Canon Andrew White is one of the bravest people I know. For nine years this former Middle East envoy for the Archbishop of Canterbury, who has played a key role in freeing hostages in the region, has been the vicar of St George\u2019s church in Baghdad.<\/p>\n
As such, he has been the emblem and body-armoured defender of Iraq\u2019s Christian community, which has been under murderous assault in the wars that have engulfed Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein.<\/p>\n
A few days ago, at a conference I chaired in Jerusalem, Canon White told me that the Archbishop of Canterbury has now forbidden him to return to his church in its heavily barricaded compound. Given the advance towards Baghdad of Islamic State (Isis) \u201d\u201d which has now murdered a fifth hostage, the American Peter Kassig \u201d\u201d it is simply too dangerous even for him.<\/p>\n
More than 1,200 members of his congregation and several of his staff have been murdered in the past few years. His flock has dwindled from 6,500 to 1,000 today, including the six remaining Jews in Iraq, who have lived under his personal protection.<\/p>\n