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Whether through funding from Qatar or Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, some of those radical groups will try to get some influence. They will do it by offering money—and Saddam Hussein has large unfinished projects, like the biggest mosque in the world. And it was going to be a Sunni mosque.

How much willingness is there among the Shi'ah to work with the Sunnis and the others?

It's difficult to say, but certainly our relationship with key Shi'ah leaders like Ayatollah Al Sider is extremely good. One of the most important things we did was bring these key Shi'ah leaders to both Britain and America [in 1999]. In America he was hosted by Billy Graham, and in England by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Where we really were able to engage with these people was when we were outside of Iraq.

Our approach is cross-centered, because the cross is the ultimate image of reconciliation—God's reconciling himself to the world. Even though we might not be trying to convert them, the inspiration for what we are doing is Jesus.

How do the Muslims understand your Christian inspiration?

We talk a lot about Jesus, because Muslims do very much understand Jesus as a prophet. Those who have been to Coventry really do understand, because so much of what we do is based around the story of how our cathedral was destroyed, and how immediately we committed ourselves to the work of reconciliation and to forgiving our enemies. Even in a completely non-Christian context, there is still a great need for truth and forgiveness.

How do the Shi'ah and the Sunnis respond to talk about forgiveness?

They will say that within the Qur'an there is a call to forgive your neighbors, your enemies. But there isn't really a concept of loving your enemies. This is a radical concept.

How do they respond to the image of the cross of nails from the destroyed cathedral that symbolizes your organization?

When we presented the cross of nails to the people of Iraq, it was received by the [Shi'ah] Ayatollah, the Sunni Sheik, and the Christian patriarch. So it was quite interesting that they were all prepared to receive this symbol of the cross. They say it's been a powerful symbol. I wouldn't naturally go around displaying a cross in an Islamic setting, because that wouldn't be very wise. But certainly I have never had any problems with walking down the streets in Baghdad with my cross.

And now, with the fall of Saddam?

It's going to be a lot more difficult, because before if Saddam had accepted that you as a Christian must be there, they accepted that you must be there. So everybody was nice to us. I don't know what it's going to be like when we return in a few days. We're not going to go into Iraq and say that we want to create our reconciliation work around the image of the cross or the cross of nails, because we know that would be disastrous.

Do you have any advice on how Christian relief organizations should work in Iraq now?

The most important thing is that they are not seen in any way as pushing the gospel for food. That's absolutely key—they must ensure that anything they do or say is done in a way that will not be taken negatively, with no ulterior motive. If they're not sensitive, it could result in a major backlash against the Christians of Iraq.

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July 2003, Vol. 47, No. 7