face, guide the organization’s priorities, and help shape programs and policies to be more effective and culturally relevant.”

That model places Muslim leadership not at the margins, butat the center of how Christian-facing initiatives are developed and executed.

The implications of that structure become clearer when looking at CITC’s programming. One of its most prominent efforts --- the “Reading the Qur’an in Churches” campaign — encourages congregations to engage directly with Islamic scripture inside church settings. This is not framed as academic comparison or optional dialogue. It is positioned as a corrective to Christianity itself.

That same visionis formalized in a new book by the group’s leaders,Confronting Islamophobia in the Church: Liturgical Tools for Justice. The summary leaves little ambiguity about the scope of the project:

“Confronting Islamophobia in the Church: Liturgical Tools for Justice challenges Christians to stand up against Islamophobia as an expression of discipleship. Anna Piela and Michael Woolfexpose the Church’s role in fostering anti-Muslim prejudice and equip congregations to dismantle it.Blending sharp history, “holy envy” theology, and ready-to-use resources thatweave Islamic scripture into the lectionary calendar, they make interfaith engagement both practical and transformative.

This is a call to replace fear with solidarity---and to live the Gospel fully in a pluralistic world.”

The key phrase is not subtle: “weave Islamic scripture into the lectionary calendar.” This is not simply about understanding Islam --- it is about integrating it into the rhythms of Christian worship.

(https://nataliegwinters.substack.com/p/exclusive-left-wing-foundations-bankroll

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