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IranOpen hearts in a closed landIran nowIRAN Do you ever watch news reports about Iran and despair? Perhaps your knowledge of Iran is like mine: a collection of news bites from over the years, my prayers restricted to the odd cry for help for this seemingly hopeless case. This little book by Mark Bradley seeks to set straight common assumptions made about Iran. The book gives a simple outline of the socio-political and religious situation in the country, concentrating on events since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. It has two sections: Closed Land and Open Hearts. It is a quick and easy read, if clumsily written in parts. The first section helpfully explains the background to the current regime and President Ahmadinejad’s fundamentalist position. The second section gives some interesting reasons why the Iranian people are currently more open to the gospel. The author, who remains understandably anonymous, gives much anecdotal evidence about the Christian scene. As Iran is largely closed to Christianity, it is difficult to independently verify. One can’t help thinking that so much is not being said, because of restrictions. The lives of fellow believers are at risk. The first section of this book may cause sighs of despair at such a fundamentalist and cruel regime. However, the second section is full of gospel hope, although the Bible is not referred to much! Hope given by Christ, in the power of his Spirit to move in amazing ways to convert many in this closed land. Psalm 2 reminds us that the Lord is in control of all peoples. We only have to look at world history to see how he has toppled empires. After reading this book, I, for one, will be praying for Iran, and its persecuted church in a more informed way. Heather Stephens,
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