Christianity and the Kurds
Dr. Charles White trains pastors in Iraq
Michael Metts
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: News
When most of us think of the situation in Iraq, we think of car bombs in Baghdad, and the U.S. military presence there. Dr. White, professor of Christian thought and history was privileged to see a different side of the country over the past couple of weeks.
The opportunity to go to Iraq arose out of White's friendship with Blake Wood, the executive director for Impact Middle East. White was working on a different project with him when Wood mentioned the need for Bible training in Kurdistan.
The teaching given by White was condensed Gospels and Acts course.
"It's a forty-five hour class but I was only able to teach fifteen," said White. White's students were pastors from Duhok and Baghdad as well as leading lay-people such as a university professor and his wife as well as a chemistry teacher from the local high school.
White was in Iraq for seven days, though it took two days travel time each way. White landed in Erbil, Iraq and traveled up to the Kurdish city of Duhok in northeastern Iraq. The Kurds occupy an area in the Middle East that includes Eastern Turkey, Northern Iraq, Northwestern Iran and smaller parts of Armenia and Syria. While the Kurds govern themselves, they are not an official government and their territory lies within the borders of these other countries.
White enthusiastically talked about opportunities to minister to ethnic groups in the Middle East, like the Kurds and the Assyrians, who have historically been Christian-leaning in their mindset. He also described the power Christ has to unite these different ethnic groups.
"In a Christian group, you'll have an Assyrian, an Arab and a Kurd gathered together because of Christ. [Christianity] is strong enough to transcend those ethnic barriers," said White.
Another way for Christians to be involved in the Middle East and in the Muslim world would be as a working professional or teacher since most higher education is done in English. White said that being a Christian involved in the Muslim world is a valuable service to the kingdom.
The opportunity to go to Iraq arose out of White's friendship with Blake Wood, the executive director for Impact Middle East. White was working on a different project with him when Wood mentioned the need for Bible training in Kurdistan.
The teaching given by White was condensed Gospels and Acts course.
"It's a forty-five hour class but I was only able to teach fifteen," said White. White's students were pastors from Duhok and Baghdad as well as leading lay-people such as a university professor and his wife as well as a chemistry teacher from the local high school.
White was in Iraq for seven days, though it took two days travel time each way. White landed in Erbil, Iraq and traveled up to the Kurdish city of Duhok in northeastern Iraq. The Kurds occupy an area in the Middle East that includes Eastern Turkey, Northern Iraq, Northwestern Iran and smaller parts of Armenia and Syria. While the Kurds govern themselves, they are not an official government and their territory lies within the borders of these other countries.
White enthusiastically talked about opportunities to minister to ethnic groups in the Middle East, like the Kurds and the Assyrians, who have historically been Christian-leaning in their mindset. He also described the power Christ has to unite these different ethnic groups.
"In a Christian group, you'll have an Assyrian, an Arab and a Kurd gathered together because of Christ. [Christianity] is strong enough to transcend those ethnic barriers," said White.
Another way for Christians to be involved in the Middle East and in the Muslim world would be as a working professional or teacher since most higher education is done in English. White said that being a Christian involved in the Muslim world is a valuable service to the kingdom.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Kiumars
posted 10/02/08 @ 12:49 AM EST
RE: "In a Christian group, you'll have an Assyrian, an Arab and a Kurd gathered together because of Christ".
Then saddam did the Christ's job for a long time!
LOL . (Continued…)
Emil Soleyman
posted 10/02/08 @ 6:57 AM EST
The Assyrians were one of the first nations to convert to Christianity and have continued that tradition for the last 2000 years. Whereas the majority of Kurds have been and currently are Sunni Muslims. (Continued…)
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