Religion in Turkey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nominally, 99.8% of the Turkish population is Muslim, of whom a majority belong to the Sunni branch of Islam.[1] A sizeable minority of the Turkish Muslims is affiliated with the Alevi sect.[2] The remainder of the population belongs to other beliefs, particularly Christian denominations (Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Syriac Orthodox, Chaldean Catholic, Church of the East), Judaism, and Yezidism, or are irreligious.[3]
According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005,[4]
- 95% of Turkish citizens responded: "I believe there is a God".
- 2% responded: "I believe there is some sort of spirit or life force".
- 1% responded: "I don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force".
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[edit] Religion and secularism
There is a strong tradition of secularism in Turkey. Even though the state has no official religion nor promotes any, it actively monitors the area between the religions.[5] The constitution recognises freedom of religion for individuals whereas the religious communities are placed under the protection of the state, but the constitution explicitly states that they cannot become involved in the political process (by forming a religious party for instance) or establish faith-based schools. No party can claim that it represents a form of religious belief; nevertheless, religious sensibilities are generally represented through conservative parties.[6] Turkey prohibits by law the wearing of religious headcover and theo-political symbolic garments for both genders in government buildings, schools, and universities;[7] a law upheld by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights as "legitimate" on November 10, 2005 in Leyla Şahin v. Turkey.[8]
[edit] Religious organization
The mainstream Hanafite school of Sunni Islam is largely organised by the state, through the Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı (Religious Affairs Directorate), which controls all mosques and Muslim clerics. The directorate is criticized by some Alevi Muslims for not supporting their beliefs and instead favoring the Sunni faith. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (Patrik) is the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Turkey, and also serves as the spiritual leader of all Orthodox churches throughout the world. The Armenian Patriarch is the head of the Armenian Church in Turkey, while the Jewish community is led by the Hahambaşı, Turkey's Chief Rabbi, based in İstanbul.
[edit] Historical Christian sites
Antioch (Antakya), the city where "the disciples were first called Christians" according to the biblical Book of Acts, is located in modern Turkey, as are most of the areas visited by St. Paul during his missions. The Epistle to the Galatians, Epistle to the Ephesians, Epistle to the Colossians, First Epistle of Peter, and Book of Revelation are addressed to recipients in the territory of modern Turkey. Additionally, all of the first Seven Ecumenical Councils that define Christianity for Eastern Orthodox Christians and are also considered as foundational by Roman Catholics and some traditional Protestant churches, took place in the territory that is now Turkey.
[edit] Freedom of religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the Government imposes some restrictions on Muslim and other religious groups and on Muslim religious expression in government offices and state-run institutions, including universities.[9]
Some societal abuses and discrimination occur based on religious belief or practice. Violent attacks and threats against non-Muslims create an atmosphere of pressure and diminished freedom for some non-Muslim communities. Although proselytizing is legal in the country, non-Sunni Muslims, Christians, and Jews face a few restrictions and occasional harassment for alleged proselytizing or unauthorized meetings. The Government continues to oppose "Islamic fundamentalism."[9]
Religious minorities say they are effectively blocked from careers in state institutions because of their faith. Christians, Jews, and non-Sunni Muslims face societal suspicion and mistrust, and more radical Islamist elements continue to express anti-Semitic sentiments. Additionally, persons wishing to convert from Islam to another religion sometimes experience social harassment and violence from relatives and neighbors.[9]
[edit] See also
- Freedom of religion in Turkey
- Islam in Turkey
- Christianity in Turkey
- Judaism in Turkey
- Hinduism in Turkey
- Secularism in Turkey
- Cultural Muslim
- List of mosques in Turkey
- List of churches in Turkey (category)
- List of synagogues in Turkey
- Religion by country
- Religion in Europe
[edit] Notes
- ^ CIA World Factbook, 2007 (HTML) (English). CIA (December 2007). Retrieved on 2008-19-28.
- ^ Shankland, David (2003). The Alevis in Turkey: The Emergence of a Secular Islamic Tradition. Routledge (UK), 20. ISBN 0-7007-1606-8. “Some [researchers] claim that the number of Alevis is as high as 30 per cent of Turkey's population. Others state that there are as few as 10 per cent. My own feeling ... offered purely tentatively, is that the proportion of Turkeys' population that today holds itself to be Alevis is ... perhaps nearer to 15 per cent.”
- ^ United Nations Population Fund (2006). Turkey - A Brief Profile. United Nations Population Fund. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
- ^ Eurobarometer on Social Values, Science and technology 2005 - page 11. Retrieved on 2007-05-05.
- ^ British Broadcasting Corporation (2003-10-29). Headscarf row goes to Turkey's roots. BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-12-13.
- ^ Çarkoǧlu, Ali (2004). Religion and Politics in Turkey. Routledge (UK). ISBN 0-4153-4831-5.
- ^ British Broadcasting Corporation (2006-11-17). The Islamic veil across Europe. BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-12-13.
- ^ European Court of Human Rights (2005-11-10). Leyla Şahin v. Turkey. ECHR. Retrieved on 2006-11-30.
- ^ a b c United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Turkey: International Religious Freedom Report 2007. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
[edit] References
- Çarkoǧlu, Ali (2004). Religion and Politics in Turkey. Routledge (UK). ISBN 0-4153-4831-5.
[edit] External links
- mymerhaba.com Religion in Turkey
- The European Parliament: Policy Department External Policies - Religious Freedom in Turkey: Situation of Religious Minorities - Published 2008
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