Canon Andrew White

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Reverend Canon Andrew White (born 1964) is vicar of St. George's Church, Baghdad; the only Anglican church in Iraq. He has thus been dubbed the "Vicar of Baghdad". He is also President of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East.[1] He was previously Director of International Ministry at the International Centre for Reconciliation at Coventry Cathedral, UK.

Contents

[edit] Early years, education and call to the priesthood

White grew up in Bexley, south-east London. He studied at St Thomas' Hospital in London, qualifying as an Operating Department Practitioner in 1985, before training for the priesthood at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He also spent time at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was ordained in 1990.[2] He became a curate at St Mark's Battersea Rise in the Diocese of Southwark before becoming vicar of the Church of the Ascension, Balham Hill in the same diocese.

In 1997 - his final year as vicar of the Church of the Ascension - he was a Wandsworth Borough Councillor and served as Deputy Chairman of Social Services. White suffers from multiple sclerosis which means he uses a stick to help his mobility.

[edit] Director of International Ministry

In 1998, Canon White was appointed Director of International Ministry at Coventry Cathedral. His role headed up the International Centre for Reconciliation, promoting reconciliation in conflicts (mainly religious) across the globe. He remained in this post until 2005, when he moved to Baghdad to become vicar of St George's Church.

[edit] "Vicar of Baghdad"

Canon White has been dubbed "Vicar of Baghdad" since his church is the only remaining Anglican church in Iraq. Here, he has continued the reconciliation that he promoted during his time as Director of International Ministry at Coventry Cathedral. The Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East was established in 2005 as part of his reconciliation work in Iraq and the Middle East as a whole.

His main aim has been to try and maintain communication between Shia and Sunni leaders, and to "gain trust of key religious leaders on both sides in various conflict areas".[3] He sees his role as trying to mediate and re-establish the dialogue between conflicting groups.

Canon White was involved in unsuccessful efforts to free British hostage Ken Bigley, although his efforts and those of many others were unsuccessful as Mr Bigley was murdered after 3 weeks in Iraq. He also took part in trying to resolve the hostage situation at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in 2002.

He supports the invasion of Iraq by British and American Armed Forces, among others, that led to the end of Saddam Hussein's regime.

Canon White's lay pastor was kidnapped in April 2007; however, he managed to raise the $40,000 ransom necessary to secure the pastor's release but he soon returned to Iraq where he remains most of the time.[4]

On July 11, 2007, Canon White arrived in Britain after having fled Iraq following warnings of threats to his life [5] but returned later on [6].

[edit] Previous appointments

  • Special Envoy to the Middle East - for the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd. and Rt. Hon. George Carey
  • Director of International Ministry and Canon Residentiary - International Centre for Reconciliation, Coventry Cathedral

[edit] Current appointments

  • Vicar of St George's Church, Baghdad, Iraq
  • President and Chief Executive - Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East (FRRME)
  • Special Representative to the Alexandria Process - for the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd. and Rt. Hon. Rowan Williams
  • Eric Lane Fellow - Clare College, Cambridge
  • Harvard Fellow

[edit] Selected Publications

  • Iraq: People of Promise, Land of Despair (2003)
  • Iraq: Searching for Hope (2005)

Canon White has also written widely on issues of inter-faith activity, conflict resolution, Middle East affairs and relations between Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

[edit] Awards

  • The Sternberg International Council of Christians and Jews Prize (jointly with Lord Coggan) (1991)
  • Anglo-Israel Association Prize (2001)
  • Sir Sigmund Sternberg Inter-Faith Prize (2003)
  • Grand Commander of the Order of Merit of the Knights Templar of Jerusalem (2003)
  • Interfaith Award, British Government (2003)
  • Peacemaker in Action Award, The Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, United States (2005)
  • US Cross of Valor (2006)
  • The Woolf Instute, Cambridge Peace Prize (2007)

Canon White was awarded the Anglo-Israel Association Prize for his contribution to furthering understanding between the British and Israeli nations. He was awarded the Sternberg Inter-Faith Prize for his work in promoting good relations between Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

[edit] Styles

  • Mr Andrew White (1964-1990)
  • The Revd. Andrew White (1990-1998)
  • The Revd. Canon Andrew White (1998-)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East official Website
  2. ^ "Onward, Christian soldier", The Telegraph's interview of Canon White, 14 June 2005
  3. ^ Profile: Canon Andrew White, BBC News
  4. ^ Profile: Canon Andrew White, Times Online, 4 July 2007
  5. ^ Vicar flees Baghdad after threats, Episcopal Life Online, 12 July 2007
  6. ^ The Vicar of Baghdad: Through the valley of the shadow of death, Times Online, 22 May 2008