The attitude of Iraqi Governments from the French missionary activity (1930-1939)

Abstract

The study of the issue of Christian missionary work in Iraq in the 1930s is extremely important, as it revealed a bitter ideological conflict between imported Christian thought and Islam, which was manifested in the decisive and firm positions taken by the Iraqi governments, despite the fact that most of its political figures adopted secular ideas. France, and the Catholic Christian establishment behind it, focused on Iraq because of its importance as a center of cultural radiation throughout history in the region, on the one hand, and because of its geographical location from the Christian holy places in Palestine and its proximity to the Islamic holy places in the Arabian Peninsula, and it is a window for crossing to Iran, the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan. Therefore, the success of the missionary work there would contribute effectively to spreading the Christian religion and culture throughout the region. However, the repercussions of this issue, despite its failure, affected the nature of Iraqi-French relations, and what resulted from it was the spread of an atmosphere of mistrust between them and perhaps hostility at times.