The remarkable story of Canon Andrew White, a man of great charm and energy and one of the world's most trusted mediators and reconcilers. Combined in a single volume for the first time, The Vicar of Baghdad and My Journey So Far tell the story of how Andrew overcame a childhood beset by illness to become an anaesthetist and then a vicar in the Church of England. As vicar of St George's Baghdad, the only Anglican church in Iraq, he has led a team providing food, healthcare, and education on a major scale and often in dire circumstances. He has had a considerable role in the work of reconciliation, both between Christian and Jew and between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim. Andrew is widely recognised to be one of a handful of people trusted by virtually every side in the complex Middle East. Despite dealing with the pain from multiple sclerosis and facing extreme personal danger, he has nevertheless been able to mediate between opposing extremes. Political and military solutions are constantly put forward, and often fail. Andrew offers a different approach, speaking as a man of faith to men of faith. He is trusted by those who trust very few.

Andrew White is something of a legend: a man of great charm and energy, whose personal suffering has not deflected him from his important ministry of reconciliation. Andrew grew up in London, the son of strongly religious parents: by the age of five he could repeat the five points of Calvinism. As a child and young man he was frequently ill, but his considerable intelligence meant that his studies did not suffer. He set his heart on becoming an anaesthetist, an ambition he achieved, only to be redirected by God to Anglican ministry. Since ordination he has had a considerable role in the work of reconciliation, both between Christian and Jew and between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim. Often in danger, and always in pain, he has nevertheless been able to mediate between opposing extremes. A man of God, he is trusted by those who trust very few.

Andrew White is something of a legend: a man of great charm and energy, whose personal suffering has not deflected him from his important ministry of reconciliation. Andrew grew up in London, the son of strongly religious parents: by the age of five he could repeat the five points of Calvinism. As a child and young man he was frequently ill, but his considerable intelligence meant that his studies did not suffer. He set his heart on becoming an anaesthetist, an ambition he achieved, only to be redirected by God to Anglican ministry. Since ordination he has had a considerable role in the work of reconciliation, both between Christian and Jew and between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim. Often in danger, and always in pain, he has nevertheless been able to mediate between opposing extremes. A man of God, he is trusted by those who trust very few.

Daily encounters with danger and death lead to greater faith

As the minister of St George's Anglican Church, Baghdad, Andrew White encounters daily tragedy, yet he remains a man of profound faith. Under constant threat of death, shadowed by bodyguards, he builds and encourages and loves and consoles his beleaguered congregation.

In this candid book he squarely answers the questions that his circumstances force into the open. What happened to his faith, for example, when a young girl in his congregation died, after much hope and prayer? He is trusted by all sides in this tormented region, and has met the best and worst: articulate, agreeable imams and rabbis; Christian venality and dishonesty. What has kept him willing to see the best?

Every time he returns to Iraq, he may be saying goodbye to his family for the last time. What do they think? He suffers from MS. How does he remain cheerful despite his physical weakness, and its progression? What does he say to God, alone in his study, late at night? He has been caught up in momentous events. Can he see the hand of God? Looking ahead, can he be optimistic about the future? Where are his sources of spiritual energy? He solicits prayer: why?