Bishop Ali was speaking in an interview with Peter Wooding, senior news editor for UCB UK recorded at the launch of Brother Andrew's riveting new book "Secret Believers: What happens when Muslims believe in Christ," (written with Al Janssen) at two UNITE events in West Bromwich, UK, on Saturday, September 29.

Wooding explained that this was an issue that Ali has been asked to comment on much in the media recently. "Tell us a bit about your views particularly on the issue of Muslim and Christian relations?" he asked.

"Christians and Muslims have lived together with one another forever, for a very long time since the beginning of Islam as a faith in fact; and the relationship has sometimes been up and down, but we are now facing a situation (where) some movements in the Islamic world in a very organized way are trying to prevent Christians from living in Muslim countries at all," said Ali.

He added: "Large numbers of refugees are leaving countries like Iraq, for example, and many others where Christian worship and witness is being curtailed -- where people are being imprisoned for their beliefs and where those from a Muslim background who’ve come to Christian faith -- are encountering considerable difficulty: sometimes even injury and death. So these are quite serious matters that we are thinking about."

Wooding asked the Bishop: "What do you think our response as Christians should be to this challenging issue?"

"I’ve been thinking about this. I think there are a number of things to say and the first is that we have to be sure of our analysis that we understand the situation in each country accurately and that it’s not just an emotional response. The second is that we should be prepared to offer assistance to our brothers and sisters in any way that is possible, whether that is material assistance or spiritual assistance whatever it may be. The third, of course, is advocacy where we have influence, where we can be heard to make their situation known. But that’s the sort of horizontal aspect of advocacy if you like person to person, group to group, community to community. But we also have to be advocates for our brothers and sisters before God’s throne interceding for them and bringing their situation to God for His work among them and among us."

Wooding asked the Bishop to talk about the book he's written about this whole issue?

"I’ve written a number of books, but I suppose the one that you have in mind is the latest one called 'Conviction and Conflict' which really traces the whole story of relations between Muslims and Christians in many parts of the world down the years and pinpoints the main things that are at stake here which, for the sake of world peace, for the sake of good relations between people of different faiths, for the sake of freedom of believers, are important and need to be said."

Wooding commented: "Now we’re here today as far as the Unite event to really stand with the persecuted church. This is something you experienced yourself in Pakistan. Could you just briefly tell us that story?"

"The church in Pakistan and Christians in Pakistan have come under increasing pressure in the last thirty years or so and as someone who has worked there as a pastor and as an evangelist, a student worker and then as a bishop, I have personally experienced opposition to my work, which was on the one hand with very poor people and on the other was saying to the Islamic government at the time that some of the laws that they were bringing in we as Christians could not support because of the effect they would have on other people’s freedom, not just Christians but, for example, women. That resulted in the experience of harassment, persecution -- physical and mental, psychological abuse and threats both to myself and to my family. So in a small way I understand what this is about."

Wooding wanted to know day what was the significance of what the Unite conference was seeking to achieve?

The Bishop replied: "I think to bring people together. I’m very impressed that a thousand people have given up their Saturday to come together; that itself is a sacrifice that God will honor, I’m sure. And that coming together before the Lord -- it must be before the Lord -- it’s not just a coming together (that) will produce its own fruit in terms of prayer, (but also) in terms of giving in terms of learning, maybe even going, who knows. But somehow to assist God’s church throughout the world on its mission, particularly where it’s under pressure. "

To hear a half hour radio documentary presented by Peter Wooding, who is the youngest son of Dan and Norma Wooding, on the UNITE Event, tune into UCB UK on Sunday Oct 7th at 2pm for In Focus on Sky Channel 0125, DAB Radio and at www.ucb.co.uk  

Note: I would like to thank Robin Frost for transcribing this interview.

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Lake Forest, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. His weblog appears at: Michael's Wor(l)d BLOG