Anyone who knows me also knows that I am resolutely atheist. After this last year – in which I lost my father and a friend before they had achieved what most would consider a ‘good innings’ – my atheism has been cemented further.
Despite my godlessness I am still in awe of people whose faith is so strong that it gives them a superhuman fearlessness.
One such person I would put in that category is Canon Andrew White, an Anglican vicar from the UK who is based in downtown Baghdad. The so called ’Vicar of Baghdad’ features in a documentary to be screened on ITV later this month.
Canon White’s church, St George’s, just a mile outside Baghdad’s highly protected Green Zone, is the only Anglican church in Iraq. There he ministers to all who are brave enough to come – and his mission is not to judge or proselytise.
Many members of his congregation have been victimised for their beliefs – tortured, kidnapped or even killed. Andrew lost 11 of his evangelical staff when they went missing on the way back from Jordan – all are unaccounted for. Andrew himself has been hijacked, kidnapped, held at gunpoint and attacked – “just the usual things,” he says. He has to travel in a 20 strong armed convoy just to go to church.
White is the President of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East and has become a highly effective intermediary between Iraq’s power-brokers, the coalition forces and the region’s indigenous warlords and insurgents, which to describe as no mean feat is an understatement akin to stating that the Blitz left Londoners a bit nervy.
On Thursday Andrew is giving an interview to the Times and I am pleased to say that I will be going along too. I am more intrigued to meet him than anyone who has ever featured in a TV programme which I have been promoting. Aside from his charisma and the jollity with which he operates in the midst of truly appalling conditions, his spirit and faith in reconciliation is off the scale. If the average optimist like myself has a glass that’s half full, then Canon White’s is positively overflowing.
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9 Comments
Ben Ayers: This is an absolutely fascinating article about Canon White. Thank you
Dear Mr Ayers,
We share at least 2 interests - cycling and Andrew White. I missed most of the program “vicar of baghdad”. If you know of anyway of streaming, downloading or seeing a repeat, please do post on this. I’ve searched all over the ITV website.
many thanks
Nick
Hi Nick,
Thanks for the comment. Sorry to hear you can’t find it on the ITV website. I am fairly sure that this particular programme isn’t available on catchup at the moment. I will send you a copy of the programme if you like. Feel free to send me your address via the Contact form and I’ll pop it in the post.
Cheers,
Ben
This programme is available on the catch up section of the ITV website. Web address is: http://www.itv.com/CatchUp/Video/default.html?ViewType=5&Filter=20066
It seems that this wonderful man and equally all his fellow key religious leaders’ work in their logical constructive approach to peace is just not being covered enough in the media.
Even my Catholic peers have not heard of Canon Michael White.
I cannot find the programme on the ITV website and would really like to know more. Also can anyone confirm whether this peace movement is called The Alexandria Project?
Correction Andrew White
Dear Ben,
I am eager to see the programme “Vicar of Baghdad” but unfortunately it`s no more availible on the itv website. I wonder wether you have a copy you could send me online?
Best Regards
Bettina
Hamburg, Germany
The Vicar of Baghdad video is available on the FRRME web site :-
http://www.frrme.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=117&Itemid=44
hi nick i too would be very gratefull if you could send me a copy too on dvd ive tryed searching for it online and cant find it i would buy it if it was on sale.
theres alot of people in my church who would love to see this including one who is an iraqy himself.
ive just seen him preach at a nearby church hes an amazing godly man.
blessings richard