Karl's Reading List

Published by Monarch Books: Oxford, UK & Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2009. This is the autobiography of Andrew White, a canon in the Church of England and someone who has worked for peace in both Israel/Palestine and Iraq. He is able to have influence in these areas by building relationships with key religious and political leaders from all sides of a conflict, and has been able to bring about various statements seeking peace and reconciliation from often opposing parties. I found this a challenging book to read, partially because of White's focus on peace even at the price of evangelism. It is an important role, and one that he has obviously been called to, but also one that not every individual would be able to achieve. The challenge of pastoring a church in Baghdad (which he did until 2014, after this book's release) is also highlighted, including the balance between security and sacrificial love. When White talks about a particular pastor of the church, and then explains th...

Published by Monarch Books: Oxford, England, 2012. This is a collection of fifteen interviews conducted by the author (as part of her The Olive Tree radio series) with Jews and Arabs living in Israel and Palestine who each have come to faith in Jesus. We hear from teachers, pastors and business owners, each with their own reason for living in the region, but each bound by a love for Christ and for reconciliation between the two people groups. Many of the testimonies highlight the growth of Christianity within Israel and Palestine since the 1970s, and challenge the Western reader to not forget that we should not let our politics could what God is doing in an area. It is not easy to live for Christ in the face of such intense political and religious divides, and this book reminds us to pray for those living in these locations. A good "taster" book that might whet some readers' appetites to find out more about what God is doing in the Middle East. Completed 29 March ...