THE Reverend Andrew Thompson of St Paul’s Anglican Church has recently authored a book recording the history of the Christian Church in Kuwait. “The Christian Church in Kuwait. Religious Freedom in the Gulf” surveys the formation of the many different Churches in Kuwait. It includes the origins of the American Mission hospital, the Evangelical Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Armenian and Greek Catholic Church, the Anglican Church as well as the many different kinds of Indian Churches. Today there are an estimated half a million Christians living and working in Kuwait.
The Reverend Andrew explains “the purpose of the book is to show the massive contribution that the Christian community has made to the people of Kuwait and in turn to thank Kuwait for the freedom of religion that is allowed here.”
Other chapters in the book examines the Biblical context of Kuwait and in particular highlights the Abrahamic connection. Reverend Andrew elaborates.” Abraham was born in the Kingdom of Ur and at that time, the Kings of Ur ruled over a huge area including what is now Southern Iraq and Kuwait. It is not unreasonable to suppose that Abraham himself could have travelled through Kuwait.”
The book took over two years to research and was written over the summer of 2009. It is presented in coffee table book format with many photographs and pictures littering the text. “The Christian Church in Kuwait” will become available in various shops in March.
Reverend Andrew Thompson has lived in the Middle East and the Gulf for over 10 years. He holds degrees in Behavioural Sciences and Islamic Studies. He trained for the ministry in Oxford and is currently the Diocesan Director of Education for the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.
For more information about the book please visit the website www.stpaulskuwait.com